The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1898-06-03
LANDED IN CUBA.
Biggest Expedition Ever Sent There
From the United States.

Biggest Expedition Ever Sent There
From the United States.
Key West May 31.-Nearly 400 men,
with a pack train and a large quantity
Of arms and ammunition sailed for GGan-
tanamo on the Plant line steamer Flori-
da on the night of May 81 These men and
the equipment constituted an expedition
able to operate Independently and to de-
fend itself against any body of Span
ish troops which might oppose it.
The expedition was under the COM
mand of Colonel Jose Lacret formerly
insurgent commander in Matanzas prov
ince. 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 Palama was repre-
scented by ]. E. Cartaya who has been
the landing agent of nearly every fill
clustering expedition for more than
year Castillo Cartaya and Dorst will
return to Key West. General Julio San
gully, on the way to report to General
| Maxine Gomez was also on the boat.
This is the most powerful anti-Spanish
expedition ever sent to Cuba. About 300
of the men are Cubans the others are
| Americans. The engineer corps of the ex-
petition is composed entirely of Ameri-
| cans. under Aurelian Ladd, and includes
experts in explosives Three of the four
physicians with the party are Americans.
The men were dressed in canvas uni
! forms furnished by the United States
] c o.
partment had rations enough TO last Is
days after landing. The pack train con-
sisted of rs mules and 25 horses. The eX-
petition carried 1000 rifles and 2rOOV,OVo
rounds of ammunition for General Cal
ixto Garcia. The expedition is composed
of hardy fellows who looked fit for any
thing.
The Red Cross Relief steamer state OF
Texas. with provisions for the starving
Cubans, and which had been at anchor
in the harbor of Key West for three
weeks, also sailed for Cuba on May Il.
The ship flies the Red Cross flag, and on
each of her black sides is painted a large
red cross
The expedition was landed on the coast
of Cuba on Thursday morning last.
When the Florida, escorted by the
Osceola, drew up close to the shore at
the place selected for the landing, she
sent scouts ashore to see If all was clear
These scouts were greeted by Generals
Feria and Rojas, with some 1900 armed
insurgents. Consequently, far from
there being any hostile demonstration
upon the part of the Spaniards, the land
ing of the expedition was in the nature oil
a triumphal invasion. The Cubans, VINO
were in watching for the party had
brass band and welcomed the new-com-
ers with national airs.
The work of unloading the cargo OIL
the Florida was promptly begun, and
carried on by the 432 men comprising the
expedition. There was nothing IN the
nature of interruption until the wo
was finished on the night of Friday last
While the cargo was being unloade6
the Osceola, an auxiliary gunboat, with
her guns ready for action, secuted about
the vicinity. looking for an enemy. Bu
the Spaniards apparently had no sus'
picion of what was taking place, for mol
a sign of them could be seen ashore Oh
! afloat.