LEWIS
RG
H. C. HICKOK, Editor.
0. N. WOSDEW, Printer.
Volume Yin., ITamter 26.
Whole Number 390. "
LEWISBURG, UKION COUNTY, PENN., WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1851.
7
c
LEW1SBUJM! CI1U0MCLE
Ay lllHMIr FAXILI JOl'ISIL,
Issued on Wtdnciday morniugf at Lewhburg,
Iiumi county, I'tnnyhania.
Tf'ff V. p.-r year, f.ir -:h Betimll.v in mlrnnee;
Cl.To. if pi.1 wuhiti tin'"1 m nt!iK: $J.0 if pai.! within a
er ; filJAi if u.it p;iid li -f'.re I hi e.ir expire : 4 eenu fir
j-iu-'lf ntiui'"-. SuH-rri(.tiiim t'-ir six .untitle ..r le.. to
19 p)!tl in ujvanrr. jMHj-'MttiilUTinis titiinal with tlie
l'llMi-Jier. e ve;t uhe.l theteiiris i:jii up.
ATivmT!:FMrTs liiin-iMMn"tv inert.eil :it 5' rent, per
Mu-u-e, lne e k. ?l l-mr -1.. --j a e--ir: two Mjuarea,
Sl'f'irMX Ul-ttilli. .-7 I'T a e:ir. I,-rcaiitile ji'iterlise
la -tttf. n"t exe-clmi: i.nf li.'irth of a milium. JltJ a vear.
JoltYloiCK aliti r:i.-u:il a ivertiselmuts la U jiaiU far
irltr ii Icui-lid in r t.-liver- I.
-Cowl M tiu- Hilteii. J on all iljtTti of seneral inte
nM wt ti:liin llie ntli'- nf ;.rt v itr j-'i'tarinii r-.utit.
Nt -r.' tunt e..iie p i.t-jai'l. iu-rtiin.:tiii.-tl in tvnl
:i-jjrv. of llic wnfer. Ut retvi.-! attention. Atf Tbtwe
le.iU!i-' exrl.l-ivi-it the K KtT al l-t:irtlUeilt. to ! ll-
rert'il t- ll::vi:v !!' k-JK. I'sq.. .t.lr au-l those on
hu-itie-... ti o. . l "!:i'L. 1'nhltJi' r.
otti... en l.irk- t lreet. b-tw'-n S-'-nnd sn'l Third, ovor
tin- I'.t-i!i' V U"'i;ii:. I'mj ri.-r.jr.
Flank Roads in Illinois.
A committee aiipoiuted at a lurcting of
tlic citizous i'f Fitt.'pnrt, ou the iGtli ult.,
to coliLtt an J present to the meeting at
Uiioco, suitable facts ami (statistics in rela
tion to the importance, feasibility aucl cost
of constructing a plank road from Monroe,
Wis., to Frecport, 111.," reported through
their Chairman, John A. Claik, a follows:
CO.-.T OF TilE ItOAD.
The distance we assume is '!
miles rjti,7-U feet aboard
measure) ' inch plank at ;)
per thouand f u each mile
slIW -IS, l,-"l
nraliii!r5 miles, jicrmile, 7,."0l' 00
labor fur bedding plank, tit.,
SM per mile, " J ,250 00
Surveys and .-aiieriuteii'leiicc, 1!, Vi)
Five toll gates .V iuuses-K eaeh.2,-' ) W
Uridi;in'', L'.tiOo 00
Total estimated cost ot road,$io,202 00
i:kci:ii'Ts.
We estimate that there will
pass over the road, each
way, i0 teams of all kinds
per day, 100 iu all, which
at one cent i-t-r mile, will
am'iiuit to, iter ve.ir, 60,1.
(i
That fi'ilil other fcourec;-, to
vit: lV'iiu hor.-cmcii and
t'rovesof ra'tle, sheep, hugs,
Vi., the r-iad will derive an
income of not hss than 3,000 00
Total estimated income of the
load when completed, 812,12:. 00
HXt'ESMTl T.V.S.
The expenditures on the road per year,
are estimated as follows :
l-'ive gate keepers at 8200 per
year, ech, 81,000 00
Fr keeping the road m repairs,
-per year. iroO per mile,
1'-:l 00
rr, 1 l -f I
I oiai esuiiiaieu orsi oi keepers
.x .--ri TiA
-and repairs- .'
Leaviii" a balance of S0.S75 of receipts
to be divid d
among the st ickboldcrs
".al to a trifle over 22 per cent, ou the
t-wt i.f the road.
Uew Organ at the Utica Museum.
-.1.1,-iwlU a tiiiitiitih of art. as the
new ..man at the Museum, deserves more
llii'.u a i-:ssin notice. It is news to many :
t.f our citizens that we have in this county
a maim factory of church and house organs
which sends out instruments that can com-
ete successfully with those made in the
.TP-it cities mid' can will the Palm even at
tin. vert- iloor-. f the New York aud IJos-
i ------- t
,.
a-
tan manufactories. 15ut such is the fact.
A. Andrew.-, at Waferville, in this (Onei- at " a quantity oi brandy and j position, riuenden gave an order to re
,1.) count v V. V. builds instruments which ''a'"Pafe'"e was received on board, which ; treat to the house, which was done, while
vield in no respect to any made in the a lu'bui'i iworawy iiceiy uy with the otueers ot tue L. S. at the time ot tha
i.'uion. A sample of them, wc have now uis staff- About Uusk of tllat da3' u0 P'" : and a?aiu 0Pencd his i:re 5 "I'on which I eiliy wh0 ay j ambush some few hundred i make a total of four hundred and thirty-ship Albany on the subject. They are time Mr. Owen not
in the Utica .Museum'. The case is taste- Iot :Pr-aring, J.opez called a council, com- Crittenden ordered a second charge, at the y.irjs ;a advance, with a force of nine bun- one men accounted for leaving a balance men of high standing m society, aud they j anything to asist
ful and so small, that it is wondertul bow i 1 ' " J ' "-"o"--'" - -yo ..i.... iui-cu lm,. un the approach ot the enemy, : oi twemy-iwo men uose iate is yet uu- umuic me iwimu bus uona.. lonueu aua ojnei
... . . , . . ir.ui(i mitt r I v lit it rr j tnid II iinrrori'iiic V:imo 1 1 mf t-i vttirr t hit hk ii.iliurl 11 I . . , . . i . I T- .. ,i I ..,. !.., h i.rili.. s.-t., . I..t i 1 . . 1 I . i: .
0 much power can be obtained in so little
M.a.-o. The size is ten and a half feet front,
ly six and a half feet deep, aud twenty-
four' feet bi-h. ' The compass of the iu-;
fetramnit is from CC to C in Alto. There
ore
two banks of keys, and .i stops.
f'l'i't Jl roll.
TWO COOD KrXOMENPATin.NS.-
-A late
(Trnn.l Jury, in Philad.nhia-a city in ;
unu u uu oi us are juicrcMcu, s ruu uo
conuniis more than the tenth part of the ;
poputatiou of the great State of Peuusyl-
vania-denounccs in rtrong language, the
jrSetwe nniong speculators ol uiviuing up
i b " -
buildiiiff lots into spots just larse euou''h
.11.. .deceive At 1, P. 31., we again stood in
in" it with meanly narrow streets. Iheav- f.. i .. , . t. i i
" . ,. , tyr tue land, aud soon after dusk sent a
aricc and citnuuty that would thus destroy 1 1 t :.. t , t - i . ., ,
... 1 , , . ..boat iu to reconnoitre, which was hailed
the health aud beauty of that wisely laid , e .1 r .
- . J J by a sentry on the walls of the fort, situa-
oiit city, deserves the execrations of every . , 1? , . . .- ...
.. - " , . ,. ,J ted near liahia Honda, the ship not being
friend of huniauity and sound mind m the , .. - .
, J , .,, , more than a mile from it As soon as the
community, and we hope a law will be
speedily interposed regulating this matter.
TV other nia'ter which thBy strongly urged
upon the utteutiou of the community, is
the vast destructive sale of ardent drinks,
which are now disposed by licensed and
unlicensed houses.
Peckase of James Fen.mmore Coor
ER. This eminent novelist, gave np alife,
which he has made illustrious, on the 14th
iuatant. He was birn at Burlington, in
N. Jersey, on the loth September, 179,
and wan consemently within a day of be
ing 02 years of age at the time of his death.
For some time pat, his health has been
declining, and in June, to aid in its resto
ration, he retired to his seat at Coopers
town, which was named after his father,
Judge Cooper, who was a large land-holder
in Ousejo Count, New York.
aThe following we heard, recently,
for the first time, although we are assured
it is an old song. We solicited a copy of
the words, and regret we can not give the
music also. Ed. ChroX.
Song Blue Juniata.
Wild roTed an Indian girl
Bright Alfarata
Where ttlwp the waters of
The blur Juniata.
wift as an antt-l'ipe
Turou-rh the forest ;ptnir,
Loose were her jrtty loeka,
In wavjr tresdeti flowing.
Gay wag the mountain itoa,
Of bright Alfarata,
Where weep the waters of
The blue Juniata:
Strong nn.1 true my arrows are,
In niy painted qniv.-r;
Fwiftly tetx my licht canoe
AJowu Ute rapid, river.
u Bold if my warrior pood,
Tilt) lore of Alfiirata;
I'roud ware hi t.nowy plumes
A lown the Juniata;
holt and low he itoeakM to me.
And tle n. his warry oundin,
ltinH hi- voiec in thunder lnud
1'riiui height to bright rewjuudio j.
So tJniir nn In K:tn pirl
liriijl.t A! i.r!a!
Vh.T.' ,. .11 trie -vaters of
'I'll-- .T4in;a:a.
Kiccl! ;enrr! have Itonie away
The T.i.-e of Allarala;
S:ill .-w. .-p ih" river on
The 1-U.e Jui'iala.
CUBAN EXPEDITION.
Full Account Of it by Lieutenant Van
Vecen
77". 7
The stecanier W juiicld Scott, which ar- :
rived at New l oik, ou Friday, from New j
Orl
us, touched at Key A est, where she
jtook on board Lieut. 1. S. Vau Vechten,
: a cxpeumou, uo nas ueeu par-
i"""1:1," ,c'c,;tU 7 1,10 -apli"U ,'ncr-.
. . ecmeu i;as luruiauea
. . "".'J "'LU u ""' j
jthe expedition, which, on account of its,
extreme merest, wc insert entire. j
narrative.
I Ucame connected with the expedition,
at New Orleans, receiving, on the 30th
day of J uly la.-t, an appointment as First .
Lieutenant of Company 15, of Col. W. L. ,
Cntteutleu's regiment (1st artillery,) com- j
mantled Ly Capt. James Sanders. The ex-;
pedifion, as you are already aware, left
-cw uneaus at UoY-oreab. ou me morning,
of Sunday, the 3rd of August, iu the
steamer Pampero. We were towed to the
mouth of the rivor, our engine being out
f ,.,i
Ot OKKI.
Wc remained in the river until
: " "v6
m- ..i i ... .I. . i;.i. l 1..P. !. l. t.
North-east lass, at O o clock, J . .u., ot
that day, for Key est. 1 he mtentiou at sition, being posted on the brow of a hill cafe ourselves, subsisting ou such leave.-, ' aud publicly garrotted in the square ad-! deserved death. At the time I was made ishuieut when, ar th. It day, aa oiLudcJ
that time was to go to Key West, and th.-re overlooking our position, with a belt of aud roots as we could find, until midday ' joining the prisou,at 7 o'clock in the nioru-' prisoner I fully expected it, aud, although j a!id"ju.-t Judge sh.rll demand of them ret
take on board a pilot for the river St. chappar.il, some three hundred yards wide, (1f Suuilav. the 24th. when wc succeeded ins of 31onday. the 1st of September. ' the reflection was anything but pleasant, i ributi. n tor ti.eir deed.
John.-, at which place we were to embark
a iigut uauery oi ariiucry, wuu caisson.-,,
a'-uu-iinition and harness complete, togeth-,
er wit!: a numW of cavalry saddles and .
from thence were to run to the south side
,,l,a UIia as ncar as J?"-"' to
l'u-to Principe J
rL'atucJ K7 cpt n J anchored
..........
some uisiance irom ine city, at inree, i .
7 '
-,- ""u:lJr lUB lunauu uue
to nis wan, t no Americans being
calK) wll dce,JeJ to ivc UP '"'S to ;
t,,e gt Ju,ms Klvcr' and run immediately j
for tbc tf,a!;t of Cuba' uitU was dolle at i
about 10 1- y . TLe ncxt morning, ow-
"o " .. vij, ...mi
: muskets being stacked near it, wc found
ourselves in plain sight of the Moro Cas-
tlt find :.bont twelve miles distant flip
, jnimcd;att.Iy uca(oJ to the north.
, , wt:lri n(i rnn nnf nf -ffilf nf
Ahmt g R M rf j
auJ mate rf a j
kU to Mt a iIo ;vi ,
Lopez
Span
thorn
:t0 un,icrstand tuat tuey would be shot if
: . , , ,.
f tllPV shnwod nnv t wnriJt Inn in ncnAna .
boat reported, lights were extinguished
and a press of steam put on, the ship run
ning to the westward along the land.
About 10 o'clock, while running under
the charge of a pilot, under a press of
steam, the ship suddenly struck, and be
fore the engines could be stopped had run
more than her length upon a coral reef.
After examining her situation, it was found
that she was lying in about eight feet of
water, while her draft was over nine feet ;
aud that it was necessary that the force
should be immediately landed, which was
done ; and about 2 o'clock on the morn
ing of the 12th of August the last of us
disembarked upon the shore of what we
had been taught to consider would soon
be the free Island of Cuba. The first boats
which landed were fired upon by a party
of twenty men, who fled on their fixe be-
ing returned from the boat which contain- morning of the 14th, at 2 o'clock, Lopex
ed Captain Gouti, (a Cuban commanding marched from Los I'osas into the moun
an American company,) Lieutenant .aiu- tains, leaving there seventeen wounded
ingharu, and about thirty privates of Lis
company. One of Gouti's men wa3 round- whom were bayoneted by the Spaniards,
ed iu the arm, and returned in the ship, and their bodies piled in a heap,cross ways,
and the cap of the Lieutenant was cut iu i at the foot of a hill,
halves on his head. Two days after, (on the 16th,) Lopez
At daylight Lopez sent a pronunciamcn- was again attacked by three hundred lau
to to Los l'osas, a small village ten miles , ccrs and six hundred infantry, while en
distant, in which he informed the iuhabi- camped at a hacienda which formerly bc
tauts that he was about to march to that , longed to himself, but was confiscated some
place, and would give no quarter to any j three years since. Here the action lasted
whom he found there who did not join from 12 to 2 o'clock, on one of the hottest
him. There being no means of transport- days I ever experienced. The enemy were
ing baggage at Cabauos, where we lauded, ; again compelled to retreat, with a loss of
Lopez ordered Col. Crittenden to remain ( three hundred and twenty men ; and at
there and protect our stores, consisting of the same moment that the retreat of the
100,000 musket cartridges, three thousand ( Spaniards in one direction was reported to
mu.-kets and seven hundred pounds of . Lopez, he issued an order to his own force
powder, iu kegs, together with the persou-; to retreat in an opposite, and actually, that
al baggage of all the ofliccrs, say irtg that . day, made a forced march of eighteen miles
he would march on to Los lAuas with the iu live hours, over a mountaiu road. On
regiment of infantry commanded by Col. the 10th, being still on the mountains, we
Dowman, and send from thence trauspor-' were overtaken by a severe rain storm,
tations; and that he would remain there which destroyed the greater portion of our
until joined by Crittenden. Accordingly ammunition, and rendered our guns entire
Lopez marched at 8 o'clock, with three ly useless. We encamped on the evening
huutliv l and twenty-three men, leaving of that day at a ranche on the foot of the
Crittenden at Cabanos, with one hundred mountains, about two leagues from Bahia
iiid thirty men. At 11 o'clock that night
, Crittenden received two carts, and started
, immediately after, to joiu Lopez at Los
''rt? , , , , ,
1 be carts being heavily loaded and the
roaus baa, our progress was of necessity
slow, not advan, ":.g more than a mile an
hour. About two hours after daylight on
the morning of the 13th, we reached a
. 7 . ' j
house coutainmir a store ami ro shop
about lour miles from Los l'osas. The ad-
vancc guard and main body only bad reach-
cd the bouse, (the rear guard with the
cans ucing still . some quarter ol a mile be-
l,;nJ) and were engaged in eating break'-
fast, their arms being laid aside; wheu
they were surprised liy the report of mus-
ketry and the whistling of bullets, which',
proceeded from the advanced guard of a '
body of the enemy, five hundred strong.
e immediately seized our guus and kil-
led nine of the cucmy, and made oue pris-
oner, none of our party having been injur-
ed. Not seeing any more of the enemy,
me i.oionei concluded it was tut a tora-
ging party that had attacked us, aud our
rear guard having come up with the carts,
ordered us to resume our breakfasts, which
wc did. About ten minutes after we wcro
:.. .i... l. .1 i .. i . i c . e .i
'"..eu v) uote toice oi mo
enemy, they having the advantage of po-
intervening, over which we could not lire.
viuicuueii iiiimcuiaiciy gae llie order to ,
charge, leading himself, and forced tLe
enemy to retreat to a large body of chap-
paral some seventy-five or eighty yards iu
the rear of their first position, from which 1
they opened a heavy fire upou our force as '
soon as it appeared iu sight ou the brow
.i i i
vi iue uiii.
j muing tuai ne coum noi maintain that
party to attain a position at tlic right tlank
of the enemy, to charge from that side the
same moment he cliarged from the front,
xoa'1 Lieutenant W. II. Crafts, (also of
Company It,) and myself volunteered, and
utiv ,u aiiuunug me posuiou wim
i twenty men. Alter remaining iu it for
j about half au hour, and hearing nothing of
Crittenden, we returned to the house,where
we found Capt. Kelly, of Company A,with
ten men, guarding the carts, but could
near or see nothing of Crittenden. The
enemy soon after advancing towards the
house, we were compelled to retreat, leav
ing our baggage aud stores; and that night,
or rather the next morning, wc succeeded
in forming a junction with Lopez at Las
l'osas, half an hour before his inarch from
that place. At the same hour that Crit
tenden was attacked at the hacienda, a bo
dy of the enemy, eight hundred strongun
der General Euua, attacked Lopez at Los
l'osas.
After a hard fight of over two hours,the
enemy retreated, leaving the Americans
masters of the field, and over two hundred
of their number (among whom were sever
al of t heir highest officers) dead and wound
ed the American loss being, in killed,
wounded and missing, only .about thirty
men, among whom Colonel Downman and
Lieut. Labizen were killed, and General
I'ragay aud Captains Urigliam and Gouti
were mortally wounded. After the action,
the Spanish wounded were brought in, and
as well taken care of as circumstances
would admit. Lopez rode entirely unarm
ed over the field,through the hottest of the
fire, occasionally applying a red raw hide,
with a great deal of vigor, to the shoulders
of such men as he thought could be hur
ried into firing a little faster. On the
Spaniards and thirteen of our bide, all of
Honda. We remained undisturbed that
night ; and were attacked just at breakfast '
time ou the morning of the 20th, being'
;tcn by surprise, the sentry on the out-1
p0st having left his post to wash himself ;
iu a creek, where he was killed. Owing '
to the unserviceable condition of their arms j
the force under Lorez was comnletelv rout-1
ed. flvintr to thfl mountains in all directions
v --"o
Lopez himself barely escapm? on horse-
back, with the loss of his saddle pistols 1
al,d spy-glass of everything, iu fact, but!
what he wore
Thut night he encamped !
0n the top of one of the highest mountains,
'on the Island of Cuba, exposed to r.ll the '
' violence of a terriGe norther, vithout ei-1
ther shelter, fire or food.
Jt is impossible for me to describe the!
sufferings of that night. Heaven forbid '
that I ever pass such another. The rain '
fell jn torrents, while ever and anon a ter-!
r;iic crasu WOuld announce that some mas-!
Bive tree had fallen, either before the force'
of the wind, or the still mightier lightning. !
.That nL'ht equalled an ordinary lifetime,
. On the evenimr of the 21st. I.uvmo- born
forty-eight hours without eating, we killed
- l,. -!,;,.). ncXvl,! mnn.,rnr. J,,,,..'
jre,l alui twenty-five men. who were all
'
that now remained With hopez. We wan-1
dered through mountains, unablo to cxtri-:
! j reaching a road ruuuing from Uahia
Honda to San Cristobal, along which we (
ailvaiiccd until nearly night, when two '
gpaui.-h lancers were discovered advancing, !
t,ut fled on seeiug us. A halt was imme-
J lately ordered, and an examination made ;
0f the state of our forces, which showed a
total of one hundred and twenty-five men. 1
eighty muskets, about twenty of which
wcrc serviceable, aud about forty dry car-
trid"cs. Under this state of affairs, it was :
deemed advisable to retreat, which was or-j
the whole force of Lopez separated iuto known the total foree landed being lour , they were shot iu accordance with uulita- j ger himself, trom the rabble at Havana, a
small bodies, aud dispersed through the j hundred and fifty-three men. Of these ! ry usages on such occasions, aud that the j guard of Spanish soldiers having been
mountains, throwing away their guns and twenty-two, probably the greater portion 1 only thing that occurred that could becou- j pLeed over his property and persou by or
cverything which could encumber them in ' are yet alive and in the mountains ; and ; demned was the way in which they were j der of the Captain General. As for the
their fli-rht, seven men only remaining ; as the troops have all been recalled to Ha- j dragged to aud thrown iuto carts by the '. Albany, she was powerless on that occa
with theGeneral. A large number were ' vana, it is probable some of them may yet ! negroes ordered to bury them. j si,,n. Her officers and crew to a man,
overtaken and immediately killed. I, my- j suceced iu getting home. Of the whole num-j It has been reported that Critteudeu ; sympathized with and deeply regretud
self was one of a narf V of cbdit who had ' her made prisoners, but t vo others besides I wrote home that ho had been abandoned j the melancholy fate of their unfortuuate
previously determined on leaving Lopez,
aud attemptiug to escape from the island.
We remained in the mountains until the
morning of Tuesday, the 2Gth, when, hav
ing had but one meal in six days, and feel
ing that we could bear it no longer, we de
termined to go iuto the plains, considering
that it would be better to be killed outright
than die a lingering death from starvation,
which we certainly would np inhc moun
tains. We accordingly advanced to a house
where we were treated with a great deal of
kindness, and received a most excellent
breakfast. An arrangement was made to
procure a guide to the south shore, with
provisions, &c., aud we were about to leave
and conceal ourselves until night, when,in
the twinkling of an eye, we were surround
ed by 200 armed countrymen, who imme
diately bound us securely, and inverted
our pockets, considering the contents law
ful plunder. That day we reached San
Christobal. Until we reached San Chris
tobal we were under the impression that
we wete to be immediately shot, our only
consolation being that we were to die with
full stomachs. "
On our arrival there, we were informed
that a proclamation had betn issued ten
hours before our arrest, sparing the lives
of all " fillibustcros " who were made pris
oners, or gave themselves up, witb; four
days, except tbo traitor Lopc.aftcrVlucli
an order, dated, I think, the 24th of April,
(by which all foreigners found in the is
land were ordered to be put to death,) was
to continue in full force. On the 28th,
there being then 47 prisoners, we left San
Christobal for Havana,and on Friday night
reached Guayama9, the terminus of a rail
road from Havana. There an order was re
ceived from the Captain General to proceed
to Maricl and embark, he being fearful
that the prisoners would be torn to pieces
by the rabble at Havana. We reached Ma
riel on the evening of the 30th, and were
embarked upon the steamer Almendares
to proceed to Havana, when an express ar-
rived, bringing information of the capture j use. Instead of finding the Creoles friends,
af Lopez, and the steamer was delayed to j we found them worst enemies keeping the
await his arrival, which took place at 2 j troop? constantly informed of our move
o'clock, P. 31., on Sunday, theSlst, when' nients, and hanging on our skirts, putting
we immediately left for Havana. Lopez ; to death, without mercy, all those who
was entirely at liberty, and smoked Lisci- straggled on the inarch. Of the troops 1
garctto with apparently as much unconcern ' can not but speak iu praise, without a sin
as ever he did in his life. Outside the bar-' gle exception. They treated the prisoners
bor of Maricl, Lopez was transferred to ' with the utmost kindness, giving them
the ttjaui fiigaic l'izarro, which conveyed -
him to Havana, audwhieh he did not leave
until he left next inoruiug for the place of
execution.
The remainder of us were confined that
nij;ht in the city prison iu the rear of the'
fort called the Fonta. The prisoners pas-1
s.d through a regular process, their hair
being first cut close to their heads. They
then passed into the hands of another bar-
her, who deprived them of their whiskers;
then another provided them with a pnsoa '
uniform, and the exercises were termina-j
ted bv a hia neffro. vho securely fastened ;
them in mirs bv & cuain. similar in size
uud weiirht to a loir chain, firmlv secured
to the ancle.
At the time of ray release from prison,
which was at 10 o'clock on the night of
the 4th instant, there were 100 of our force :
prisoners. They were all chained, and;
confined in one large room, hardly large 1
enough, however, for all to lie down at j
once. They were treated very kindly, and'
allowed all the privileges that could be cx-'
pected. ' As a matter of course, w here so '
many men tire confined in a limited space !
and not allowed to leave it under any cir-1
cumstauees. it naturally follows that it 1
must be very unpleasant. Their sentence
is ten rears' hard labor in Srain. probably1
'in h ennstmelltm nr a mdi.L Thr-v all
appeared to be in good spirits at the time
T l, f Um. nVr f! iinnremn thtt
thev would soon be released after their ar -
: .
rival in pain.
Lopez was brought from the Pizarro,
With him ended not only this expedition,
but I siuecrcly trust all expeditions to Cu- j
ba.
Up to the time I left, the Spaniards;
could account for two hundred and seven-;
ty one Americans including Crittenden's
command whom they had killed, that is,
in action ; wounded men who were left ou I
the field, and sick aud fatigued men who '
gave out on the march, and were let. be-
hind, and men whom they hunted down
in the mountains with dogs. Those, with
myself, have been pardoned. Those are
Col. Hayes aud Captain Kelly, whom the I
Captain-General pardoned and scut home j
unsolicited. They were to leave Havana -
for this port in the packet ship Nornio, on
Friday. My own release was granted as !
a special favor to Capt. Charles T. Piatt, of
the United States ship Albany, on board
of which I was conveyed by an aid of the
Captain-General, at 11 o'clock, on Wed
nesday night, the ship proceeding to sea
immediately. His Excellency sent a G ov
crnmeut tow boat and pilot to take her
out. ., .
Lopez was caught with bloodhounds, in
the mountains, ou the morning of Friday,
the 29lh hist The dogs being some dis
tance iu advance of the men, bit him Lad
lv iu the left leg. l There were seventeen
countrymen iu the party who captured!
him, each of whom was publicly presented
with $1,000 and a cross of honor, immedi
ately after his execution.
Let us now review the cause aud results
of this expedition. At the time I receiv
ed my appointment from Mr. Sigur, one
of the editors of the New Orleans Delta, I
was told by him that a revolt was regular
ly organized among the Creoles throughout
the Island of Cuba. ; that they had elected
General Jj0peZ as their leader, and their j instances, he erred. Of his personal cour
v . - . flitrifi fmn. t bn tra.inv I n there is no doubt ; but when we speak
of Spain, and either form a.rcpublie of
ik oTn, or W the M ta VA
ted States. He told me that Lnpe whs he had neither. Lopez ws probably a.4
about to leave New Orleans for Cuba,with much or more deceived than any man ia
about five hundred Americans, and that the expedition. His ambition led him to
his landing was the signal for a general ri- j be the tool and victim of heartless specu
sing, and that within ten days after land- lators. Avarice, not philanthropy, was
ing he would be at the head of an army of the main spring of this expedition,
ten thousand men j that there were also I now distinctly, openly assert that all
two whole regiments of Spanish troops to j those letters purporMug to be from Cuba,
come over to him w't'i their equipments.
' The same story was told to all
Was it
As I hare already stated, our first salo-!
tation was a volley of musketry, instead j
of, as the Delta asserts, a larrre body of;
friends, with horses, stores, &c, for our
wine, segars, bread, tobacco, and aguaden-
tc, freely, and from their own small means.
I imagine no one will say we had a right
to expect such treatment Our conduct
forced and demanded their respect, but eer-
tainly we had no claim either on their
sympathy or generosity.
Much has been said relative to the exe
cution of Crittenden and his men. Amoug
all the prisoners now iu Havana, much as
they admired Crittenden, there is but one
opinion, ami that is, that that execution
was justifiable was merited. That they
were deceived, all know : but that was no
1 business of the SuunUh authorities. Sure-
4
lv the provocation received was sufficient
to justify not only the executiou of those
men, but of every man connected with the
expedition. Why, look at this affair iu
its proper light : here even iu history,
in the anuals of the world, do you Uud a
similar occurrence? Here four hundred
and fifty met, without having received the
least provocation, leave their home-, and
invade the shores of a perfectly peaceful
island, expressing a determination to take
that island from its lawful owners, by force.
Self-preservation is one of the first laws of
nature : and if the law will uphold and
1 protect that American citizen, who, without
hesitation, shoots down the miduiirht rob-
1 her. in defence of Lis Dronextv. certainly
that law will uphold the officers of the
i emx-n .,r.m ;.. Piterml.e.iia.ft. ..f
' men who att :mi.t to wrest its brightest
i . . . . - . . .
'jewel trom that crown. 1 consider mat
1 every man connected with that expedition
' my own conscience told me that it was
just. Crittenden with Lis torce not only
committed a crime in landing oh the hJaud,
but actually committed an act of open pi -
racy iu taking th e-e vessels in which he
w .:s caught, the punishuieut of which is,
by iho laws of all nations, death.
ilueh has been said relative to the mu-
tilatiou of their bodies. Certainly 1 was
not prcsjut at the time ana canuot speaK
positively, but I canuot learn, from a reli-
able source that such was the case. I have
by Lopez, without ariu or ammunition. 1
do no. believe that Crittenden ever wrote
anything of the kiud. Attached to his
command iu hourly contact with him
I knew him, aud do not hesitate iu saying
that a braver, nobler, more honorable uiau
thau Win. L. Crittenden, never lived. In-1
stead of hav.ug no ammunition, he had j the medium ot your columns, return my
all, and was particularly selected to guard , sincere thanks to his Honor the 3Iayor, t
it that being a most difficult aud yet hon-1 Col. 0'IIara, Capt. Cary, and other citizens
orable service. Lopez did not desert him, j of Key West, for the many kindnesses and
but in leaving him, in dividing his cum-j attentions r-howu to me, assuring them
man J, committed oae of those errors which j that I shall ever remember them with grat
eventually cost him his life; but had Crit- i itude.
tenden, on the morning of the 13ih, gone I "". f'r ;,c lcnefit of tut'ir friends,
on and joined L.pez at Los l'osas, inrfvad i a uf the oflioers who left for Now Or
of retreatiug to the sea, idl would have j b-'iinS ' Crittt n Ion's regiment,
been well then he would Lave lost oulv I I rem tin, very respectfully, your obedi-
.t,oulr.r... n it waa ho lost all. Why he i
did so, is inexplicable, and must ever ro-
main iuvolvcd in mystery
Had Lopez carried out his original in-
ention of landing mar Puerto Principe,
tentton of landing mar i uerto rr.ne.pc, , '..- KegAdj't Stau
the result might, perhaps, have been diuVr- i -f , llr (Vm. IJell ; Capt. J. A.
ent he might there, perhaps have found
friends, and raigid a force buttieient to sus-
tain itself until reinforcements were sent
, . Tir il,
out from the States. In landing v. here he
did, lptx wuiiout uouui acicu "
for the beat; but there, as in many other
0f military knowledge, of judgment, of his a
ability to lead au Pedttion, I say at eucej
I which were pubiisueu ounng me moiin
' of July last, and copied throughout the
Union, were base forgeries, for the express
purpose of deceiving the citizens of the
United States, and advancing the sale of
Cuban bonds. - Knowing the ambition of
Lopez, and that strong disposition to ex
ttud the clorious boon of freedom which
tills the breast of every American citizeu,
these speculators in human blood took ad
vantagj of their knowledge to further
their owu en L They well knew how littln
effort was required to start and keep alive
this excitement. They thought, or at
least they foudly hoed, that more men
would go out to joiu this little band, and
that eventually the Lland would be free.
Cuban bonds were worth, or were selling
al from 10 to 20 cent.' on a dollar, when
this expedition left. Naturally they would
increase in value, as the prospect of liber
ating Cuba became) more certain ; and if
this expedition succeeded, as they preten
ded to think it would, Cuba, when libera
ted from what they denominated the tyr
anny of Spain, would have been burthened
with a debt of from fifty to no hundred
millions of dollars, at least fifty per cent tf
which would have been iu the pxkets of
these would-be philanthropists, who, active
as they wished to be thought in the holy
cause of liberty, took the best of gii
care to peril neither life mr their own pre
cious liberty iu its behalf. At the -xp?-ration
of the war, aud after Cuba should
have become free, then it was to be auncxed
to the United States, aud as a matter of
course the payment of thee Cuban bond 4
was to be assumed by that Government.
What do they care for mothers, wives and
sisters of the gallant men who formed this
ill-fated expedition, who have been ren
dered utterly wretched and miserable for
ever? They do not feel the chains, the
anguish, borne by those one hundred anil
j sixty noble fallows, d..om-d to spend the
best teu years of their lives iu a Spanish,
prison. No; th:'y foci the biood money
iu their pockets, aud la;igh over the result
of their speculation. They are the Uien
j to be punished. It is on them the shades
. . ,
i ol our luurdercii coii-.irryiiieu can lor veu-
geanco. Heavy, in Wd, uixst be their pan-
This is, I believe, a correct account of
; the causes. pr.)iwliu. aul results of t'uj
j uufortun ire exo-litiou. I have end'av-
' orcd tr gtyj a:i iniTirt;al aw mat, iiid if
any m t-i, eith :r X .rth r S ut', c inside.-
, him ;elf a.ricved by any rem irk coutoincl
j herein, I will endeavor to afford him such
j sati.-faction as the nature i f the else may
; deinaii J. There have also beon, I uud t-
t-tand, some reflection ma hj on the eoa-
duet of our C inul at H ivau i, 3Ir. Owen,
an 1 als one of the officers of the Albany,
execution. At that
only w:is unable to do
them, but, as I am ra
re, was actually in dan-
jcouiitiyn c i; but they could do no more.
My word for it, if ever an opportunity
j should ueeur, the officers an J crew of that
;hip will not only uphold the houorof the
: American flag, but add new laurels to ltd
. wreath.
An I now, in conclusion, let m, thro
e"t scrv't, Philip d. Van Vkchtex,
Late 1st Lieutenant Cuba Expedition.
OmcKR of Crittex kkn'h Comma.ni.
!Col. V.". L. Crittenden; Com. Gen.
U'ookr U 31. Gen. Vesev. : Uez. O. 31.
i '
i Kcl? v, Co- A . ; 1st Lieut. J no. Brise, do. ;
ad. Lt. Mevens, Co. A. ; Capt. Janic
Sander, Co. li. ; 1st. Lieut. P. S. Van
cchtcn; 2d do. li. E. Hunter, to. U.;
J
Kerr, Co. C.
jo.
lot I 1..fii.id T?IHMilt ff.
y 131. lib. UUUIV ' J imv. p
Robinson, do.; Seri. 31 aj.
Vean; 1st Li. T. C. Jume, Co A.
Of the above, Capt. Kelly, Lieut Crafts
and myself, now only survive. Yours, 4c
v. a. v. .
t
-t
r '
? hi
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i. "