The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-06-01
The Lacret Expedition En-
tireIy Successful.
AN INDEPENDENT MOVE
COMPOSED OF CUBANS AND
AMERICANS.
NO TROUBLE IN EFFECTNG A LANDING
The Expedition Consisted of 800 Cubans and
100 Americans Welcomed by lusugents
Brass Band Played Patriotic Airs
EIatlon OYer Success Of ofExpedilion.

Brass Band Played Patriotic Airs
EIation Over Success Of Expedition.
Copyright 1898 by Associated Press0
Key West Fla, May 31.-Over four
hundred men with a pack train and a
large quantity of arms and ammunition,
sailed for Cuba on the Plant Line steam
er Florida, on the night of May 2l
These men and the equipment constituted
an expedition able to operate independ-
emily and to defend itself against any
body of Spanish troops which might op-
pose it.
The expedition was under the COM
mand of Col. James Lacret, formerly in
Surgent commander in Matanzas pro
vince. He assumed the direction of af-
fairs Immediately ON the landing Of the
expedition Until then General joaquin
Castillo was in control
In the landing Of the expedition the
United States army was represented by
Captain j. A. Dorst and Thomas Estrada
Palma was represented by j. E.
Cartaya, who has been the landing agent
OF many lilibustering expeditions for
more than a year. Messrs. Castillo.
Cartaya and Dorst viii return to Key
West General Julio Sanguilly on the
way to report to General MaXimo
Gomez, was also on the boat This is
the most powerful anti-Spanish eXpedi-
tion ever sent to Cuba. About three
hundred of the men are Cubans; the
others are Americans. The engineer
corps of the expedition is composed en-
? frrFsf AgsfT
I.aad.
The men were dressed in canvas uni
forms furnished by the United States
government and the cOminlssary depart
ment had rations enough to last fifteen
days after the landing. The pack train
consisted OF seventy-fye mules and
twenty-five hourses. The expedition car
ried 1000 rifles and 100000 rounds of
ammunition for General CaliXto Garcia.
The expedition is composed of hardy
young fellows who looked fight enough
for anything. The expedition was CON
voyed by the cruiser Marblehead, the
torpedo boat destroyer Eagle and other
warships
Two younger brothers Of the late Cen
eral Nester Araguren are with the ey-
pedition.
of Cuba on Thursday morning, May 20.
When the Florida, escorted by the
Osceola, drew up close to the shore at
the place selected for the landing, she
sent scouts to see if all was clear. These
scouts were greeted by Generals Feria
and Rojas, with 500 armed insurgents
Consequently, far from there being any
hostile demonstration upon the part OF
the Spaniards, the landing of the eXpe-
ditiOn was in the nature of a triumphal
INVASION The Cubans who were in wait
ing for the party had a brass band and
welcomed the new comers with national
airs
The work Of unloading the cargo of the
Florida was promptly begun and car
ried on by the 432 men comprising the
expedition. There was nothing in the
nature of an Interruption. The work
was finished on Friday.
While the cargo was being unoaded
the Osceola, an auxiliary gunboat, with
her guns ready for action, secuted about
the vicinity looking for an enemy, but
the Spaniards apparently had no suspi-
cion OF what was taking place SO easily
was the dangerous mission accomplished
that while some members of the party
were getting the supplies ashore others
were providing themselves with fruit.
sugar and other products of the landing
place, a large stock of which was brought
back for Key West.
Nevertheless, no precautionary meas
ure was neglected. and when the work
was concluded, the Florida and the
Osceola slipped away leaving the in
surgents to convey their reinforcements
into the interior, which. it is confidently
expected, was done withou any casual
ty. The returning members of the Flor
ida party brought with them several
hundred private letters, which, it is un-
derstood, give a complete insight into
the present conditions prevailing in the
blockaded island.
The local Cuban colony is elated over
the astonishing success of the expedi-
tion.
Later information raises strong pre-
sumption that the landing was effected
MS originally planned, not far from
Guantanamo, province of Santiago de
Cuba