Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1897-03-05

3orces; but, finding that he could not get
arms and ammunition to the island to
garry on active warfare, he resigned and
left Cuba to it's fate.
The very first American expedition set
out from New Orleans in 1850 to champion
the fortunes of the patriot Lopez. Lopez
was Venezuelan who had won high rank
in the service Of Spain and then became
an ardent Cuban patriot. He sailed from
Europe to the United States to enlist aid
and found the south warmly In favor OF
annexation. There was at the time a IA
NOUS criminal lawyer in New Orleans,
who afterward won glory on the battle
field as leader of the Louisiana Tigers
Colonel Chatham Robcrtieau Wheat.
Wheat was a young man who had been on
the gold coast. Born Virginia cavalier,
of Hugucnot blood, and bred to manhood
in that nursery ground of soldiers, Tennes-
see, his soul took fire at the Veriest speck
of war;. He served in Mexico with happy
fortunes and after that couldn't see war
flag foating anywhere on the broad sur
face of the earth but he must get behind
it or in front of it.
At the head of the New Orleans contin-
gent of Lopez's invading army Wheat put
to sea under sealed orders from the chief.
On opening the paper he found directions
to meet another fotilla il the gulf and
proceed to Cuba. All hnl DIS were sum-
1noned to the deck, and Wheat made a
speech, declaring that the time had come
to throw off oil disguise, haul down the
stars and stripes, under which the vessel
had cleared, and, like Hagar in the will
4erance from peril and distress. While the
1~o;, 1o1 hoh oi 1od ho
as "soldiers Of the iberating army of Cr-
ba," closing with the challenge: "Does
any one doubt the propriety of our under
taking? Does any one fear to go forward
in itp If SO, let him return" The Cuban
banner having kissed the ocean breeze, he
exclaimed, "Liberators, behold your fag!'
The vessel sailed on to the rendezvous,
where it united with band under Lopez.
The party landed at Cardenas and seized
the town, but the Cuban population failed
to keep their promise, and there was no up
rising. After q little fighting the invaders
backed of and sailed for New Orleans
Wheat had been wounded in the night at
tack on Cardenas and came out hero
He Immediately sought service in Mexico,
where a revolution was in progress.
Lopez persisted in his efforts, and the
next year went out from New Orleans
with the i'll fated expedition with which
the name of the gallant Kentuckian Colo
mel W. S. Crittenden is associated. The
affair was managed with secrecy up to
the time of landing on Cuban soil. On the
night of Aug. 10, 1851, the steamer Pam
pero anchored off Key West, and before
daylight disappeared, to be heard of next
in Cuban waters, where she landed the
whole expedition in fighting trim, at Car
bano, 40 miles west Of Havana. Lopez
was in command, while Crittenden with
three others, ranked as colonies. The COM
nand was divided into detachments OF
about 100 men, to be augmented, it was
supposed, by patriots on shore.
Soon after landing, Lopez advanced with
his main force into the interior, leaving
Colonel Crittenden with ia men to guard
the landing place and supplies. Mean
while two Spanish detachments set out
from Havana to head off the invaders.
Crittenden was cut off from joining Lopez
by force Of 700 men and after repelling
enc charge took refuge in the chaparral
Fifty of the party, including Colonel Crit.
tenden, reached the shore at the end OF
two days hiding and embarked in open
boats. After night on the ocean they
were captured by the steamer Habanero.
The men were all unarmed and were steer
ing for New Orleans, evidently being de-