Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1857-06-26
The Sonora Fillibuster Expeditioon.

Il
In our last issue8we published rumor
OF the entire destruction of Henry a.
Crabbe's party. numbering about 100
men, by the Mexicans in Sonora. The
following statement of the facts is
kindly furnished by gentlemen just ar
rived from Fort Yuma
Late in March Crabbe's party left So
siap6ita, Sonora, and marched to Oavorea,
. ia snnallsMexican town near Point Lubas,
gIaon the Cult of California. The first in
tention'wa to have proceeded to Altar.
sv:hut news of its partial fertilization and
susceptibility of strong defense caused
The diversion ON Cavorea. On the morn
ing OF The LIST of April the party of Ame-
sd1ieans entered the suburbs of the town.
saEhey were met by u body of Mexican
aitroops commanded by Rodriguez. It is
= said that Rodriguez advanced to speak to
bgErabbe. When Ihe Americans opened fire
,IE and killed the commander and several
Others. The Mexicans Immediately re-
tTeaIed-some 10 the mountains but the
majority to the church, which had, at the
time Crabbe entered the town, number
Il of beeves roasting whole in the front Of
1t, to feed the troops.
-5' II appears that here occurred Crabbe's
first and fatal mistake. Instead of at
once charging and taking the church.
which would have give him the town, he
occupied several houses on the corner of
the Plazu, in front of the church. The
Mexicans at first deserted most of the
"a town, but finally being emboldened re-
% turned and gradually hemmed the Anne
4. days. with loss to the Americans OF
g.. H. g
reported by themselves TO have been
twenty FIVE. but is supposed to have much
r. greater. rs high as two hundred. On the
cIghh day an attempt was made OF two of
2Crab6e's men 10 blow up the church. by
4. placing key OF powder under the pOrlico
& and firing it. The devoted men who at
tempted this were both killed. and Crabbe
2, is said to have been wounded in superin
tending it. ....ts
49,. 1t is said an offrr was made by Crabbe
OIL to retire it the Mexicaus would allow it.
He had refused TO retire when the offer
was made him. after the fighting had con-
tinued Two days. and now the Mexicans,
, confident vi his weakness and their tri.
r, umph. refused. The Americans were
gradually but surely caught in a snare
from which they SAW no escape. BY
s breaking through the walls OF the ad
joining houses, the Mexicans forced
, ,CTabbe AND his men into the, corner bull
dings. which they repeatedly set on fire.
but which the Americans as often extin-
gulShed. AT last H Papago shot into the
roof OF the main building occupied by the
IN unhappy fIhbusters lighted arrow
g The flames caught he roof, and iu a. few
poments the fine was dropping in grea.
flashes upon the heads of the doomed men
= within. -.........
Worn out with constant lighting, ex.
hauS'ed with anxiety, iamished by pros
bahle days Of starvation and thirst, and
without ammunition, Henry A. Crabbe
and Fifty eight men marched out of the
burning house with white flag before
them, laid down their arms and surren-
.-dered, it is supposed Internationally. -
- This was in the night. or toward morning.
They were Immediately tied, their hands
>. behind them, taken to a corral near the
alcalde'S office, where they were kept un'
3, tllmorning, when they were taken out in
squads of 5 and 10 each, and shot. In
the. first executions it was found that the
calmness of the Americans discomposed
:, the executiOncrs, and they shot too high
) OF, two low. in many cases only wounding
their victims. The backs Of the fated mer
q were then turned to the troops, and they
-, succeeded in aiming with better effect.
I,,saMc CUun owing to his great stature, was
% :, saved this torture, IL ball struck him full
: II. III the breast at the first fire, and he fel
-. dead. Crabbe alone was reserved for
SOLITARY death. He was taken TO the al
calde,s tf6ce. questioned, allowed TO write
letter 10 his wife and to have an inter
- view wilh>Dr. Evans. q prisoner in the
hands OF tie MeXicans, who had been il
confinement some weeks on suspicion
The hour Tor his execution having arriv
ri ed, be was led Our, his hands stretched
above his head and tied to post in from
OF the building be had occupied, his face
to the post, and his back to his execution.
u ers. AT the command fire at least 6
hundred balls pierced his body, and al
that was mortal OF Henry a. Crabbe
sa hung dead, swinging by his tied hands
"a Mexican stepped forward, and with q
large knife severed his head from his bo
dy-the warm blood spirting half way
across the street. The head was placed
on atable in front Of the Office of the Jues
exposed TO the jeers of the populace. Il
80 was then placed in jar of mescal fol
20 for preservation.
.sta$Two of the Ainsas (brothers. in-law o.
Crabbe) are said to be killed, and also
Rasey Biven. My informant, an intelli>
agent man, and an eyewitness Of these
horrors. says Crabbe died as calmly and
Il quietly as ii he were going to pleasant
home.
5sr Four sick men had been left at Sonoita
by Crabbe. They occupied the house