The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1898-07-20
PERILOUS TRIP.
The Cruiser Peoria Conveys Two
Filibusters to Cuba
Vast Supplies of Munitions of War for In
surgents Were Landed, but Not Until
After Series of Sharp Fights in
Which the Little American
Boat Was Victorious.

Key West, July 15.-Those cham
pion filibusters, the Florida and Fan
ita, under convoy of the little gunboat
Peoria, have laGded the largest expe-
dition sent to aid the insurgents. 1t
was a task beset with peril, costing
one man his life and wounds to half
a dozen others. Capt. Jose Nunez,
brother of Gen. Emilio Nunez, was
killed; Winthrop Chanler, of New
York, was shot through the right ell
bow and five Cubans suffered trifiing
injuries. Enough Spanish lives an
swered for this to more than balance
the score.
The Florida and Fanita left Key
West on June 25, under convoy of the
Peoria, commanded by Lieut.. Ryan. On
board the steamers were 35 Cubans
under Gen Nunez, so troopers of the
Fifth United States cavalry and 25
Rough Riders, The cargos were enor-
nous. Topping the list of arms were
two dynamite guns with $50 3O-pound
projectiles to fit them and two full
batteries of light field pieces, ten
three-inch rifles and 1,500 cartridges.
There were also 1000 Springfelds
with $4,000 cartridges and 200 Maui
Iers with 100000 cartridges.
Fifty Cubans aboard were armed
with Mausers and the others had
Springfelds. The insurgent officers
had 200 army Co.'s and $1,000
cartridges. In the expedition were
also 1,475 saddles, $50 saddle cloths
Ind 450 brides. For the Cubans there
we're taken 1868 uniforms, $3.50 pairs
Of shoes, 1875 blankets, 400 shirts,
hats and hammocks, also a big lot OF
,ommissary stores.
The expectation was that the land
ing would be effected at San Juan
Point, on the south coast of Cuba,
midway between Cienfuegos and Trim
dad. This place was reached on June
30. A scouting party put off in a boat
and pulled toward shore, but had
made only half the distance when
there came fire from a blockhouse,
The men were called back and the
ships moved eastward. The next day
they arrived at Las Tunas. Four
miles west of the town, at the mouth
Of Tallabacoa river, stood large fort
built of railroad iron and surrounded
by earthworks. The Peoria ran in
and fired several shots, but brought
no response.
The small boats headed for the
shore and reached it 500 yards east OF
the fort. The moment the men set
foot on the sand, the fort bursted into
fame and shells screamed about the
invaders. Capt. Nunez was stepping
from his boat when shot struck him
and he fell dead. Chanler fell with q
broken arm. The others gained the
thicket and replied with sharp fire
directed at the entrenchments.
Meanwhile the Peoria set all her
guns at work and rained shells upon
he fort until the enemy's fire ceased.
A retreat was ordered and the party
rushed for the boats, but volley after
volley came from the shore and they
were compelled to throw themselves
into the water and paddle along beside
the boats with only their heads ex-
posed until the ships were reached
The Spaniards had the range, how
ever, and five Cubans were wounded
Returning to the Peoria, the men re-
| ported that vicious fire had come
| from a grove of cocoanut palms east
of the fort. The Peoria opened her
guns on the place.
The next day the gunboat Helena
arrived and on July she and the
Peoria steamed in toward Las Tunas
which the Spaniards had been fortify'
ing. Tunas is connected by rail with
Sancti Espiritus, large town, and re-
Inducements and artillery had been
rapidly coming in. The ships drew
into range and opened fire. The
Spaniards had Krupp field pieces
along the water front and they begar
a vigorous but ill-directed reply. The
fire of our ships was destructive.
The Spanish gunners had not free
more than Is or 20 shots before theil
guns were flying in the air, theil
earthworks a mass of blood-stainet
dust and their gunners running. Th'
Peoria and Helena were struck severa
times, but no one on either ship wa
injured. That afternoon both ship
again turned their attention to tn,
fort and the entertainments at tn
mouth of Tallabacoa river and poured
wicked fire upon them.
There was not Spaniard to be seel
when they reached Palo Alto and tn
men and cargo were put ashore. A
Palo Alto Gen. Gomez was found
During the fight at Las Tunas fiv
buildings in the town were destroye,
by the fire from the American guns
while 23 were partly destroyed AM
eight schooners were burned an
| sunk.