PAPERS OF MIRABEAU BuoNAPARTE LAMAR 445 1-gainst the Carlists. 44 He died, however, very soon after. Axiver, in the mean time, had opened to himself a new career. During his resi- dence in England, he conceived the project of mingling in the Revo- lution of Mexico, and of aiding that oppressed and bleeding country in its heroic struggle for Independence. Through the assistance of a few individuals, friendly to the cause, he was able to fit out a small expedition, with which he sailed for the United States and landed at Norfolk jn Virginia on the 27th September 1816.- His expectation of augmenting his resources in this country were not realized. He succeeded in obtaining only a few additional supplies, and a small reinforcement; and after being much embarrassed & harrassed by the Spanish Embasador, Don Onis, he finally set sail for Port au Prince, whence a portion of his expedition had preceeded him, and from that point, to the Island of Galvezton, where he arrived on the 24th Novem- ber 1816, and was welcomed with a generous enthusiasm by Aury and his fire-eating followers.- And now it was that the dissention, already alluded to, arose between comodore Aury and Col. Perry. Mina was bound with his expedition for the interior of .Mexico, with the expectation of forming a junction with Victoria and other prominent leaders of the Revolution. This seemed to open a wider field of operations to Perry than the project in which he was now engaged; and he made known his desire to sever his connection with Aury and to join the standard of Mina. This gave offence to the Comodore; and an open rupture soon ensued between them. The parties were about to appeal to arms, when the controversy was fortunately terminated by a proposition which was mutually agreed to, that the Soldiers connected with the enterprise should be allowed to choose for themselves the standard they would follow. The majority preferred to share the fortunes of 1\Iina; and accordingly prep_arations were made for a general. embarcation with him. Aury interposed no further obstacles; but lending his vessel as a transport for the artillery and cavalry, he sailed on the 27th of .March 1817. with the expedition to Santander, the point of debarcation, where he separated from his companions, and soon after entered into the servise of some of the South American States.- The Expedition of Mina belongs to the history of :Mexico, and no cognizance need be taken of it here, except so far as Perry was con- nected with it. Perry was certainly an excellent officer; and one of the bravest of men; but he was nevertheless a man of some exentrici- tieR of temper, which rendered his connection with 1\Iina a source of disappointment to that leader and of disaster to himself. Without assigning any adequate reason for his course, he abandoned the expe- dition at an early period and left it materially weakened by the loss of those who retired with him. He did not withdraw, however, until he had rendered some servise He had the honor of fighting the first battle in the campaign, and of putting to flight an enemy three times · stronger than himsel[ It occurred in the following manner.- The Expedition disembarked at Santander on the 15th of April, and "[Note in document:] Espos, without any cost or expense, whatever to the Govt. raised and maintained a Division, with which he commenced his career, and ended by Capturing 13 strong fortresses & towns, and killing & capturing 40.000 of the enemy.
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