The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-08-22

any regard TO the interests OF the vessels Of the
| UniedB3tates.
IL true that masters OF vessels are reonired tn
produce certificate that American vessels are placed
upon similar footing; and If a consul complies with
hIs DUTY the government Is not likely TO be deceived.
But how easy will il he for Spanish merchant to
address the consul letter. and request him to cert-
~ 81 loot that American vessels entering and leaving
here IN ballast pay no tonnage money And if they
obtain this certificateas they doubtless will unless
the consols are expressly instructed to state on each
certificate the various circumstances under which
vessels are chargeable with tonnage dues and those
under which they are not-th wrong is DONE
MAJOR sCHLEssINGERs REPLY TO GENL.
CONCHA.
| TO TIE EDITOR or THE SKw YORK HERALD
In reply TO copy Of translation from the Diario
Es7a"d, concerning the late Lopez expedition,
written by the late Captain General Of the island of
Cuba, Don Jose de 10 Concha, which appeared in
your paper Of the 18th inst feel in duty bound,
as one Of the principal aid.de camps Of my former
friend and noble leader, General Narciso Lopez,
without entering into any controversy about the pre-
ventve measures taken by Gen. Concha for the island
Of Cuba to state merely some facts in illustration Of
some remarks made by General Concha, referring
the reader for the full particulars Of the late expe
dit0n TO my personal narrative, published in the
Democratic Revine, and which will be rspublished
in book form next month.
General Concha states, that through Intercepted
communications and private information he received,
be fixed the point Of our Decentralization at the
bead land Of Mantua, the northern coast Of the
Vuelta de Abojo, and at the same time he admits
to have left this point entirely ung garrisoned. What
the military motives of General Concha could have
been for entirely evacuatins the very point where
ourappearance was expected By him. anJ not pre-.
pairing to have force at hand to oppose US, can
not perceive; and can ooly exculpate him for not
having taken efficacious means for the defence Of
that point, by allowing myself to believe in contra
dction of his own statement that he had no conf.
dence in the private information he received, and
looked with mistrust on the intercepted CON.
nunicatons, as in reality it not our intention to
land on the northern part Of the yuelta dc Abajo
General ConcEa is further led to believe, that e.
neral Lopez, through false information he rcceived
Mt Key West, Of rising Of the inhabitants near
Havana, was made to commit the imprudence of
steering to the latter port, and presenting himself
within sight Of the Moro Castle. Actually, news
received in Key West Of the rising Of the inha-
bitants in different parts OF the island, the state
Of ihc Vueta Abajo, represented as entirely un-
garrsoncd, and more particularly the deficiency
OF coal on board the steamer PanDero, made the
General abandon his original plan, and adopt rev
one for the immediate Decentralization of the cxpe-
dition at the Vuclta de Abajo AS far. however. as
shc steering to the port of Havana is con-
cerned, this was no voluntary act OF Gen.
Lopez. and was occasioned by the break
ing Of part OF the machinery Of the steamer
and the irrcgulalty OF the compasses, throu gh the
Nicility Of mushets. she being carried in t1t drcc
ton by the force Of the gulf stream. to tho great con-
ternafion OF the troops and the entire dispeasuvc Of
the General.
As far as our engagements in Las Posas. Frias,,
&c, are related by General Concha, do not wish
to accuse OF having wilfully published falehoods,
but think that he had been miscd by the false re-
ports and statements made to him by his officers
which, through this. intended to cover their own i'm
becity, 50 far from hot anticipating attack for
three or four days, as General Concha says we had
positive information after arrival in Las Posas
through peasant coming in the direction from
Fahia Honda oil the approach OF the cnenly's force,
and reported as they were to ms, Gas il actually
was the case,) superior in number, General Lopez
did not intend to bring our little volunteer force
into immediate action. and therefore. we sent three
Subsequent orders to Colonel Crittendcn to join us
Immediately as il was our intention after our iunc.
t0n with him to evacuac Las Posas that very night
and cnly the non appearance Of Crttendens column
and his non compliance with the given orders $50
fatal to him and his ioowcrsl was the cause Of our
being found OF Las Posas next day.
General COncha himself states that seven compa-
MES, "picked soldiers" of the different regiments
(the best troops he ever bcheld) were placed under
command Of General Emma, under COmmandante
vilaos to attack our body OF men, consisting in all
of two hundred and eighty, Zone hundred and
twenty men having been left with Crittenden
at MuIiilo,) and to cover the shame of their
retreat he asserts that our superiority Of number
did compel them to it, As far as the behaviour of
the Spanish troops goes ! must really state that
they we're valiant end brave, and they had only to
yield to our unparalleled bravery (although inferior
in numbers to hcm) and to the cool and certain aim
of our volunteers in their ranks. Gen. Emma not
obliged 70 give orders for rctrea:ing, stated by
Gen. Concha-,for his troops, seized by q pani;,
eO the battlefield in disorder and dlsmay-
so much 50, that when I, myself, with two compa-
nies, advanced in their persecution, / found
the road covered with munitions, arms, and othor
accoutrements UhIown away by them in order to
facilitate their flght) and this positively cannot
indicate the orderly retreat spoken of by General
Concha where they rcpulsed our advancing column.)
Such a repulsion, when Cen Pngay vas morally
ginning OF our Engagement. In what order the enemy
effected their retreat, and how the column which ~
tackled Critienden was near extermnatin9 him when
they received orders TO retreat, cannot perceive,
the more so, Capt. Kelly joined at Las Posas,
without being nolested in any way during his march
by the Spanish forces and, when Gen. Concha as
serts that the Spanish troops, although rercating,
were not in o routed state then must humbly ask
! means? When 1893 dead Counted by myselO and
| inDumerablc numbers Of wounded, the loss Of
munitions, arms, and scattering, dight of .
on ID e has thsS
found themselves only in the impossbllty TO gain
| victory c-er Us. As tar as osr engagements In
Triss sre related by Gen. Coneha he himself asserts
| that Cen EDna had ~ his command fifteen hundred
infantry one hundred and twenty cavalry and four
field pieces With this force Gen. Enna attacked US.
| not % Gen. Corcha states, with the infantry in.
| terceptipg ouY eft flank, but with the cavalry
| charge In front, towards centre; and
| when by our cool and efectual aim and firing, the
Spanish cavalry had 10 give way, then 1t was that he
ordered the inentry 10 deploy towards our left, co
charge against us and here II happened that, with
the many others, General Emma fell, the cavalry
seized with panic threw itself on it, own infantry
columns, bringing with them CONSERVATION aud
surprise, and actually forcing the infantry 10 partic
pate In a general flight, aban ioning their field
pieces and il IL only objectionable to ourselves not
90 have used both victories gained over the Spanish
forces in Las Posas and Trias TO better advantage
Gen. Concba here made remark not very com
pment0ry to his fellow officers, by stating that after
| the death Of Gen Emma there was competent