Saturday, November 21, 2020

Lopez Expedition

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[[File:151 of 'The Spaniard in History' (11246605915).jpg|thumb|260px|Cuba in the [[nineteenth century]].]]
The [[Lopez Expedition]] (Spanish: '''Expedición López''') of 1851 was an attempt led by [[Narciso López]] to invade and seize control of [[Cuba]] which was then part of the [[Spanish Empire]]. The force compromising 420 Cuban emigres and American volunteers landed in western Cuba, where the invaders were defeated and captured by the Spanish forces. López and many of the other prisoners were executed. It was part of a string of [[filibustering]] raids launched from American territory during the era, in violation of the [[Neutrality Act of 1794|Neutrality Act]].<ref>McPherson p.104-106</ref>

==Background==
During the era of [[Manifest Destiny]] the territory of the United States expanded rapidly, most notably with the [[Mexican Cession]] of 1848. The same year [[President Polk]] made an offer to purchase Cuba for $100 million, which was rejected by Spain.<ref>McPherson p.104</ref> Cuba was particularly coveted by [[Southern United States|Southern]] supporters of slavery, who believed that Cuba with its large population of slave would bolster the political strength of the [[slave state]]s if it were admitted to the Union. There were similar ambitions towards states of northern [[Mexico]] such as [[Tamaulipas]].

The campaign to end Spanish rule in Cuba attracted support from a number of southern political figures who were later prominent [[Confederate States of America|Confederates]] including [[Jefferson Davis]]. The northern [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] [[Stephen Douglas]] also supported annexation. However, the new [[Whig Party (United States)|Whig]] administration renounced any plan to buy Cuba from Spain. Increasingly those who wished to acquire the island turned towards seizing Cuba force. They received strong backing from [[List of governors of Mississippi|Mississippi Governor]] [[John A. Quitman]], who formed an alliance with the [[Venezuelan]]-born adventurer [[Narciso López]].<ref>May p.237-38</ref> López had contacts with potential insurgents in Cuba, but they generally favoured independence rather than annexation.

==Aftermath==
In reaction mobs rioted in [[New Orleans]], destroying the Spanish [[consulate]] and ransacking Spanish-owned shops.<ref>McPherson p.106</ref> Despite the inflamed public mood in the south, the administration of [[Millard Fillmore]] was embarrassed by the failure to prevent the expedition from sailing in the first place and confined itself to securing the release of remaining American prisoners still in Spanish hands.<ref>McPherson p.106</ref>

In 1854 southern [[socialite]] [[Lucy Pickens]] wrote a novel ''The Free Flag of Cuba'' which provided a romanticized account of the expedition.

==References==
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==Bibliography==
* Burton, Orville Vernon & Burton, Georganne B. ''The Free Flag of Cuba: The Lost Novel of Lucy Holcombe Pickens''. LSU Press, 2002.
* Chaffin, Tom. ''Fatal Glory: Narciso López and the First Clandestine U.S. War Against Cuba''. University Press of Virginia, 1996.
* Caldwell, Robert Granville. ''The Lopez Expeditions to Cuba 1848-1851''. Princeton University Press, 1915.
* May, Robert E. ''John A. Quitman: Old South Crusader''. LSU Press, 1985.
* McPherson, James M. ''Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era''. Oxford University Press, 2003.



[[Category:1851 in Cuba]]
[[Category:1851 in Spain]]
[[Category:1851 in the United States]]


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