The record-union., 1898-05-06
SHARP FIGHT
ON CUBAN
COAST.
Small Expedition Landed
on the Island
Have an Engagement With
Spanish CaVaIrymen.
The U. S. Gunboat Wilmington As
siefe in fhn lnuaeinn
The U. S. Gunboat Wilmington As
siSts in the Invasion,
DemoIishing a Block House and Driving the
Enemy From the Shores-A Spanish
Fleet Reported as Preparing to
Sail for California Ports.

KEY WEST F'la.), May 5.-The Gov
ernment tug Leyden, Captain J. H.
Angus, steamed into port this morn
ing and told the following story of a
desperate encounter with Spanish
troops on the northern coast of Cuba:
The Leyden left here Monday after
noon with a party of Insurgents under
General Baldamore Acosta, and includ-
ed five Cuban scouts; Under the leader
ship of Captain J. H. Derst of the
United States Cavalry. The Leyden
also carried a large quantity of arms
and ammunition. The tug landed five
men, with four boxes of ammunition and
two horses. General Acosta also land
ed and penetrated to the interior. where
he communicated with the forces of the
insurgents.
The Leyden lay outside until 5 o'clock
in the morning, when, observing a troop
of Spanish infantry approaching, she
put to sea and got safely away The
same night she proceeded to Matanzas,
and Tuesday afternoon another small
party landed near there. Fearing at
tack by the Spaniards. she looked for
the monitors Terror and Amphitrite,
which are on the blockade In that vi
cinity, but being unable to locate them,
the Leyden returned to the original
landing place, reaching there early yes
terday morning. Here she was met by
Acosta and about 200 Cubans, half of
whom We're armed with rifles. They
united with the men on the tug, and
an attempt was made to land the re-
naming arms and men, when a troop
of 200 of the Villa Vicosa Cavalry
swooped down on them, and fierce
engagement of half hour duration fol-
lowed
When the Spanish cavalry discovered
the Leyden they promptly opened fire.
The tug was taken at a disadvantage,
having no cannon aboard, but Com
mander Angus decided upon a desper-
ate bluff. He mounted an old flagpole
and another round piece of timber in
the bow of the boat, and stationed
'gunners" there, but the ruse was of
little avail. The Spaniards took shell
ter near the blockhouse, and poured
in a fusillade of bullets.
Meanwhile the Cubans attempted to
draw the Spanish fire, with a view Of
diverting the cavalry and giving the
Leyden a chance to slip out. The Gu
fin "a driy
ing them into the woods. During this
engagement several rifle bullets went
through the Leyden's smokestack, but
no one was injured.
The little tug then went in search of
the flagship, found her lying near Ha-
vana and reported the story. Rear Ad-
miral Sampson sent the gunboat Will
mington back with the Leyden. The
two vessels reached the scene Of the
landing yesterday afternoon, and found
the Spanish cavalry in waiting to well
come another attempted invasion. The
Wilmington lost no time in prelimin-
aries, but promptly opened fire upon a
number of small houses, marking the
entrance to the place. The gunboat
fired four shots, which immediately
drove back the Spaniards, and Captain
Derst, with the ammunition, landed
safely last night, the Leyden returning
here.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
NEW YORK, May 5.-The Mail and
Express Key West correspondent ca
bles the following account of landing
of a small expedition from the tug
Leydon in Cuba:
The tug left Key West Monday af-
ternoon, and at daybreak yesterday her
men made the first attempt to land an
interpreter to confer with a party of
Cuban insurgents who were waiting on
the beach. While this conversation was
being held the people of the Leyden dis
covered about fifty Spanish cavalrymen
coming down a hill toward the shore, as
if accommodating. The Leydon signal
ed to the insurgents, and the latter took
to the bushes. Up to that time every
thing but a few Winchester rifles had
been landed. Seeing the cayalrymen,
the Leydon's boat returned alongside,
lying about a quarter of mile off
shore The cavalrymen 1eveled rifles,
but hesitated about firing. The insur-
gents in the meantime had opened fire,
driving the cavalry back UP the hill,
the latter firing as they fled.
The cavalry returned shortly with re-