Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-12-25

Cargo and Men Safely on the
Island-First Time the Flag Of
Spain Has Been Fired Upon at
Sea.
New York, December PA special
to the World from Key West, Fla, says:
Lone Star Flag of Cuba has met the
I red and yellow banner of CASTLE upon
the seas. The Shrapnal, shell and rifle
yolleys of brave filibuster have made
answer to the roar of Spanish twelve
Founders and have gained for Cuba
Libre the first victory on the ocean.
The flibustering steamer Three
Friends sailed from Fernandina, Fla,
Sunday night, December 18th, carrying
valuable cargo of munitions of war for
the Cuban insurgents, eluding the Wig
lance of United States warships, and
revenue cutters and odging every sail
4 upon the ocean, the little steamer with
about fifty men was within hailing dis
tance OF Cuba on the sixth night out.
Surprised, trapped and fired upon,
she threw shot into a Spanish naval
coaster. frightened off a big gunboat,
/ and escaped from a swift cruiser, steer
ins out to sea.
The Three Friends put in again to
the coast and safely landed her cargo
on the border of the great Zapata
Swamp.
Not before in Cuba's struggle for
I liberty has the flag Of Spain been fired
upon at sea. No other filibuster, after
having been attacked by the enemy,
( has stood by her guns ana fulfilled her
perilous mission.
The account of this history making
( trip is as follows:
AS Cuba was neared about midnight
/ last Saturday, two-pound shell buzz
ed and tore through our rigging, and
five minutes later, the naval duel was
/ in progress.
/ Early on the morning of Friday, the
/ 18th. Cane San Antonio at the western
( extremity of Cuba. was rounded. A
/ stiff breeze was blowing off the land,
| and the ship headed southward.
1T was known that the battleship
| Reina Mercedes. the cruiser Alfonso
( XIII. and the coaster Dose de Malo
were patrOlling the Pinar del Rio
south coast.
/ The sealed orders from the New
/ York junta were opened an hour after
the Cape had been passed They
/ gave no directions as to the course the
/ vessel should take, its destination alone
I e II
/ junta read:
Sail TO the mouth of the San Juan
river and there await party of insur-
/ gents, who viii take charge OF the
( cargo. Do not attempt to land men
or munitions st any other point
/ The orders caused a sensation. a con-
sultation was held Immediately in the
cabin. attended by Captain John O'Brien.
| navigation Captain Lewis, Major Perez
| Morales. commander Of the land eXpedi-
ton. and Lieut.. Col Salvo, sea COM
/ mauder of the same. Major Arnas was
/ also called in
( Nearly every officer aboard had warned
/ the iunta that he would not attempt TO
/ land an expedition near the San Juan
river. Tho steamer Bermuda had tried to
and had been fired upon, and driven away
! rv q Spanish coaster. while the cargo Of
the Dauntless. after having been put
/ ashore was captured.
Rut what was there TO be done? The
/ steamer had stolen away from the United
states and had already covered three
/ quarters Of the distance to her ordered
( destination. Her crew was a picked one
and the soldiers aboard were brave and
. determined
won land at the San Juan. if we have
TO sail through he'll to do it," said Captain
/ Lewis.
Keep q good head on and don't waste
any coal" was the word sent down to
chief engineer Dunn.
When fifty miles south OF the Cape the
: course was changed to moth by northeast
AGAINST q dead wind. When night fell. we
were thirty miles from land, following an
eastern line.
Saturday morning was clear and beau
tiful.
The vessel was placed under a small
head OF steam and went easily in calm
sea.
About the decks. all was astir. Boxes
of arms. cartridges and dynamite stored
I'm the hold were carried on deck and put
/ I'm convenient positions for landing.
/ Each man who was to land with the
par-v had his personal effects bundled to-
eothar and ready to be cast into the first
boat
The Three Friends was several hours i'm
making her way TO the proper place to
effect "a landing. When all was in rcadi-
ness. the coast seemed entirely clear. on
| the lower deck. amidships, the first boats
crew. armed with machetes and revolvers
stood ready TO man the large surf boat
which already swung over the side. The
crew consisted of Lieuteuants Carbonne
and Cuiteras. Sharpshooter John German
and Privates Aurclio Arcdna and Edgaro
Major Perez Morales and DR.. Bonjardin
who We're also to go ashore in the first
/ boat. stood at the gangway. Behind the
J FIRST boats party stood dozen men armed
/ with machetes and Remngtons i'm line
along the rail to repel boarders None
] of the others aboard were armed except
with revolvers. which they carried in their
+ belts. as the rifles and machetas had been
returned to their box for transfer ashore.
on the prov, night glass in hand. stood
! Cautain Lewis. Major Arnas. and Eugin-
/ GER Faglucn- me remainder Oh t4e eA-
/ pediuon gathered along the rails on the
port side as tine vessel steamed almost in
/ the shadow Of the rocky cliffs.
When the hubuster was within four
hundred yards Of shore. the engineer dis
/ covered moving object i'm the darkness
under the lee. and informed Captain Lew
! is that he saw n coaster. Without further
ado the flibuster turned to starboard and
/ pointed for the open sea. Few persons
aboard had seen the Spaniard. Captain