The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-08-29
ower tier. The pisarro then drew out of


 remained at the home of his friend, MT. Mallory, until he recovered from his wounds, when he surrendered to the United States Marshal. He was sent by sailing vessel to New Orleans. The Cuban patriots had an enthusiastic greeting at the St. Charles Hotel by the citizens. In a speech, General Lopez said if he had committed crime in soliciting the aid of freemen for Cubas liberty he was determined to remain a criminal to the last moment of his life The United States grand jury finally found indict- ments against number of prominent men for, violation of the neutrality laws. These were Justice Cotesworth Pinckney Smith. of the Supreme Court of Missis- sippi; John A. Guitman Governor or Mississippi; John Henderson. New Or leans lawyer and ex-Senator of Missis- sppi; Gen. A. J. Gonzales. Laurent J. Sigur, Editor of The New Orleans Delta; Gen, Narcisso Lopez. Judge Boyd of Nat chez. Miss: Col. Theodore OHara, a Ma jor in the United States army in the Mexican war; and author of the poem The Bfvouac of the Dead;' John L.' OSullivan.. former. editor of The Demo- cratic Review F. Pickett. Lleutenant- Hawkins, Gen. Donation Augustins Col. Robert Wheat, Col. A. J. Lewis, J. R. Hadden, Col. N. J. Bunch and Lieuten- ant-Colonel W. H. Bell The Americans named had been conspicuous in aiding the Cuban expedition.
 On the first trial, in December. 1S50 the jury stood four for acquittal. and eight for conviction. Next time, two months later, the jury was six and six. In March the third trial was held and as only one juryman stood for conviction the Government quashed the proceedings
 The Cubans immediately began organ izing another expedition, making Savan- nah the base General Lopez was the military head, but his chief of stan, General Gonzales. was the organizer He was an English scholar. and had a wide
 ot..t. txznt ttol AT cans. General Gonzales went to Georgia and was warmly received. A large amount of money was contributed. The steamer Cleopatra was chartered In New teered were drilled. General Lopez was in New Orleans When the expedition was ready he was informed and met the expedition, which rendezvoused at Ma con. The men and munitions of war were sent to place on the Satilla River. Georgia. The officers proceeded to Sa- vannah and thence to an island on the coast. There information was received that President Fillmore had seized the Cleopatra. There was nothing left to do but disband the men.
 Lopez returned to New Orleans. and the Government had warrants issued for the arrest of Gonzales. For six weeks he was in hiding, being the guest of first one planter and then another in lower South Carolina and Georgia. In going to the Satilla River to examine the arms ana SuDDItS It IoSt way and called at a mansion in the wild erness to find, on introducing himself, that the owner was the Collector or St. Mary's, and the only Federal officer south of Savannah holding a warrant from the
 President for his arrest. but Collector Dill worth held that in his private home he was private citizen. and so pleasantly entertained his unbidden guest for day or two. assured him of deep sympathy with his cause. and speeded him on his way with fresh horses.
 As General Gonzales had contracted fever. and danger from capture was a'- ways imminent. General Lopez advised him to go to the springs of West Vir- ginia and remain there until fall, when they agreed that another expedition would he organized. This advice was taken by the chief of staff but General Iopez received information shortly after the departure of General Gonzales that caused him to determine to make dash for Cuba. Stories came of successful up risings in several parts of the island It was said the people would rise if Lopez came and raised the standard New or leans was in a ferment of excitement. Public meetings were held to express sympathy for and pledge enthusiastic support to the Cuban cause. Governor Guitman, of Mississippi was counted up- on to lead thousands of fighters to Cuba if the patriots once got foothold. Men volunteered, a ship. the steamer Pampero, commanded by the same Captain Lewis who took over the Creole. was secured General Lopez took fire with enthusiasm at the report that Havana was ready to rise and join him. He started away from New Orleans with 300 men. without com. municating with the other members or the Junta or summoning his chief or staff. General Gonzales.
 There were with General Lopez two companies of Cubans and Spaniards one made up of the Spanish soldiers who had deserted to him the year before at Car denas. The remainder of the force. prob
 AYr1A Arfa n men of good family. Some of these were from Georgia. under Colonel Donovan, of that State, but most of them from the Gulf States. Col. W. s. Crittenden was He was a graduate of West Point Acad- emy and a nephew of the United States Attorney General. The expedition landed at Bahia Honda, near Havana. Colonel Crittenden with about 120 men. was left on the coast to guard the baggage, while Lopez and the others struck fin land. Two days after Colonel Crittenden re- ceived a note from the Cuban command CT asking that he join him at a point six miles distant Before proceeding three miles. the Americans were attacked by a Spanish force of about 1000. The exe- cution of Crittenden's fire was terrific, the Spanish killed and wounded being 235 But in the second attack the Amer jeans were scattered. About fifty of them, including Crittenden, made their way to the sea, and put off In small
  ish man-of-war and taken to Havana The country was swarming with Span iards. It developed that misleading sto- ries of Cuban successes were sent out by the Spaniards, and the Cubans enticed to come near Havana. where the whole Spanish force could be thrown against them About the time of the attack on Critenden Major General Enna attacked General Lopez at the village of Las Po- gas. Casualties were heavy on both sides, but the Spaniards were repulsed The Cubans got in a stronger position. Gen. eraI Enna, with endorsements of artil- lery and cavalry. again attacked. He was killed and the Spaniards were routed. but Lopez was severely wounded himself and lost nearly all his officers Fully 10. 900 Spanish troops then surrounded the little band to starve them out. When they were starving Lopez walked out with friend and was captured. Kill me. but pardon my men, was all he said. He was taken to Havana. and the day following was landed from the Pizarro and put to death with the garrote
 On the night that Colonel Crittenden and the fifty Americans who were with him-a few of them of them as young as l6 years old were taken-a drumhead court martial was summoned, and they were sentenced to die the succeeding Gun- rise-to be shot in the back standing on
 the brink of the trench into which their bodies were to be thrown.
 While it is difficult to realize that fifty years ago fifty Americans some Of them of influential families. could have been executed in such fashion within hun dred miles of American territory, with
 out hand being raised, 1t must he re- membered there were no cables and the American Consul in Havana would not even visit the condemned men. None who spoke their language were with them.