The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-07-13
TIE CUBAN FILlBUSTERs.
Activity OF the Cubans In This City-Rclief
Sent 10 Colonel Ryan-HOw the Fourth Was
spent GARDENERS Island.

ACTIVITY OF the Cubans In This CuS-hcnei
Sent 10 Colonel Ryan-HOw the Fourth Was
spent on Gardeners Island.
Since the arrest OF majority OF the prominent
leaders and the collapse or the recent attempted
expedition the agents officials of the Cuban Junta
in tins city have gained wisdom by experience and
are conducting their operations and movements on
much more effective though less demonstrative
principle than formerly. IL IS now matter OF the
most extreme difficulty 10 CLEAN the slightest nforma
ton relative to their plans All the persons
connected with the movement re-
leased either upon absolute discharge, upon bail
or upOn their own recOgniZances, and they are
again lat work like beavers" Many OF their coun-
ellis held at private residences; the officers who
were arrested are reassembllng their men, and the
Indications are that before many weeks the Junta
Will send OF an expedition from port south of
New York under circumstances that VIII preclude
the possibility OF arrest detection, and in such
manner that the first news the American public
will learn regarding it will be either It's successful
landing the shores OF the sever faithful isle" or
desperate struggle with Spanish forces to achieve
such an object.
Colonel Ryan still has upward OF 200 men with
him on GARDENERS Island and the fact that relief
and ratOns been sent to them is proof that the
Cuban agents in this city are not inactive and have
not abandoned their project Last Saturday num-
street jail left this city their way 10 join Colonel
Ryan,
ON Tuesday OF last week one OF the men OF
Colonel Ryan's command, who left this city
with the expedition summarily and CLAN
destneiy severed HIS connection with the
arrived in this city Saturday. His name is Arthur
Johnson residing in Henry street, and he was
at Cooper Hall, Jersey CITY, His statement OF the
progress OF events among the CRUISERS is az fol-
lOws-
On Saturday evening, June &C. we were called
down our quarters, two at a time, enjoined TO
| secrecy, countersign given TO Them and about
| forty OF us were told to rendezvous at Elm Park,
Staten Island We were ordered strictly not to re-
cognize one another the passage, but to keep as
| far apart as possible. When we went there we ex-
pected to be provided for ut some hotel but instead
of that we had TO remain out In the fields and had
no blankets. IL began to rain, and we
were very miserable. About two O'Clock on Sunday
/ morning tugb0at came along with about 200 men
| was the Chase The vessel then steamed down
| towards Sandy Hook, but afterwards turned back,
| and wenN past Brooklyn up the Sound. We crused
for about twenty hours in search OF steamer that
| was TO take us to sea- but could not ind ner. The
steamer Cool, which mao Joined us meantime was
| Ryan, in her absence, ordered us to make landing
on Gardeners Island on Monday morning. IL was
then reported that the Cool had been captured with
| all the provisions on board. The men grew dis.
heartened at this Information, and went into the in
| terror OF the island, making themselves COM
| fortabe as possible, and capturing everything that
| t6ev could make use or Fish hawks and CLANS were
these In abundance, and the men used large quanti-
tes OF the younger birds and the clans food. In
TINS way we lived, putting up lew tents and max
ing brushwood nuts lor shelter until thursday, July
Cubans New York, with ten days. rations for 300
! men on board. The provisions consisted OF 'hard
tackn corned beef and pork, coffee and potatoes
| and were oil landed by the aid OF a small boat be-
| longing to the tug ana hsnermans smack. We
| then lived pretty high up TO last Sunday week. A
| man named Frederick Busy had been sent down to
New York on business, and he returned on that day
July WIN o ard Oh wn,ss sr aac ao2 n pas
the island, also sent MS down ten gallons OF whiskey
for the celebration OF the Fourth of july Mr.. Gar
diner joined with us in the celebration, together
with mis- two daughters who have just returned from
Europe, ana we celebrated the Fourth in the woods
in iOly STYLE Speeches were made by Major O'Leary
| and by Lieutenant Arnold young man who claims
to be son OF Lieutenant Governor Arnold OF Rhode
island All of them spoke OF political affairs and the
| Cuban cause, and Colonel Courier also made an ad
dress in the course OF which he made some allusiOn
to the late in which he served as a Union soldier
There was quite number OF Richmond, Va, men
present, nearly full company, under command Of
Captain Harrison, and they took offence at Colonel
| Courrier's remarks. A good deal OF murmuring and
| hard words followed, and for a time it looked as
though there would be trouble, but Colonel Courier
| was all settled quietly. Colonel Ryan also purchased
three sheepfr0m Mr.. Gardiner and had them roasted
whole the woods over ar SLOW tSs e as s sort OF
was distributed freely and large quantity OF 1t
| was made into milk punches The same evening
some OF the men, laboring under its effects, came
/ into the camp and quarrelled with some OF
/ the officers, who had also been drinking. During
the evening large number OF the officers gathered
in sort OF comnissary tent and were drinking and
became noisy. j, with young man named Wilson,
TO hsse cer. Were ERE
bushes. when Colonel Courier came out from among
them having caught sight OF us, and with pistol In
his hand threatened to shoot US. Wilson faced him
squarely and told him he dared not do II, and after
| while Courier cooled down. Courier
| good deal liked among the men at first,
| out now they are down on MIN. We were gettn
tired of being there SO long without any comfort and
nve OF a SoIons M' Rya W ona se h n
| there was any chance Of getting or the island We
said had enlisted to go TO Cuba and wanted TO go
| there be put ashore. lie said he would give
means to get or the island, but when we afterwards
| called on him he pun US on with excuses. Finally,
| on Tuesday, the eth OF July we took yacht, which
| fisherman had left anchored a short distance
| from the shore, and landed in Connecticut. The
citizens told us the nearest town was Sag Harbor,
New York by rail last Saturday. When we left they
still mad five or SIX days. provisions on hand from
| the tug.
| All The men like Colonel Ryan very much, and
| would risk their lives anywhere under him as they
kind civil to them. and did not get drunk other
officers did. IL is customary to mount guards every
proach OF suspicious vessels. when night comes on
Colonel Ryan and Colonel Courier seeree themselves
In kind OF hole on hill az the upper end OF the
island. from which they can look all over the Sound.
They have regular roll call ana sometimes parades
| OF the men. one evening especial Order No.
| ~ was read complmenting the young man Arnold
fof bravery, and announcing his promotion to a first
| lieutenantcy. II appears that when the Chase was
| seized by the revenue cutter Arnold, Busy and
Collins were on board and after the revenue cutter
| had taken them m tow, they quietly slipped to the
stern OF the snip with trunk containing important
| papers belonging to Colonel Ryan, the nag Of the
regiment and the oficers uniforms. they dropped
the goods iuto a small boat trailing by rope at the
| stern, Jumped into her and cut her adrift. When
they had got about fifty or hundred yards on the
guards discovered them and fired on them. but with
| ont injuring any of them, and they finally reached
| the island safely.
! The greater number OF the men are disheartened
| but Colonel RYAN assures them that he ~ confident
! OF being able 20 take them safety 10 Cuba lie mas
| with nm now certainly not less than 22s men.
| Departure and Return Of Flibu.tcring Party.
| The hermapnrodite brig Ala Eldred cleared from
this port the evening of the 23d OF June last for
jamaica in ballast. The ballast IL said to have
| sisted OF one ioo-pounder PARROT gun, two 40