The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-05-22


coward Puerto Principe. A place named sa-
bana was reached at o'clock. During the
night and on the following morning spies and
advanced guards arrived, announcing the ap-
proach Of Lesca, the negroes and many whites
In the meantime digging entrencbments and
raising breastworks. Lesca's advance Guard
came up at about II O'Clock, but was not mo
Tested until it had passed the entrencnme@n,s, @
when yolley was poured upon them iro ro conu. pTn
sion. They attempted to fall back on the man
body. but it was already Too late, ana Lescs,
aessinp the danger OF his advance, adVanceu e'
a iouble. quick to rescue thena. 10 the mean-
time Quesada had placed his en9re M tor0ee evan ~
available positions 80 as to 1ahA na She oaes 4hs
either to the right or sG Iee and nd by
a % comnany Of riiemen from Bayamo; ne tnen
or1aniZed q picket or rear guard OF Iour
hnSdred and fifty men, composed OF Doml,
means. Americans, and other forelgners, ano
Rembetas and Santa Lucas detacnment OF
Puerto Principians, and gave tnem oiaers 70
advance only in case of extreme necessity. put
to fire in the ranks of the main body and march
over them should they wayer or retreat from
the Spaniards. The main body, informed OF
these orders. stated that they alone would an
nihilate the Spaniards. By that time the fire
had become general along the line. The iront
rank stood coolly under the fire; q few left the
ranks and attempted to run towards the WOODS,
but the determined stand Of the rear guard
and their undoubted attention &c hfe on any
one who should attempt 10 tiy. drove the cow
ards ,ck into the lines. a small body OF Que
sada's forces detached themselves without or
ders from the main body, but was quickly
driven back by the Spaniards, who advanced 70
attack the patriots with the bayonet, put mte
repulsed. A second attack met tne salae o, ta'v,
when the detachment before mentioned again
left from the main body and advanced en- the
Spaniards, who with yell attacked them anu
entered the entrenchments together WIFE tne
detachment butchering them one Dy Que.
The line thus broken wavered, ana every.nadae
when Ouesads ordered Colonel Lopez and
Bembeta to advance with the rear guard, the
very flower of the army. A rush like that OF
herd of cattle, a single volley, and saw no
more for minute. pistol ball having almost
blinded me and slightly grazed my head. Ihe
advanced guard had run over their own army,
driving them, in their impetuosity, through
% the veTv midst of the Spanish centre. Facing
to the right and left after dischaIging voliey,
thew then attacked the Spanlards with suen
strength as to make them seek safety in flight
and gather around their rear guard 10
reform themselves. while our main nody,
now placed in the rear and on the nanA ot t1e tne
Spaniards, kept up an incessant nre. atona luse
report was brought to Quesada that Letona'
w;tb fresh troops. was coming to Lescas res
cne, hut il proved untrue. The day was ours
end the battle won. We lost three hundred
kilIej md over four hundred wounded; tue
snaniards. two hundred killed aud two nun
dred and ffty wounded, which difference muss
be ascribed to their superiority in respect OF
Weanons. The forces engaged on both sides
numbered 1900 to 1400 Spaniards, and a1out
95OO Cubans many OF these badly armed. Inis
ia the first, but will not be the last Of series
of engagements, which will not only defeat
the plans of The Spaniards,. tut make us mas
ters of the situation, and place the "hole "a
many slices from tho cinco villas in our possess
sion, before the rainy season has fairly COM
menced.
This is the substance Of the letter, an l
have given it as nearly as possible in the same
words. To listen to a Spaniard for few
one becomes convinced that 10 few
weeks the revolution will be over; they have at
least got to believing it themselves. Llstent 10
q Cuban and he will produce sufficient doeu-
ments and dates to show conclusively that the
Spaniards will lose and be compelled to leave
the island in a few months, or year at the
furthest. Both parties are undoubtedly sincere
waen they express their determination to re-
duce the island toa mountain OF ashes before
allowing the enemy to possess it; and II past
actions are to guide US, and the character oi
both factions be taken into account, woe to the
island and its people, as neither party will be
able to restore what they have destroyed. Only
the futcre will tell whether these sanguinary
plans wit be czrIIeu INTO enscf, or n THESE
threats are merely the ebulition OF the heated
brain of an excitable race, quick to plan, but
nh how slow to execute.