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-ship, 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 [pg 100]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.