The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-07-15
REINFORCED By THE HELENA,
FORTS ARE DESTROYED
GEN. GOMEZ MEETS THE MEN
Supplies of All Kinds Landed for Use
Of the Insurgents-0omeE
Writes q Letter

pdon filibusters, the Florida and Fanita,
under convoy Of the little gunboat Peoria,
have landed the largest and probably the
last expedition sent to aid the insurgents.
1t wasa task beset with peril and diniculty,
costing one man his life and wounds to half
q dozen more.
Gait. Jose Manuel Nunez, brother of Gen.
Emilio Nunez, was killed. Winthrop Chan
Ter New York was shot through the right
elbow and five Cubans suffered trifling in
1urhs. How many Spanish lives answered
for this will never be known, but there
wee enough to balance the score.
the debarkation was effected on July I'd
aiPalo Alto. on the southern coast of Cuba.
bit the fighting occurred before then.
The Peoria's First Battle
To the Peoria, one Of the newest acquisi-
lions TO the mosquito fleet, goes the full
glory of the achievement. The Peoria was
until lately q pilot boat at Philadelphia.
gThe Florida and Fanita left Key West on
: Saturday, June 25th, under the convoy OF
the, Peoria, commanded by Lieut.. T. w.
Ryan. On board the steamer were IS Gu
bans, under Gen. Nunez; so troopers Of the
Fifth United States cavalry, under Lieuts.
johnson and Ahearn, and Is Rough Riders,
under Winthrop Chanler, brother Of Col.
William Astor Chanler. The cargoes in
cluded the horses of the cavalrymen, with
forage; two dynamite guns, with $50 90
pound projectiles; two full batteries of light
field pieces, 10 3-inch rifles, with 5000 cart
ridges for the same; 1000 Springfield rifles,
with 954 900 cartridges; 200 Mausers, with
100000 cartridges; 200 Colts revolvers and
1900 cartridges, 1475 saddles $50 brides, 663
infantry uniforms, including $3.50 pairs of
shoes and blankets, shirts, hats and ham,
mocks, and over 100000 pounds of provis-
ions, including bacon, cornmeal, coffee,
sugar, beef, beans, hard tack and canned
corn.
A Spanish Ambuscade
At Las Lunas, near the mouth of the Tai
labacoa river, the expedition found a large
fort, built Of railroad iron and surrounded
by earthworks The Peoria ran boldly in
and fired several shots from her 3-inch
guns, but brought no response and no signs
Of life. Here scouting party. made up of
Is volunteers, under Winthrop Chanler, and
as many Cubans, under Capt. Nunez, was
sent ashore. The Peoria took position
within short range of the fort to protect
landing or cover a retreat. as events
ed for shore. They reached 1t 500 yards east
Of the fort. The boats were beached and
their occupants cautiously scrambled to-
ward the brush. At almost the very mo-
ment they set foot on the sands, the fort
and entrenchment burst into flames and
shot and shell screamed about the little
band of invaders.
Capt. Nunez was stepping from his boat
when a shot struck him between the eyes,
and he went donw, dead. Chanler fell with
q broken arm. The men safely gained the
thicket and replied with sharp fire di-
rected at the entertainments. Meanwhile
the Peoria set all her guns at work and
raned shells upon the fort until the ene-
my's fire ceased.
Hard Fight for Life
A retreat was ordered, and the party
; rushed for the boats, but volley after volley
came from the shore and they were COM
PEELED to throw themselves into the water
and paddle along Beside the boats with only
their heads exposed until the ships were
reached. The Spanish had the range, how
ever, and five Cubans were wounded though
none seriously.
The Peoria opened her guns on grove Of
cocoanut palms from which the Spaniards
had been sending in a hot fire, and must
have killed many Spaniards, for her shells
dropped iht1a smoke and flash Of the
adversary's fire, silencing 1t. When the
small boats reached the ship 1t was dark.
Then the discovery was made that besides
Captain Nunez, whose body was left on the
beach, there were missing Chanler, Drs.
Lund and Abbott, Lieutenant Agramohte
and two Cubans. It was reported that Chan
Ter had been mortally wounded and was
kept afioat in the bushes along the shore
BY the two doctors.
Rescue Parties Sent Ashore
No less than four rescue parties
were sent ashore during the night.
Toward morning Lieutenant Ahearn,
In charge Of one Of these, found Chanler
and his companions. CHAMBERS wound
proved to be in the right elbow. After sun
rise Agramonte and his Cubans were dis
covered and brought on. The next day
the gunboat Helena arrived and Friday
morning she and the Peoria steamed in to-
ward Las Lunas, which the Spanish had
been vigorously terrifying. Lunas is con-
nected by rail with eancti Spiritus, town
Of considerable size, and reinforcements
and artillery had been rapidly coming in.
Range buoys had been placed in the bay,
but, avoiding these, the ships drew into
close range and opened fire.
Bombardmento Of Las Lunas
The Epaniards had several Krupp field
pieces Of three and four inches mounted on
earthworks along the water front, and they
began q vigorous but ill-directed reply with
shell and shrapnel. The fire Of our ships
was most accurate and destructive. The
Spanish gunners fired but fifteen or twenty
:. shots before their guns were flying in the
air, their earthworkS mass Of blood
attained dust and their gunners running for
their lives. Both the Peoria and the Hell
ena were struck several times, but no one
on either ship was injured. As they with
drew several buildings ON shore were in
flames.
That Afternoon both ships again turned
tteir attentioH to the fort an entrench-
+ ments 1T the mouth Of the Tallabacoa river
and for half An hour poured d wicked fire
upon them. The BpAniards had been largely
telhfefcs6 turing the day and. some field
lioce had ben mounted near the fort.
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