The New York herald., 1869-06-05
NEW YORK HERALD SATURDAY JUNE S. lses-TRIPLE SHEET

ing day the return Of the Unoa was looked for with
interest Had the Salvador been sunk Dy the British
Koysst q va captured BY the spanish cruisers
Grandes, anu drawing too much water TO get III.
some men we're sent ashore in small boats, but all
they found were few American crackers, little
der and one or two cannon cartridges and some
other slight Indications that an expedition
had mad 6 been landed: No doubt exists here
and munitions, and that while they were on their
way TO the lnsurgent camps in the interior she was
went In pursuit could catch her The pursuit has
now been abandoned because 1t Is said that she has
already reached Nassau. The name Of Salvador Is
| now u sort OF synonym for terror. Those who do
not know how small the vessel is imagine her q
monster. The oliciousness OF the commander OF the
cruisers ali day when searching for the Salvador,
has excited the suspicion that perhaps, after all,
there was more show than sincerity in the matter.
About the same time that the Salvador landed
| her cargo another and a more important expedition
was landed at point called Npe, more than q
hundred miles further along the coast. Nipe has q
convenient and cOmm0dious bay. IL Is likewise on
the northern coast and is about 125 miles from
here. on the 10th instant-the very day on
which the salvador was seen-an important
action, resulting from the disembarkment or
q flibustering expedition took place near Nipe
The fight Itself seems to have been the first lnfOrma
ton the Spaniards received that expedition had
been landed at that place. The account we have re-
ceived Is TO the effect that soon after the landing had
been effected entrenchments were thrown up TO
cover battery OF eight guns on the point OF the Pc
ninsua de la Tore, commanding the entrance to the
bay. The town OF Mayari, where there Is u Spanish
garrison, is situate on river which 1ows into that
bay. Spanish vessels are accustomed TO run into
Nipe with provisions for the troops on Sunday last
as the steamer Guantanamo was SO engaged, she
was fired on by the battery. SO also was the Mar
sella which received two shots IN her waist without
however doing any serious damage, as the balls
struck upon her plates. The assistance or the
gunboat Africa was soon obtained, and few hun
ared men composed OF regulars and volunteers were
troops in the town marched round dis
tance OF some fifteen miles. They came
upon the battery; but 1t would that 1t had Just
been Abandoned purp0sely, for the men were soon
in possession OF the guns. But 1t was only Temporal
rily; Tor presently the INSURGENTS came sweeping
back III force, aud by gallant charge, In which
many OF the Spaniards and some Of the insurgents
fell, quickly regained the entrenchments ana the
guns. The Spanards claim that they spiked some
or them before being driven on, but from all
counts whatever attempts they may have made to
% DO 80 did not @ prove rove successful M All tns statements
heavy because the Spanlards, rejOlced at the easy
conquest OF 80 rich prize, did not anticipate the
sudden charge which deprived them OF that prize;
for they say that besides the eight guns mounted In
the earthwork they saw ten other pieces OF arti-
iery without gun carriages. All These, however,
small arms temporarily placed III building
near the shore. Before finally retreating the
Spanards set 1re to that building; and the reason
given Tor the insurgents not pursuing them Is that
they deemed 1t more important TO extlnguish the
flames and save the arms, which they succeeded IN
accomplishing. The SpanlardS say that the bay0net
charge to regain the guns was led ny foreigners,
which seems very probable They acknowledge 10
q loss OF about forty killed and nearly one hundred
wounded. Several Of the most severely wounded
were sent round to Santiago de Cuba on one OF the
spanish vessels. They captured one OF the fill
busters, Prusslan, from whom the naval officers
who have arrived here say they received the In
formation that a few days previously they had sue
ceSsiuy landed an important expedition consisting
of men and war material. From the amount of
arms and ammunition, and the number OF cannon
seen some have supposed that the insurgents had
intended making Npe base OF operations
on the coast; but 1t Is more likely that
they were only awaiting means of transportation
TO convey them to the interior. The Spaniards
shot the Prussian prisoner. They say
they had him on board a steamer, that he Jumped
overheard, attempting to escape and mat they shot
action Is unknown. They were left III possession OF
the field. 1t Is PROBABLE that all the troops which
be spared III the eastern section OF the island
Will be sent as soon as possible 10 the vicinity Of
Nipe with view of interceptlng the nlibusters and
the valuable war material which composed that
expedition.
And on the self same day, the 1eth inst, another
serious engagement took place near the coast at
point betWee0 here and Nipe. This however, was
the result OF the landing Of an expedition. The
Spanish steamer Moctezuna, which left Havana
with 500 men, composed OF regular spanish
port for two days, and on the 9h inst. proceeded to
Puerto Padre with the troops and provisions, which
town of Las Tunas Puerto Padre Is about fifty
miles from here, aud Is the port easiest OF access
from Las TunGs. The soldiers and supplies We're
landed ut Puerto Padre and on the 10th instant the
convoy started They had travelled only about four
miles WNe0 tncv were mct near Tue UldTSlu VI u
stream by the insurgents in large numbers. An at
tack was made upon the convoy and desperate
light ensued The Spanlards contested tner posi-.
tion with considerable pertnacity for time, but
they were finally driven back to their starting point
carrying some OF their wounded with them. They
acknow ledge loss OF only thirty-four killed, aud
some say only seventy-eight wounded; but seventy
eight have already arrived here and are now In the
building used as a hospital for ali the sick and
wounded in Nuevitas. This must have been more
sanguinary engagement than the defeated Spaniards
are willing to admit The stream was crlmsoned
with the blood Of the Killed and wounded OF both
parties.
which numbered 100. only seven have survived un-
injured. But some allowance must be made for the
exaggerated number OF casualties sometimes CON-
puted by soldiers, especially such as become what Is
called sdemoraiZed." There Ia no information to
the loss Of the insurgents as they Kept possession OF
the ground. The Spaniards say they slaughtered
large numbers the Cubans. II Is said that detach.
ment OF 800 Spanish, under command OF Colonel
Borraiche which had left Las Tuhas on the day pre-
vious to meet the convoy, participated IN the en-
gagement Al! the defeated troops are now at Puerto
Padre awaiting reiniorcements. A thousand men.
OF the regiments La ReIna and La Union, under
command or Brigadier Ferrer, have arrived here
from Puerto Principe en- route to reinforce them.
Tney will leave to morrow for Puerto PADRE On his
arrival there Brigadier Ferrer Will assume command
Of all the spanish forces In that vicinity.
coasting sloop has just arrived here bringing
seven more wounded men from Puerto Padre. They
are some who were shot in skirmsh near there
the 10th inst. on that day foraglng party consist
ing Of about 100 Spanish soldiers went out from
Padre, bat they were soon met and driven back by
killed and seven wounded. The latter now being
carried stretchers from the wharf 10 the hospta
building.
The accounts OF the above named engagements
have been communicated by Spanish officers and SOL
diers. Undoubtedly the insurgents story OF the same
engagements would make them out more glowing
victories Whatever the respective losses may have
been it Ia certain even by their own admission that
the Spaniards have sustained severe reverses,
and the Gubans have received not only
men VINO probably have had some practical
experience on the battle field, but consid-
cradle quantity OF arms aud ammunition,
which they greatly needed. have heard from In
formation that has come through the lines that the
insurgents are exceedingly c.ated by their recent
good fortune IN getting arms, and especially amnu-
nltion as wen by their signal victories. No de-
tails however, are gwen to the actual amount OF
war material they received nor as to the number OF
casualties they sustained In the late engagements.
They were never more sanguine OF eventually
achieving their independence.
Besides the more important fights above men,
toned there have recently been two skirmishes In
the Interior one at the plantation called Industria,
and the other at the plantation FL Destno, belong
ing to Napoleon Arango both IN the vicinity Of Las
M,nas. The number OF casualties is not stated. IL
ktft t.aA ant. tla