The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1898-07-26
J. S, S. PEORIA, KEY WEST, FIoRID

oria, has written the following letter
home
U. S. S. PEORIA, KEY WEST, FLORIDA.
My Dear Uncle;
1 thought would write you as l promised. and
let you know how getting along on our lit
tie battleship. l have been keeping diary of tur
manGuvers si1ce we left Philadelphia which will
tell in part and thought perhaps it would be nice
to give an account of our trip THE NEWS so
that the people of Mount Holly can get a true ac-
count of one of the incidents Of our war with Spain
forgot to say in my account of meeting General
Gomez that we were the first Americans to have
direct communication with the General. Well
will go on with my letter first telling about day
in Key West.
Hot, well slightly. When the master-at-arms
passed the word that all who wished to 60 ashore
should be ready by two O'Clock, commenced to
dust. The uniform was white mastering clothes,
consisting of white uniform with blue collars and
cuffs. 1t looks very pretty but is not very popular
with us as it is very hard to keep clean did not
catch the first liberty boat but got the second Up
arriving on shore my first object was to find a
barber spop, as my locks were getting long enough
for foot ball season, and not willing to sub
nit myself to the torture of sea-going hair cut
The barber Italian and he could not
speak very good English had some trouble max
ing him understand what l meant. I found the
majority of the inhabitants spoke Spanish and
taken whole the city had considerable of the
character of the towns of the West Indies The
harbor is filed with men-of-w ar, the largest of
which is perhaps the Lancaster" which is the
flagship of the harbor The monitors Miantono
nah Puritan and Terror are here, as well as mum
Der of small vessels whose names it is unnecessary
to mention.
AS was walking down the harbor the other
morning passed the torpedo boats Cushing Foote
and Winslow. could not but help reflect upon
the fate of the unfortunate little vessel and the sad
end of Ensign Bagley. As the crew of the Winslow
were hurryiug around the deck conveying the coal
from the lighter the decks they seemed as indif
ferent of what was transporting they did under
the fire of the Spanish shot and shell at Cardenas
ON Saturday morning we received orders to act as
convoy to two troop ships, the Florida and the
Fanita. The Florida contained troop ofCubans
and the celebrated colored Tenth Cavalry o. 5. a
On Wednesday. the zgth, about FIVE O'Clock in the
evening, we arrived OF the mouth OF the san Juan
river. We were joined by the auxiliary cruisers
Dixie and Sutherland. Under the cover of heavy
rain the Florida lowered two boats and ATTEMPTED
10 effect q landing 1t was growing dark in the
background the low hills of Cuba were family
outlined against the summer sky, a faint breeze
blowing from the land, and the odor of the
trees ashore greeted steamed along AS
we approached nearer the shore we noticed block
house the banks OF the river but with the glass
it was impossible to see any sight of inhabitants
The two boats from the Florida were approaching
near the shore. We were all mustered at guns
ready to render assistance if needed Slowly the
boats disappeared i'll the dark. All eyes were
strained to see any signs of life and not sound
could be heard but the dull splash of the on
the beach Suddenly the sharp report of niusket-
ry was heard and few shouts. Then all was
again silent In about half hour both boats
were seen returning to the ships They had at
tempted to land but were repulsed by party Of
Spaniards ashore. NO one was injured as their
shots all too high. During the night we
again attempted to effect landing, but again
repulsed.
After comforting with the officer in command of
the expedition decided not to land at this point
but to move to Tunes twenty miles from Trim
dad About four O'Clock opened FIRE upon the
block house on the outside of Tunes We continued
the bomDardment for about hour when their
guns were silenced, and we thought that they had
retreated. In attempting to land force however,
two men killed and a number wounded.
In the meantime the Florida had run aground on
a sand bar. To make things of our
rueda nd sail a riGl
boat in the harbor,
The night of the 18th of anxiety With
a large force OF Dons ashore and gunboat ready
to steal out upon us any time, our position was
ANYTHING but enviabe. About the middle of the
night our search light showed sail approach
ing A shot from one of our three pound guns hove
MIN too and one of our boats brought him along
side He claimed to be a pilot and was from
General Gomez, but we will keep him prisoner
so as not to run any chances
The next morning attempted to remove the
Florida, but were unsuccessful. About half past
s o'clock we discovered some smoke the sea
horizon, and assure you we were much relieved to
discover it the U. S. gunboat Helena. With
her assistance we managed to get the Florida
ahoat where we decided to take much needed
rest On the morning of the second the Helena
steamed in toward the city of Tunes and shortly
after we followed The enemy had erected their
Notifications the left of the city where all their
stores were accumulated. A 4-inch shell from the
Helena started things moving, and can tell You
wished was in Mount Holly for few minutes as
the shells from the boat came whisting over our
heads but did damage whatever l had the
pleasure to see one of the shells shot off hit right
in the centre of one of the warehouses the deck
and when we left it was burning up very fast. The
| engagement lasted but twenty-seven minutes
during which time the Dons fred about thirty shots
| every of them going over our heads, after
| which they were compelled to retreat.
| In the afternoon we again returned to the block
| house which had been strengthened. We again
drove the yellow dogs from there, after which we
| returned to our old anchorage. On the night of
the I'd steamed away with our transports,
| as there too many Spaniards ashore to
| land them here. In the meantime the Helena
| laid off Tunes using her search light to
deceive the Dons. They, evidently thinking we
were going to effect landing the next day, as
soon as night came on commenced to destroy their
| wharves and buildings
1 lights hid we could see the flames of the burning
buildings far out at On the morning of the sd,
| we arrived at Palo Alto, where we succeeded in
| landing our troops
On tile glorious Fourth went ashore in the gig
| and had the pleasure of shaking hands with Gen
eral Comes, who had come in camp with about
| 1000 Cubans with about 1000 5000 of our troops
! in the rear on the march to meet us. The place
| where they are camping is the ruins of an old
| Spanish garrison. There is a long pier which
reaches out on the sea about two hundred yards
built entirely of mahogany. General Gomez got an
| account of the bombardment OF Tunes; The report
stated in pure Spanish style that they only lost
four or FIVE men, and, mind you, they said they
| saw six shells hit on decks, which must have
killed a great many of the Yanks
Well / am glad to say. that those six shells that
they say struck our decks might be found in
the bottom of the bay if they would take the
trouble to look for them.
i BY the way, have two shipmates on board who
hail from our county, one named Howard Williams
who comes from near Beverly, and the othe1
George Reeves who lives in Haddonfed We
often have talk about home and friends we
| know.
| Eyerythiug is going all right aboard We took
two transport steamers about fourteen miles dowr
the coast on the 9th. Yesterday went ashore ant
was in the centre of General Gomez's camp. They
are great looking people Some look half starv
ed others very fat. We left for Key West on tn,
nth and arrived without any trouble. This morn
ing the I4th we find several ships lying here, bu
know we have had as much fighting to do as an,
of them even if we small
Well have told all can think of this time, Sc
will close with lots Of love to all and hoping /,
hear from you soon, Iremain your loving nephew,
Ron.