Filibuster,
Originally a freebooter; subsequently applied to one who delayed legislation by dilatory motions or similar artifices.
Narcisco Lopez with an expedition of armed men sailed from New Orleans, Aug. 3, 1851, and landed near
Havana on the 11th.
Unable to bring about a rise of the people he was obliged to surrender and on Sept. 1, 1851, was garroted at
Havana.
Colonel Crittenden, who was associated with
Lopez, was also captured and with fifty others was shot at
Havana, Aug. 16, 1851.
William Walker led a filibustering expedition into
Lower California in 1853, but was obliged to retreat and surrendered to the
United States authorities of
Santiago.
He was tried under the neutrality laws and acquitted May 15, 1854.
The next year
Walker was invited to
Nicaragua by one of the local factions.
He landed on the
Pacific coast of
Nicaragua, May 4, 1855, and defeated the Nicaraguans in a battle at
Virgin Bay, Sept. 1, 1855.
Walker forced his election as
President of
Nicaragua, but on May 1, 1857, he surrendered to the
United States sloop-of-war
Mary and was taken to New Orleans.
In November of that year he again invaded
Nicaragua, but was compelled to surrender to the
United States frigate
Wabash.
On Aug. 5, 1860,
Walker again landed at
Truxillo,
Honduras, but after short successes was eventually defeated, captured, tried, and shot Oct. 12, 1860.
For many years prior to the
American-Spanish War quite a number of filibustering expeditions were fitted out in the
United States for the purpose of operating on
Cuba.
The United States government invariably issued official warning against such hostile actions against
Spain, and in a majority of cases intercepted or otherwise prevented the landing of the parties.
The most notable of these actions was that of a party which left in the Cuban warship
Virginius, Oct. 8, 1873, for
Cuba.
The vessel, under command of
Capt. James Fry, was captured by a Spanish war steamer on the 31st, and the officers and 175 volunteers were taken to
Santiago, where in the following month
Captain Fry and 109 of his associates were shot for piracy.
Through the action of the United States government in organizing a strong naval force
Spain agreed to surrender the
Virginius and the remainder of her crew.
This was done Dec. 16, and while the
Virginius was being convoyed to New York it mysteriously sunk off
North Carolina.
Fillmore, Millard
