The Boys of '98 Part 13

[Ill.u.s.tration: U. S. S. TERROR.]

She proceeded to Matanzas, and on the afternoon of the third landed another small party near there.

Fearing attack by the Spaniards, she looked for the monitors _Terror_ and _Amphitrite_, which were on the blockade in that vicinity, but being unable to locate them the _Leyden_ returned to the original landing-place, reaching there early on the morning of the fourth.

There she was met by Acosta and about two hundred Cubans, half of whom were armed with rifles. They united with the men on the tug, and an attempt was made to land the remaining arms and men, when two hundred of the Villa Viscosa cavalry swooped down on them, and an engagement of a half hour's duration followed.

The Cubans finally repulsed the enemy, driving them into the woods. The Spanish carried with them many wounded and left sixteen dead on the field.

During the engagement the bullets went through the _Leyden's_ smoke-stack, but no one was injured.

The little tug then went in search of the flag-s.h.i.+p, found her lying near Havana, and reported the facts.

Rear-Admiral Sampson sent the gunboat _Wilmington_ back with the _Leyden_.

The two vessels reached the scene of the landing on the afternoon of the fourth, and found the Spanish cavalry in waiting to welcome another attempted invasion.

The _Wilmington_ promptly opened fire on a number of small houses marking the entrance to the place.

The gunboat fired four shots, which drove back the Spaniards, and Captain Dorst, with the ammunition, landed safely, the _Leyden_ returning to Key West.

_May 6._ Orders were given from Was.h.i.+ngton to release the French mail steamer, _Lafayette_, and to send her to Havana under escort. The capture of the Frenchman by the gunboat _Annapolis_ was an unfortunate incident, resulting from a mistake, but no protest was made by the representatives of the French government in the United States. It appeared that, before the _Lafayette_ sailed for Havana, the French legation in Was.h.i.+ngton was instructed to communicate with the State Department. This was done and permission was granted to the steamer to enter and discharge her pa.s.sengers and cargo, with the understanding that she would take on nothing there. Instructions for the fulfilment of such agreement were sent from Was.h.i.+ngton to Admiral Sampson's squadron, and it was only learned after the capture was made that they were never delivered.

The War Department issued an order organising the regular and volunteer forces into seven army corps.

The following letter needs no explanation:

"597 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK.

"TREASURER OF THE UNITED STATES, Was.h.i.+ngton, D. C.

"_Dear Sir_:-Some days ago I wrote President McKinley offering the government the sum of $100,000 for use in the present difficulty with Spain. He writes me that he has no official authority to receive moneys in behalf of the United States, and he suggests that my purpose can best be served by making a deposit with the a.s.sistant treasurer at New York to the credit of the treasurer of the United States, or by remitting my check direct to you at Was.h.i.+ngton. I, therefore, enclose my check for the above amount, drawn payable to your order on the Lincoln National Bank. Will you kindly acknowledge the receipt of the same?

"Very truly, "HELEN MILLER GOULD.

"_May 6, 1898._"

It was replied to twenty-four hours later:

"Treasury Department of the United States.

"Office of the Treasury.

"WAs.h.i.+NGTON, D. C., May 7, 1898.

"MISS HELEN MILLER GOULD, 597 Fifth Avenue, New York, N. Y.

"_Madam_:-It gives me especial pleasure to acknowledge the receipt of your letter under date of May 6, 1898, enclosing your check for $100,000, according to your previous offer to President McKinley, for the government. This sum has been placed in the general fund of the treasury of the United States as a donation from you, for use in the present difficulty with Spain. Permit me to recognise the superb patriotism which prompts you to make this magnificent gift to the government. Certificates of deposit will follow in due course. Respectfully yours,

"ELLIS H. ROBERTS, "_Treasurer of the United States._"

_May 6._ The torpedo-boats _Dupont_ and _Hornet_ sh.e.l.led the blockhouse near the lighthouse at Point Maya, at the mouth of the harbour of Matanzas, and Fort Garcia, which is an old hacienda used as a blockhouse, lying three and one-half miles to the east.

As the _Dupont_ was leaving her position off the lighthouse point, a big sh.e.l.l was fired from the middle embrasure of a battery on the other side of the harbour, called Gorda. The line was perfect, but the elevation was bad, and the range too long. The sh.e.l.l fell a thousand yards short. The _Hornet_ was ordered to use her 6-pounders on the blockhouse. The first sh.e.l.l failed of its purpose; but the second hit the target fairly, and the Spanish soldiers hurriedly left it for shelter among the neighbouring trees.

The _Hornet_ fired twelve sh.e.l.ls, six of which struck the mark. The _Dupont_, after ascertaining that Point Maya was being made too warm for Spanish occupation, steamed down to a blockhouse opposite, called Garcia Red, and a prominent landmark to the eastward, and turned loose her 1-pounders.

Here, as in the other place, the infantry had urgent business behind the forest woods and hills. After making certain they had gone to stay, the _Dupont_ resumed patrol duty. Cavalry afterward appeared at Fortina, but remained there only long enough to see the torpedo-boat's menacing att.i.tude.

_May 6._ The cruiser _Montgomery_, Captain Converse, was the first s.h.i.+p of the American squadron to acquire the distinction of capturing two prizes in one day, which she did on the sixth. The captives were the _Frasquito_ and the _Lorenzo_, both small vessels of no great value as compared with the big steamers taken during the first days of the war.

The _Montgomery_ was cruising about fifty miles off Havana when the _Frasquito_, a two-master, came bowling along toward the Cuban capital.

When the yellow flag of the enemy was sighted the helm was swung in her direction, and a blank shot was put across her bow. The Spaniard hove to and the customary prize-crew was put on board. It was found that the _Frasquito_ was bound from Montevideo to Havana with a cargo of jerked beef. She was of about 140 tons register and hailed from Barcelona. The prize-crew took her to Havana waters, and the _Annapolis_ a.s.signed the cutter _Hamilton_ to carry her into Key West.

A few minutes afterwards the _Montgomery_ encountered the _Lorenzo_, a Spanish bark, bound from Barcelona to Havana with a cargo of dried beef.

She was taken just as easily, and Ensign Osborn, with several "Jackies,"

sailed her into port.

_May 7._ Quite a sharp little affair occurred off Havana, in which the _Vicksburg_ and the cutter _Morrill_ were very nearly enticed to destruction.

A small schooner was sent out from Havana harbour shortly before daylight to draw some of the Americans into an ambuscade.

She ran off to the eastward, hugging the sh.o.r.e with the wind on her starboard quarter. About three miles east of the entrance of the harbour she came over on the port tack.

A light haze fringed the horizon, and she was not discovered until three miles off sh.o.r.e, when the _Mayflower_ made her out and signalled the _Vicksburg_ and _Morrill_. Captain Smith of the _Vicksburg_ immediately clapped on all steam and started in pursuit.

The schooner instantly put about and ran for Morro Castle before the wind.

On doing so, she would, according to the plot, lead the two American war-s.h.i.+ps directly under the guns of the Santa Clara batteries.

These works are a short mile west of Morro, and are a part of the defences of the harbour. There were two batteries, one at the sh.o.r.e, which had been recently thrown up, of sand and mortar, with wide embrasures for 8-inch guns, and the other on the crest of the rocky eminence which juts out into the waters of the gulf at the point. The upper battery mounted modern 10 and 12-inch Krupp guns, behind a six-foot stone parapet, in front of which were twenty feet of earthwork and belting of railroad iron.