The History of Cuba Volume III Part 5

CHAPTER VI

It will be recalled that the Cubans, in the first flush of victory, had dispatched the good tidings to the Cuban Junta in New York City. These reports were so sanguine of victory that even though later rumors of defeat at the hands of the Spaniards did reach that body, they were regarded as Spanish propaganda and suppressed. These adverse rumors were vague, and unsupported by confirming data, and Spanish spies had been for some time active in dispensing unreliable news favorable to their country, so it is not strange that little credence was given to such advices as came to the Junta from Spanish sources. Lopez himself was overjoyed at the tidings from the patriots and began eagerly to organize another expedition. The greatest enthusiasm prevailed among Cuban sympathizers in the United States. In some places, particularly in the south, public meetings were held, and proclamations of the liberty of Cuba were read to the a.s.sembled crowds. Men crowded to enlist and $50,000 was quickly raised to finance the expedition. The new recruits to the ranks were of by far the best character yet enlisted. They seem to have been, for the most part, actuated by the highest motives, and aflame with zeal for the cause of Cuban liberty. Garibaldi, who was then in the United States, is reported to have been approached to be the leader of the new expedition, but because he had his own Italian matters to attend to, he declined with regret.

The United States Government, of course, gave no official sanction to the project, but it was deterred by the preponderance of favorable public opinion from putting more than nominal obstacles in its way; avoiding on the one hand the storm of protest which was bound to be raised by Cuban sympathizers at any marked interference with their plans, and on the other the anger of Spain and thus an international complication. Spanish spies were as heretofore d.o.g.g.i.ng the steps of the conspirators and reporting their findings to the Spanish minister at Was.h.i.+ngton, so that the United States Government found itself in an exceedingly difficult position. However, preparations went on apace. A steamer, the _Pampero_, was purchased by the Junta, and well stocked with provisions. Arms and ammunitions were also procured, but these were, as was usual, to be delivered to the steamer on the high seas.

At daybreak, on the morning of April 3, the _Pampero_ slipped from its dock at the foot of Lafayette Street in New Orleans, and made its way down the river. At the mouth of the harbor the difficulties of the filibusters began. The vessel was overloaded, and Captain Lewis in the interests of safety declined to proceed further until some of the party had been sent ash.o.r.e. A landing was made that night, and one hundred men were detailed to be left behind. They protested vigorously against this action. The plan was that the _Pampero_ was to be only one of many vessels to be sent within the next month to the relief of the Cubans, and that she was to return, immediately her company had been landed in Cuba, for reinforcements which would be a.s.sembled and be in waiting to sail. However, none of the company on the _Pampero_ desired to await another sailing, and when she once more put out to sea it was discovered that the number on board her had not been perceptibly lessened, since many of those put on sh.o.r.e had, in the confusion, and under the cover of darkness, stolen back on board and hidden themselves securely until she was once more on her way.

The expedition thus auspiciously started was made up of the following men and officers:

6 Companies of Infantry, including officers--219 men 3 " " Artillery, " " --114 men 1 Company " Cuban patriots (domiciled in the United States) -- 49 men 1 " " Hungarian recruits -- 9 men 1 " " German recruits -- 9 men

The command of this little army was distributed as follows:

General-in-Chief Narciso Lopez Second-in-Command and Chief-of-Staff John Pragay _Officers of Staff_ Captain Emmerich Radwitch.

" Ludwig Schlessinger.

Lieutenant Joseph Lewohl.

" Jigys Rodendorf.

" Ludwig.

" Miller.

Adjutant Colengen.

" Blumenthal.

Surgeon Hega Lemmgue.

Commissary G. A. Cook.

_Staff of the Regiment of Infantry_ Colonel R. L. Dorman.

Lieutenant Colonel W. Scott Harkness.

Adjutant George A. Graham.

Commissary Joseph Bell.

Adjutant of Regiment George Parr.

_Company A._ Captain Robert Ellis.

Lieutenant E. McDonald.

Sub-Lieutenant J. L. LaHascan.

" R. H. Breckinridge.

_Company B._ Captain John Johnson.

First Lieutenant James Dunn.

Second " J. F. Williams.

Third " James O'Reilly.

_Company C._ Captain J. C. Bridgham.

First Lieutenant Richard Vowden.

Second " J. A. Gray.

Third " J. N. Baker.

_Company D._ Captain Philip Golday.

First Lieutenant David Ra.s.san.

Second " James H. Landingham.

Third " James H. Vowden.

_Company E._ Captain Henry Jackson.

First Lieutenant William Hobbs.

Second " J. A. Simpson.

Third " James Crangh.

_Company F._ Captain William Stewart.

First Lieutenant James L. Down.

Second " John L. Ba.s.s.

Third " Thomas Hudwall.

_Regiment of Artillery--Officers of Staff._ Chief--William S. Crittenden.

Adjutant R. L. Stanford.

Second Master of Commissariat Felix Hustin.

Surgeon Ludovic Vinks.

_Company A._ Captain W. A. Kelly.

First Lieutenant N. O. James.

Second " James A. Nowens.

Third " J. O. Bryce.

_Company B._ Captain James Saunders.

First Lieutenant Philip VanVechten.

Second " Beverly A. Hunter.

Third " William H. Craft.

_Company C._ Captain Victor Kerr.

First Lieutenant James Brandt.

Second " William T. Vienne.

_Regiment of Cuban Patriots._ _Company A._ Captain Ilde Foussee Overto.

First Lieutenant De Jiga Hernandez.

Second " Miguel Lopez.

Third " Jose A. Plands.

Fourth " Henry Lopez.

_Regiment of Hungarians._ Major George Botilla.

Captain Ladislaus Polank.

Lieutenant Semerby.

" Johan Petroce.

" Adambert Kerskes.

" Conrad Richner.

_German Regiment._ Captain Pietra Muller.

" Hugo Schlyct.

Lieutenant Paul Michael.

" Biro Cambeas.

" Giovana Placasee.

This seems perhaps an elaborate organization for so small a force, but it must be borne in mind that Lopez and his followers firmly believed that this time there was to be no repet.i.tion of the former lack of enthusiasm on the part of the Cubans, but that they had only to land to be greeted with rejoicing, and to have flock to their a.s.sistance a great number of Cuban patriots. This impression was increased by forged letters--which Lopez, however, accepted as genuine--which were waiting for them at Key West and which are now believed to have been written by a follower of Lopez in Havana, under duress and intimidating threats of Captain-General Concha, for the latter having learned of the expedition resorted to treachery to thwart the plans of the filibusters. These letters intimated that Pinar del Rio and many cities in that vicinity were in open revolt against Spanish rule, and prayed that Lopez come quickly to the aid of the rebels, who were eager to join him.

Colonel Crittenden, in command of the artillery regiment, was a man of the highest connections in the United States. He was a seasoned soldier, being a veteran of the Mexican war, and having received his training at West Point. In Lopez's band were also several officers from the United States Custom House at New Orleans, and many men from the best families of the South.

On April 7 the smoke of a steamer was seen in the distance, and it soon seemed to indicate that the _Pampero_ was being pursued. Her course was changed, and she either succeeded in outdistancing her pursuer, or the latter decided that a mistake had been made in the ident.i.ty of the vessel, and abandoned the chase. The expedition neared Key West, and they expected to find there United States vessels of war, and a strong garrison. Therefore an attempt was made to disguise the character of the _Pampero_ and her purpose, and the men were all ordered below. Lopez was delighted to find that his antic.i.p.ations were wrong, for there were no men of war in the harbor and the barracks were empty. As the _Pampero_ docked, and the men came on deck, they were greeted by a shouting mob of enthusiastic people. They were welcomed as heroes, and the inhabitants came on board bearing food of the most tempting variety and cases of champagne. A feast followed, at which the health of the filibusters and the success of the expedition was drunk with shouts of approval.

Now the expectation had been to go up the St. John's River, where a quant.i.ty of artillery for Colonel Crittenden's regiment had been hidden, but the false reports in the forged letters made Lopez anxious to be on his way to Cuba, and it was argued that the artillery would be ineffective in the first engagements, for the roads were very bad, and Lopez hoped to take to the mountains and conduct a sort of guerrilla warfare. The St. John's River was some distance away, and there was always fear of interference from the United States Government; and besides, since this was merely a vanguard for a much greater invasion of Cuba, and was intended to pave the way for the coming forces, why not proceed to the rescue of the Cuban insurgents and let those who would follow bring the artillery? Consequently, after consultation with his officers, Lopez decided to sail for Cuba by the shortest route.

On nine o'clock of the morning of August 11, the filibusters found themselves about ten miles from the harbor of Havana. Off Bahia Honda they took on a pilot. Meanwhile, two vessels were sighted, and were believed to be Spanish s.h.i.+ps lying in wait for the expedition. A contest of wits ensued, in which Lopez was victorious, and the _Pampero_ successfully evaded her pursuers. At eight o'clock that night they neared Morillo, and Lopez decided there to make his landing. At eleven o'clock this was accomplished, and while the provisions, arms and ammunition were being brought ash.o.r.e, the men were given permission to lie down on their arms and rest for two hours. It can be imagined that they were in the highest state of excitement and in no condition to sleep, even if the attacks of mosquitoes had not made this impossible.