Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1857-06-18
THE SONORA FlLLIBUsrER EXPEDI-

THE SONORA FILLIBUsTER EXPEDI-
<I.TION.H
The San Diego Herald Of May 9 publishes
full narrative Of. the destruction of the fill
buster party of Fl. A., Crabbe by the Mexi-
cans at Sonora, from which we select the
following: =. t4@~
In our last issue we published a rumor of
the entire destruction of Henry A. Crabbe's
party, numbering about 100 men, by the
Mexicans in Sonora The following state
ment of the facts is kindly furnished by a
gentleman just arrived from Fort Yuma:
Late in March Crabbe's party left Sonoita,
Sonora, and marched to Cavorea, q small
Mexican town near Point Lubos, on the
Gulf of California. The first intention was
to have proceeded to Altar, but news of its
partial fertilization and susceptibility of
strong defense caused the diversion on Ca
vorea. On the morning of the LIST Of April /
the party of Americans entered the suberbs
of the town. They were met by body of
Mexican troops commanded by Rodriguez.
It is said that Rodriguez advanced to speak
to Crabbe. when the Americans opened fire
and killed the commander and several others.
The Mexicans Immediately retreated-some
to the mountains, but the majority to the
church, which had been placed in a state Of
defence, and had, at the time Crabbe enter
ed the town, number of beeves roasting
whole in front of it, to feed the Mexican
troops.
It appears that here occurred Crabbe's
first and fatal mistake. Instead of at once
charging and taking the church, which
would have given him the town, he occupied
several houses on the corner of the Plaza,
in front of the church. The Mexicans at
first deserted the most of the town, but final
ly being emboldened returned and gradual
~ hemmed the Americans in. The fight
ing continued eight days, with loss to the
Americans of twenty -five killed The Mexi-
can loss is reported by themselves to have
been twenty-five, but is supposed to have
been much greater, as high as two hundred.
On the eighth day an attempt was made of
two of Crabbe's men to blow up the church,
by placing keg of powder under the portl-
co and firing it. The devoted men who at
tempted this both were killed. and Crabbe
is said to have been wounded in superintend-
ing it.
It is said an offer was made BY Crabbe to
retire if the Mexicans would allow it. lie
had refused to retire when TIE offer was made
him, after the fighting had continued two
DAYS, and now TIE Mexicans, confident Of
his weakness AID their triumph, refused
The Americans were gradually but surely
capsht in snare, from which they saw no
r., ,~h& IT, &
the adjoining houses, the Mexicans forced
Crabbs and his men into the corner build
ings, which they repeatedly set on FIRE, but
which the Americans as often extinguished.
At last Papago Indian shot into the roof
of the main building occupied by the unhap-
py filibusters lighted arrow. The flames
caught the roof, and in few moments the
fire was dropping in great fakes upon the
heads of the doomed men within.
Worn out with constant fighting, exhaus-
ted with anxiety, famished by probable days
of starvation and thirst, and without ammu-
milton, Henry A. Crabbe and fifty-eight
men marched out of the burning house with
white flag before them, laid down their
arms and surrendered, it is supposed un-
conditionalTy. 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 until morning, 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 discom-
posed the executioners, and they shot too
high or too low, in many cases only wound
ing their victims The backs of the fated
men were then turned to the troops, and
then they succeeded in aiming with better
effect
McCoun, owing to his great stature, was
saved this torture, ball struck him full in
the breast at the first fire, and he fell dead.
Crabbe alone was reserved for solitary
death. He was taken to the alcalde's office,
questioned, allowed to write letter to his
wife and to have interview with DR.. Evans,
prisoner in the hands Of the Mexicans, /
who had been in confinement some weeks
on suspicion. The hour for execution hav-
ing arrived, he was led out, his hands stretch
ed above his head and tied to post in front
of the building he had occupied, his face to
the post, and his back to his executioners. t
AT the command fire at least hundred
balls were fixed into his body, and all that
was mortal of Henry A. Crabbe hung dead
swinging by his tied hands. A Mexican
stepped forward and, with large knife,
severed his head from the body-the warm
blood spirting half way across the street.
The head was placed on table in front, or
in the Office Of the JUGS, exposed to the jeers
of the populace. It was then placed in a
jar Of mescals for preservation.