New-York tribune., 1902-08-10
FIRST FIGHT FOR CUBA.
INDEPENDENCE DAY FOR THE
ISLAND AN INTEREST,"
ING ANNIVERSARY.
ON THAT DATE, IN 1850, FLAG of
CUBA LIBRE" WAS AFLOAT FOR
ONE DAY-GALLANT BUT HOPE
LESS STRUGGLE RECALLED.

Probably unintentionaIly. the day chosen for the
inauguration of President Palma, and as Cuoas
independence Day. interesting anniversary
the history OF that islands struggle for freedom
from Spain On May 20, 1850. the Cuban flag float
ed Cuban city. For one day it was held
there by dauntless Americans against repeated on
slaughts of Spanish regulars. AT dawn that morn
ing the blood of Cubans and Americans flowed To-
gether Cuban soil for Cuba Libre.'
Fifty-two years to the day that liberty was
assured The wish OF the South could not then
be realized because of the slave question involved
but 1t was accomplished when the Union was unit
ed In sentiment, far as freeing the island from
Spain was concerned. And those who think they
know the people of Cuba best believe john L
Calhoun's prediction will yet be fulfilled and that
by Cuba initiative. al no very distant day SPEAK
ing to General Ambrosio Jose Gonzales. who was
representing the patriots in this country III lof' MI
Calhoun used these words:
.'You have my best wishes but whatever the re-
suit as the pear when ripe falls by the law OF
gravity into the lap Of the husbandman so Will
Cuba eventually drop into the lap Of the Union
A Southern man said yesterday: CUBA. from
the ncepton of her ambition for freedom, looked
to the United States. Fifty odd years ago she
begged for annexation Her people reahze tllal
but for the interpositon Of this country the cond
ton to be attained next Tuesday may well have
not been reached for another half century of strug-
cling They are unquestionably grateful; they
have suffered much In their struggle for freeooih'
and know how to prize it. But If dissatisfaction
arises with the experiment they are about TO Degl'
thew will accent Statehood in the Union as quick
and easy SOLUTION of their insular problems
A review of the events incident to the first move
by the patriots Of Cuba for annexation TO tne
United States is appropriate at TINS Time Inc Iol
lowing facts are from the memoranda of those
who took part in the first struggle for Cuba hbre-
In 1s4s many of the wealthiest Cubans were con-
spring to free the island from Spain They were
ioined by Narcisso Lopez. retired Spanish major
general, who had held high offices both IN SPAIN
and Cuba. His connection with the conspiracy De
coming known. Lopez fed to this country About
.be san,e time the secret Cuban Junta in Havana
gent Ambrosfo Jose Gonzales then twenty-eight
years old. to this country. with authority 10 en-
gage the services Of General Worth then returning
from the Mexican War. in raising an army OF i've
tbousan nd soldiers to fight for Cuba. Gonzales was
authorized to offer s. 10000 TO General Worth He
reached New-OrIeans about August S. 1873. and as
General Worth had passed. he followed overtahtnS
the American officer at Newport. r l. Ihe o1er
from Cuba was accepted General Worth took the
Cuban Commissioner to his home in Hudson y u
A few davs la ter they proceeded to New-York. and
from there to Washington. where General Lopez
and other Cubans conferred with them Ihese
plans were upset. however, by an order sendlns
General Worth to command the Department OF
Texas, where he soon aftervard died his mohu-
nlent stands in this city.
The scheme to enlist the services OF Generai
Worth failing the Cuban capitalists Withdrew ther
guarantee OF funds However. the patriots oeleveo
they could
and the natives would flock to their standard and
the United States would not prevent help being
sent from these shores. Women sold their jewels
and raised a fund. with which the steamers sea
Gull and New-Orleans were chartered IN New
York These were to carry expedition which
vas assembled on Round Island. Mississippi. under
Colonel White. But Spanish spies were active and
Round Island soon blockaded by CoInnlander
Randolph of the sloop-of-war Albany, and the
chartered ships were held
Erv,t, in Ne
lied I'm 1879 Lopez was president. The other MEM
hers were Gonzales. Sanchez, Yznaga. Macas ana
Villaverde The military commission in Havana
at once passed the death sentence on theu- Upon
the invitation OF General John Henderson. OF New
Orleans and Colonel Theodore OHara, of Ken
tucky General Gonzales. who acted as chief or
staff for General Lopez. visited Kentucky and New
Orleans ard issued commissions TO Colonel u nara
of Kentucky: Colonel Burch and Lieutenant Colonel
Smith. of Mississippi and Colonel Robert Wheat.
of Louisiana to raise skeleton regiments Colonel
Wheat in order take part in the expedition.
armed and equipped his men and furnished thelr
Transportation by chartering the brig Susan Loud
The Cuban Junta issued bonds In New-Orleans.
and with the money raised purchased a little
steamer the Creole and chartered sailing trans
port. There about i've hundred men In the
expedition. They rendezvoused on the little Islands
OF Contoy and Mugeres on the Hucatan coast.
where they drilled. When ready TO start for Cuba
about forty men would not go further. They re-
ceived permission to return in one OF the sailing
vessels. The Creole proceeded TO the Cuban coast.
and the deserters picked up by a Spanish
var vessel and taken prisoners to Spain. Minister
Barringer difficulty in saving the lives Of these
prisoners and getting them returned TO the United
States
. On the night of May 1a. 1850, the Creole put into
Cardenas. The steamer aground when near
the wharf and as the result OF the delay thus
caused the Spanish garrison was aroused The OBJ
ject of the Cubans was 10 take Cardenas. proceed
by rail Matanzas and surprise and capture that
town when the country would rise In their support
The Spanish garrison fired on the invaders from
their stone barracks. then retrcated to the Gov
ernor's building. The Americans rushed the lower
story of this as they had done the barracks. Cen
erals Lopez and Gonzales went into the court to
demand the surrender of the Governor. when they
fired and Gonzales severely wounded. re-
ceiving two musket balls In thigh. He was
the first Cuban shed blood In the Cen
eral Lopez then ordered the building fired. and the
Governor and garrison surrendered. The Governor
and officers were sent aboard the Creole. Many
OF the enlisted men took OF their uniforms and
joined the Cubans. All that day Spanish infantry
and cavalry attacked Cardenas but every
where repulsed. The presence of the ilibusters
now known in Matanzas, however. and surprise
OF that town impossible. it was decided TO
re-embark and go to point the OF the
island.
Bad luck pursued the expedition The Creole
aground before getting out OF the harbor and re-
mained stationary for seven hours those board
momentarfly expecting the appearance of Spanish
war vessels. To get her off provisions and arms
had to be sacrificed. In the early morning the
boat put In to land the Governor and his officers
the plan of making another point in Cuba was
abandoned since the provisions had been cast over
board While inshore the Spanish war steamer
Pizarro passed and went into Cardenas harbor
The little Creole was headed for Key West and
that night as she drew very little water ran over
the Florida reefs. getting on the inside Next
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