The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-01-29
@ u 3 A.

The Capture of BayanO - An Inside
View of the InsurrectIOnary Govern
meRt-Cespedes' Reasons for Burning
the PIace-WOmen, Children and Pri-
sOners First Sent eff.
From the DiuTio de La Marina. Jan. 23.
Last evening we received letter from Bata-
bano, containing several interesting details o.
the evacuation of Bavamo, aud also some of the
circumstances that preceded the event. After
beating the insurgents at Salado and III the
Canto del EmbarcaderO, aud completely disper-
sing them, General Valmaseda continued
advancing till he reached Bayamo, which city
he found almost reduced to ashes. Not being
able to camp there he proceeded towards the
sugar estate of Las Mangas, owned by the
iDsurgent Figueredo, and from thence sent the
communications to our chief authorities by
the Lieutenant-Governor of MaZanillo, which
have already been submitted to our read
els. This communication was conveyed to
Manzanilio. as already stated by Don Pe1ro
Ramirez. This gentleman is nearly related to
Don Carlos Manuel Cespedes, and had been with
The insurgents since the pronunctdmeBto OF
Yara, but not voluntarily, as 1t would appear
from what he asserted before. several persons,
ON giving the following Information. On
Mr.. Ramirez being asked by the Lieutenant
Governor the reason OF his Absence from
ManZanillo since the events OF Yara, he replied
that when they occurred he happened to be at
Bay amo on the side of the government, bat did
not take any active part and could not retreat
from the vicinity, to prove which he presented
form OF attestation on the part of the Lieute-
nant-General of that city and jurisdiction,
which office was then filled by Mr.. Udaeta. He
ackn owledges having been all the time at this
gentleman's side, whose whereabouts since the
iall of Bayamo he ignores.
Mr. Ramirez mentions that Messrs. N. Grau
and IgnaCi0 Casas, merchants of Bayamo, and
also a military doctor, presented themselves to
his Excellency General Valmaseda, as the only
per; ons who had not followed the insurgents,
and whom he had left in the village of Datil,
likewise fred by the numerous bands dispersed
in all directions. The day previous to the last
encounter with the column of General Valma-
seda they made all the women, children, and
prisoners leave the city, including the
commander, Guaiardo. who was wounded
in one of the first encounters, and the
family of Colonel VillarPs, Mr.. Ramirez does
not say anything about Commander Medavilla.
who, 1t will be recollected, went to relieve Mr..
Mr.. Udaeta, as lieutenant of the jurisdiction
Mr.. Ramirez further states that on several
persons opposing the burning of Bayamo, Don
Carlos Manuel Cespedes replied that he could
not waver; besides he and his own family would
be the principal losers, and moreover that
Bayamo was an old city and it would be better
to rebuild IL. at all events, if the reasons were
not convincing, brushwood and force we're,
and Bayam was burning during three days.
| Here our correspondent mentions In particular
| that besides a few Dominican and Mexican
leaders, the rebels beaten by General Valmaseda
| we're peasants from the neighborhood, accom-
panied by few colored persons. At the
| moment of the attack by the expeditionary
| force it is said that Don Carlos Manuel Cespedes
! had ordered 5000 men into the district. They
! were divided into several parties, and a great
| number were but badly armed. Doubtless many
selves shad they not been held back by the
calumnies published and repeated by the orgar
| OF the insurgents, assuring the fact that thu
peninsulars shoot all prisoners or those that fa
! into their power by other means. This belief il
80 deeply inculcated with the sensitive peasants
| that they have been heard to say that If they
| were assured a thousand times over they would
still prefer dying under arms. The insurgent
| of Yara and BaVamO will doubtless have com.
menced to undeceVe themselves, like thost
| who devastated the district of Santiago de Cuba