Lopez Expedition

Lopez Expedition
	; Map of Cuba from the nineteenth century.
Date	May 1850–August 1851
Location	Captaincy General of Cuba
Result	Spanish Cuba victory Filibuster leaders executed;
Belligerents
Filibusters	Captaincy General of Cuba
Commanders and leaders
Narciso López ; William Logan Crittenden ; Joaquín de Agüero	José Gutiérrez de la Concha

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. Wary that Spain's rule in Cuba was unsustainable, López sought to have it annexed by the United States to ensure slavery's preservation in Cuba. He and American Southern volunteers hoped to incorporate Cuba as a slave state into the United States.

In August 1851, after two failed expeditions, a force comprising 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.