The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-07-15
LIEUT.. AGRAMONTE MISSING
Continued from First Page.l

The Peoria opened her guns on the place indicated and must have killed many Spaniards, for her shells dropped into the smoke and flash of the ad- versaries fire, silenced it at once and forced them to send up rockets for help.
 A number of volleys were sent at the Peoria with a view to disabling her sunners, but they were badly directed and fell against her side and into the water. When the small boats reached the ship 1t was dark. Then the dis covery was made that besides Captain Nunez, whose body was left on the beach, there was missing Lieutenant Chandler, Doctors Lund and Abbott, Lieutenant Agramonte and two Gu bans It was reported that Lieutenant Chandler had been mortally wounded and was kept afloat In the bushes along the shore by the Spaniards. The next morning the boats drew closer in shore and opened a vigorous fire. The Span ish gunners had not fired more than fifteen or twenty shots before their guns were firing in the air, their earthworks a mass of bloodstained dust and their gunners running for their lives. Both the Peoria and the Helena were struck several times, chiefly by shrapnel, but no one on either ship was injured.
 That afternoon both ships again turned their attention to the fort and the entrenchments at the mouth of the Tallabacoa river, and for half an hour poured a wicked fire upon them. The Spaniards, had been largely reinforced during the day and some field pieces had been mounted near the fort These replied to the American fire, but with out effect, and the shells of the two ships speedily silenced them. The iron blockhouse was struck repeatedly-and the earthworks were partially destroy ed. No damage was done to the ships. That night the Spaniards burned large wharf and the adjacent buildings. evidently expecting a landing in force the next day. It was learned from va rious sources that endorsements were pouring into Las Tunas from all direc- tions, newspaper from Sancti Spiritus saying that two thousand men had been dispatched from the nearest trocha. It was determined to proceed during the night with the landing expedition to Palo Alto, fifty miles to the eastward, the Helena remaining at Las Tunas to confirm the Spaniards in the belief that an attempt was to be made to land there.
 At 10 o'clock Saturday night, July 2, while the Helena lay off shore making lively play with her searchlights to- ward the shore, the Peoria, the Florida and the Fanita, with all lights out, slipped silently away. Palo Alto was reached at daybreak. There was not Spaniard to be seen, and the men and cargo. were put ashore without a single obstacle. Gomez, With two thousand men, was known to be in the vicinity, and scouts hurried in to his lines. On July the old warrior appeared in per- son at Palo Alto. An awning was spread over the end of the abandoned wharf and conference was held. There were present, besides General Gomez, Lieutenant Ryan and Ensign w. G. David of the Peoria, Lieutenants Johnson and Ahearn of the Tenth Unit ed States cavalry, Auditor Generals Freyre and Read of the provisional government, General Nunez, Colonel Nunez and Major Rojo.
 The veteran commander in- chief said he was greatly pleased at the result of the. expedition, which he thought would exercise an important influence upon the war. He outlined g plan of cam- paign which he later submitted in writ ing to Lieutenant Ryan for transmits sion to President Mckinley. The Tenth cavalry have dubbed the Peoria "The Little Dewey because of her valor. She had arrived from the north only 8 few days before, taking out the expe- dition, and this was her first war ex- perience-under fire four times in forty eight hours. Her batteries are four Hotchkiss three -pounders, two Hotch- kiss revolving cannon and one Colt re- beating rife.
 It was subsequently, learned that during the fight at Las Tunas five buildings in the town were completely destroyed by the fire from the Ameri- can guns, while twenty three were partly destroyed and eight schooners which happened to be in range were sunk and burned. When Winthrop Chandler fell wounded Doctors Abbott and Lane carried him into the brush and all three sank up to their necks in a swamp, A boat from the Florida rescued them.
 Lieutenant Agramonte mentioned in the foregoing dispatch is a son of Pro- lessor Agramonte of New York, mem- ber of the Cuban junta and for several years musical director of the New Ha- ven Gounod society. Lieutenant Agra monte has been an ardent worker in the Cuban cause ever since the re- bellion broke out. Less than year ago he was liberated from Cabanas fortress with several other prisoners, among them the men of the Competi- tor, through the efforts of the Ameri- can government. During his imprison- ment it was momentariy expected by his friends in this country that he would be sentenced to be shot and his ultimate escape from death on this oc- casion was solely due to the vigorous action of this government, which made all possible haste in the case. The prisoners on being liberated were brought to New York and their ema- ciated condition caused a sensation. Despite his past sufferings, however, i.