The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-07-22


Last week General Letona, at the head OF column
OF 1000 men, marched with the intentl0n Of attack
ing Colonel Porro at his plantation, called the SecO,
not far IRON Puerto Principe and about five miles
from the railroad line, PorrO having about 200
there Wen apea ann nmd eo"ppea anH commanded py
have only heard that Lesona's Column arrived at
the plantation OF Don Gabriel Forum, one OF the
insurgent chiefs, who was formerly captain OF ar
tiltery IN the Spanish service. Letona found the
house fortified, nut abandoned, AID he burned it TO
sargents on his return aud several of the soldiers
were wounded. we nave nothing later.
Unbiasscd Account Of the Bnsa Affair from
nn American Eycwitness-New Orgnnixa-
hon of the Insureeuts' Army-Peabody's
Bay0ncts Much Necded--Quesnda's Rebuf
to Letona's Adyances-vomito Among the
Troops--Advcniurcs Of an American Ensi.
neer--Dr. Tinker Safc and Alive.
HAVANA, July II. 1869.
The readers OF the HERALD VIII be glad to peruse
the following intelligence in connection with the
recent encounter between small force OF insurgents
aud battalion OF marine infantry at Baga the ac-
count having been furnished by an American citizen
and an eyewitness, and therefore reliable Than
could be expected from either party In the strlie-
Mr. Robert Fullerton, of New York city. lust ar.
rived nom Nueyitas on the steamer Pajaro del
Oceano, was engineer on the San Antonio estate
. plantation three miles iSom Baga and the
hent Spaniard, whose house was at all times
open for the reception OF Generals Vamaeeda Lesca,
Letona anu oil other Spanish officers OF high rank.
Said estate having been lately burned Mr.. Fullerton
removed to the Santa Margarlta estate, six miles
from Baga, belonging TO Don Pablo Villegas, q
CUBAN aud which was burned about two months ago
by order Of the insurgent chief, ignaclo ARramone
now Major General OF the Central District In order
70 prevent the Spanish troops from encaping there
on; the sugar house. however, was saved, and Che
negroes cattle and fields have been cared for
The soldiers quariered In Ncuvitas and Bag6 have
been III the habit OF saying about to certain dis.
tauce in squads OF less than hundred men, FOR the
purpose Of watching the plantations ana causeways.
OF General Angel Castillo, having been informed
that squad OF the troops was about starting from
Bagi Tor short RAID into the interior, went out with
only sixty men TO encounter them. He was en-
cafnpcd three days on the Santa Margarta waltz NO
for tho troops appear. These only left on the 7th
ami instead OF the usual squad force OF 500 reuu.
lars aud twenty volunteers appeared the same day,
commanded by General PoellO. Despite this uncx.
pectedy large number Of troops Colonel Castillo
VINO had his men screened by grove OF palm trees
Instantly opened fire upon the troops, which was
returned aud kept up Tor thirty minutes Had
General Poelio been IN command Of men
OF discipline he could have captured every
man Of the insurgents there; but the fact Is that
these new troops hearty enough ana hale but
young and evidently inexperienced In war, wero
afraid OF the stil dreaded 7lacefe and the result
was that despite the v0cifernting threats and en-
treaties Of their officers the troops could not be In
duced TO charge the insurgents with the bayonet