The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-07-25
Brought the Report of the Nunaz-
johnson Expedition.
STORY OF THE LANDING
Lieut.. Ahern VIII Return Shortly With
Another Expedition Notifications
TO Be Made in hi Timber Re-
serve Orders.
Washington Bureau Of the standard.
No. has q street, ~. W.

Sust arrived here direct from the camp or
General Maxine Gomez. lie brought to
the war department the official report OF
the Nunez-Johnson expedition to Cuba,
and personal messages TO the president
from General Gomez. Lieutenant Ahern is
q warm admirer OF the Cuban insursent
chief and says he can be relied upon TO
DO good fighting when the war reaches
his part of the island.
The oficisl report from Lieutenant
Johnson. which Lieutenant Ahern brought
home with him.. gives a graphic account
az the expedition. which will be OF partic-
ular interest to readers of the STANDARD
by reason of the participation or some
~well-known Montana regular officers ana
the gunboat Helena In the expedition. The
report which has not heretofore been
pubiished, Is dated Palo Alto, Puerto
Principe Province, Cuba July 8. lSss, ad-
dressed TO the adJutant general, U. D
army, in the field. and Is as follows;
ssIn compliance with Instructions from
the commanding general / proceeded from
Port Tampa. Fla. June q, 1sss. with %
men of our troop. 10th cavalry, mounted,
and Days pack train OF % animais
aboard the s. 8. Florida. and with the ,.
g. Fanita. both loaded heavily with cargo
of ammunition. provisions and clothing,
General Nunez and stan and S5 armed
Cubane, to the southeast coast of Cuba
and attempted a landing at San Juan
river June %, the point first chosen by
General Nunez The point was guarded
BY epanisrds. who fred upon the landing
party without effect. ! spent the night in
small boats in futile attempts 10 land,
the lfnaculty being due to a coral reef
whsah lined the entire coast and pre-
vented the boats from touching shore.
Hence we were unable to engage the land
forces and decided to seek another landing
place. This would have been an ideal
point to land had the coast been OF SAND
and the cargo less bulky.
June 90 sailed down the coast to Tu-
mas and In the afternoon attacked the
blockhouse at T~ayabacoa. which was de-
tended by about 100 regular soldiers m
trenched. The blockhouse was shelled by
my convoy. the gunbo.t Peoria, under
Captain Ryan, while a small force OF Gu
BANS and rough riders under Mr.. Win
throp Chanler attacked by land. ! cannot
speak too highly of the gallantry of Mr..
CHAMBERS men, who fought OVERWHELMING
numbers until dark. when they withdrew
under cover OF darkness with the loss OF
one killed General Nunez' brother). and
seven wounded out OF a party of Is men.
The Florida. while moving nearer land
with reinforcements, ran aground and for
20 hours was completely at the mercy
OF a land battery Of small caliber. July
j the situation had not changed for the
DetteT. Inc CDdnidfuS NtHt bclhb ieIiNs
reinforced. A regiment of cavalry ana
more thai 500 infantry arrived in plain
sight and began to throw up heavy in
trenchments on shore. Our gunboat was
too small TO cope with the land forces,
and after making every effort 10 haul
the Florida s1oat. l was compelled TO
tighten the cargo by transferring TO the
Fanita and throwing overheard some OF
the heaviest articles.
About noon, however, the gunboat Hell
ena came Unexpectedly to our assistance
shelled the blockhouse and hauled the
Florida afoat. Captain S~winburne de-
served and received my sincere thanks
for his timely assistance. The Spaniards
were completely deceived by the formida-
BILE display and a waterman captured by
the Peoria during the night, having IN
formed me that the nature of the eNpedi-
ton was unknown on shore and that the
belief existed that the United states
troops intended landing In force at Tunas,
decided to adopt a ruse in order TO con-
centrate all the spaniards in and around
Tunas while ] effected a landing e.se-
where. / therefore called upon Captain
Swinburne early in the morning of the I'd
and laid my plans before him. He readily
consented to aid me. and at ? a. m, in
mpa with the Peoria. opened a terri
BILE FIRE upon the Spanish ~blockhouse and
intrenchments in and around the town OF
Tunas. The Spanish replied with great
spirit and kept UP their fire until their
guns were all completely silenced by the
IRE from the gunboats. The fort and ad-
jacent houses and some shipping were de
stroyed and report says many men killed
and the railroad depot destroyed. The ef-
feet Of this bombardment was as calcu-
lated The troops were rapidly eoncen-
trated at Tunas. while we steamed II
miles down the coast 60 Palo Alto. leaving
the Helena 20 keep up the deception.
Arriving at Palo Alto. ! found a good
landing in a swampy. unfreauented dis
trict, made connections with General Go
meg and since July 3 have been steadily
unloading within IL miles of the trochi
and of the strongly garrisoned town o
Jucaro. The Spaniards are ~concentratinl
within a few leagues and at this writin,
IL Is difficult 20 say whether / shall ge
the entire cargo OF before the attack.
have placed my troop In the camp o.
Gomez and will remain In the island, send
ing the ships back by First Lieutenan
Ahern, 18th infantry, who came with m
as a volunteer. and who has been YER
useful and efficient during the entire trip
In this connection I wish 10 call atten
ton TO a very gallant act of his displayet
the night of the attack upon the block
house at Tsysbacoa. Several Wounds
men were left ashore under the guns o
the fort. and Lieutenant Ahern volunteer
ed to go after them. The night was
bright moonlight one. and several boat
sent out had returned. not daring TO g
close 10 land. when Lieutenant Aher
took a wateriogged boat and crew Of reg
ulars. anded and brought away tn
wounded men. II was considered. and d
servedly so. a very gallant deed.
IT have placed Lieutenant Ahern !
charge of the next expedition. which
hope will be approved by the commandin
general. I can do more good here in -
curing a landing for him. There are $
$3.50 =. o.. -. aud Sprna ammunffAOl
1 have Instructed Lieutenant Ahern 10 r
port ia person to the commanding gener'
in order TO give him of in
portance, which I think can be done be
ter BY him that through written report.
shail hang around the coast and ava
the next expedition. ] would request tn
the balance of my troop IN, 10th cavalry
be sent TO me by Lieutenant Ahern upo
his return trip.
s-Tbe cubans are greatly encouraged :
the timely assistance. as they were In
esarying condition The suffering Is fea
"a Lad