Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1897-03-04
FATE OF
How . Band Of Brave Kentuckians Met
Death in Cuba.


In the summer OF 1851, says the New
York Sun, Col. William L. Crittenden.
OF Louisville, a brother Of ex-Gov.
Thomas Crittenden Of Missouri, re-
cruited about fifty Kentuckians to go
to Cuba to the assistance OF the patri-
OTIS, who were engaged at that time 10
a desultory warfare against the Span
ish. Among those who accompanied
Col. Crittenden were Capt. Victor Kerr,
Lieut.. Charles Green. Lieut.. William
Stamford. John Fisher and Gilman
A. Cook. The names OF the others can
not be recalled. The little band left
Louisville early in August fully armed
and equipped for war. They succeeded
n landing On the island after having
been joined by nearly fifty others from
several Of the Southern States. Two
days after landing and while marching
Col. Crittenden's band was attacked
by 100 Spanish soldiers.
The Americans occupied an advan-
tageous position when the attack was
made, and for t~hirty-six hours they
kept the Spaniards at bay. When they
had exhausted nearly their whole
stock Of ammunition and the men were
completely worn out by the long bat
tie. Col. Crittenden, after a hasty con-
sultation with his officers, decided to
surrender. A flag OF truce was sem 10
the Spanish lines and was c~ourteOusly
rncpiraI hu tho aNmyn n6nr who nrO-
missed the Americans that they would
receive honorable treatment as prison
ers Of wal If they surrendered. &C
cordingly Col. Crittenden surrendered.
The next morning at sunrise the col
onel and. seventy-seven Of the eighty
men who were captured were marched
out TO be executed. The men were
made to kneel with their backs toward
the firing squad. Col. C%rittenden pro
tested against the execution, calling
attention to the agreement made be-
fore the surrender. He was CURLY IN
formed by the Spanish commander
that there was no war in Cuba, that
the -c~volutionists We're only bandits.
and that they were shot whenever
captured. He then ordered the sol
dicrs to lead Col. Crittenden to the line
where his men were kneeling, and or
dered him to kneel also, with his back
toward the Spanish soldiers. The
Colonel. who was a splendid type OF
Kentucky manhood, tore himself loose
from the soldiers, and Strengthening up
to his full height, looked the comman-
der in the face and exclaimed:
Il am a K%entuckian. sir, and a Ken
tuckian never turns his back on his
foe and never kneelS save to God"
The commander gave the order te
fire, and Crittenden as we'll as his
men poured out their life blood on Gu
ban soil.
When the news reached the United
States that the intrepid Crittenden an(
his band had been shot to death aftel
making an honorable surrender the
indignation of the people knew NJ
bounds. Mass meetings were held nj
owe the country, and resolutions Of in
dignation were adopted. Petitions
were circulated asking President FIJI
more to declare var against Spain TO
the butchery OF American citizens. S
strong was public opinion against tn
outrage that the President prompt.
dispatched the steam frigate Saranac
Commodore Parker, to inquire into tn
circumstances of the killing of Co
Crittenden and his men. He founv
thai United States Consul Owen, q
Havana. had been derelict in his duty
and on the recommendation Of ComIn(
dore Parker, Mr.. Owen was recalled.