The forces on board these steamships consisted of about 200 Cubans under General Emilio Núñez, 50 troopers of the Tenth United States Cavalry under Lieutenant Johnson, and 17 volunteers under Mr. Winthrop Chanler.

For the rest of the day, Peoria's guns prevented the destruction of the outnumbered landing force, her shells having a telling effect on the well-entrenched defenders.

[4] On the following day, the expedition was successfully landed at Palo Alto, east of Tunas, where the troops made contact with Cuban insurgent forces.

Originally at Boston, she later acted as tender to gunnery training ship Puritan before being based at the Naval Torpedo Station, Newport, Rhode Island.

The next ten years were devoted to towing and harbor service at Charleston and at Key West, with temporary duty at Guantánamo Bay and Santo Domingo.