The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-08-03
on THE GUNBOAT HELENA.
r. r. Lyons to His Brother Here
Smelling the Datteries-Ruse to
Eject the Landing Of Troops.

The following interesting letter from
First Sergt T. F. Lyons. in command OF
the United States marines on board the
gunboat Helena, has just been received
by his brother in this city. II gives some
unpublished incidents in the life OF men
who, while not In the great battle al
Santiago. have yet done valiant service:
on Cienfuegos, Cuba, July O. lSes.-Dear
Brother / wrote you letter two weeks
age, but I have II yet. as 1 have had no
chance to send It north. We were then
lying in Guantanamo bay, and few days
later We were ordered here for blockade
duty along the southern coast We first
patrolled off Tunas. about thirty miles
east Of here, where there were TWO Span
ish guaboats and after lying in this vicin-
ny Tor while. and at the solicitation
of the men, the captain decided TO run in
and engage the forts and gunboats
When We tried to run in We ran
aground. and ii took US some few hours
10 get of. and in order 20 do SO we had
10 pump out our after tanks To tighten
her stern. We finally got off. and just
for httle target practice We sent about
fifty or 100 shells into "a bloekholse IN the
outer harbor which was occupied by SOL
ders. We got no return fire, and steamed
to sea for the night.
We sighted something in the morning
which made think We were in II for
earnest. but on closer inspection we found
tao of our transports tFlorida and FanitO
aground, in convoy of the auxiliary gun
boat Peoria. In front of the harhor of
Tunas. and almost where We were aground
the previous day.
we learned from them that during the
night they tried TO land 400 Cubans. with
supplies for Gen. Gomez. about forty
miles to the eastward, and W re repulsed,
having a number of men killed. and asked
for assistance.
We got the transports afoat in a short
time. ard then decided to make a demon
strijion before the city and induce them
TO bring in all their troops along the
coast for the citys protection. About 10
a. m. July .. after being shown the chan
ne, by one OF the Cubans on the trans
ports. We steamed boldly in and when the
Inhabitants stw that We had the channel,
the women could be seen in hundreds
carrying all their belongings in large bags
and fleeing to the interior.
When We goa within l.40e yards We
opened fire on the fortiicatonS, ard they
quickly replied from TWO batteries and
there was the greatest fusi!lalc OF shells
| ever saw. In less than ten minutes the
batteries were S.lenCed. and the few who
escaped with their lives abandoned the
town. which Was now on fire from our
shells. We did not care about occupying
the town. as our only object was 10 draw
In all their troops, 80 that The transports
might land their men forty or fifty miles
down the coast during the night. and we
drew off and anchored until after dinner
when W at IN again and bombarded
the blockhouse. receiving no resistance
and then anchored for the night The
transports went out after midnight. and
as We did not see them again, | suppose
they succeeded in making their landing.
Z Fortunately for us. the Spanards are
very bad shots. and | for one hope they
will not improve just yet. One OF Their
shells burst under our forecastie and
threw a large aboard, drenching the
men ii the guns, but lnjuring no one. BY
the bursting of another OF their shells
rifle box which was lying on the deck was
smashed, and a piece of shrapnel cut
through the bridge awning and passed
through an officers trousers leg and nit
one OF my men at the gun. The force OF
the projectile was so much spent it did
no harm.
81 fired 100 shots from my battery of
automatic guns in five minutes, and there
were several hundred from the larger
guns The captain called me aft in the
evening and pad me a very high compli-
ment on my work. and gave me credit
for sencing one OF the batteries.
ION the following day the Sd, we went
in again. When about 5000 yards away
they opened fire on us from three bat
teries. which they had erected during the
night for they had brought in no less
than 1000 soldiers We fired nifty shells
into the batteries and retired as We had
accomplished our purpose in bringing In
the troops.
Two days ago We met the German
man-of-war GeySer. who told us OF the
defeat of the Spanish fleet at Santiago,
our first news OF il. cannot tell when
can mail this lette, but some ,ir4e in
side Of a week
II am glad YOU are doing well. and hope
You are enjoying good health. 1our
brother. 1. r. LfoNS'