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

tho afternoon orders were received to march
toward Puerto Principe. pace nainea ga, "a,
bana was reached at 5 O'CLOCK. Durlpg the
night and on the following morning spies and
advanced guards arrived, announcing the ap-
proach of Lesca, the negroes and many whites
ia The meantime digging entrenchments and
raising Dreastworks. Lcscas adyauce guard
came up at about II o'clock, but was not mo-
lostcd until it had passed the entertainments,
when a volley was poured upon them from both
slCe3 OF the road, throwing them INTO confu-
sion. They attempted to fall back on the main
body, but it was already too late, and Lesca,
seeing the danger OF his advance, advanced at
q double-qnick to rescue them. lu the mean-
time Quesada had placed his entire forces in
available positions SO as to flank the enemy
either to the right Or to the left obfque, the
left being almost impossible, and defended by
company OF rif1emen from Bayamo. He then
organized n picket OF rear guard of four
hundred aud fifty men, composed Of Dom-
means, Americans, and other foreigners, and
Bcmbetas and Santa Lucas detachment OF
Puerto Principians, and gave them orders to
advance only in case OF extreme necessity, but
to fire in the ranks of the main body and march
over them should they waver or retreat from
the Spaniards. The main body, informed Of
nihilatc the Spaniards. BY that time the fire
had become general along the line. The front
rank stood coolly under the fire; few left the
ranks and attempted to run towards the woods,
but the determined stand Of the rear guard
and their undoubted intention to fire on any
one who should attempt to fly, drove the COW
ards elk into the lines. a small body of Que
sada's forces detached themselves without Or
driven back by the Spaniards, who advanced to
attack the patriots with the bayonet, but wre
repulsed. second attack met the same fate,
when the detachment before mentioned again
left from the main body and advanced On the
Spaniards, who with yell attacked them and
entered the entrenchments together with the
detachment, butchering them one by one.
The line thus broken wavered, and everything
wi "a
when Quesada ordered Colonel Lopez and
Bembeta to advance with the rear guard, the
very flower Of the army. rush like that of
herd Of cattle, q single volley, and i saw no
more for minute. pistol ball having almost
blinded me and slightly grazed my head. The
ADVANCED guard had run over their own army,
the very midst of the Spanish centre. Facing
to the right and left after discharging volley.
they then attacked the Spanlards with such
strength as to make them seek safety in fight
reform themselves. while our main body,
now placed in the rear aud on the flank of the
Spaniards, kept up an incessant fire. false
report was brought to Quesada that Letona,
cue, but it proved untrue. The day was ours
and the battle won. We lost three hundred
killed and over four hundred wounded; tue
Spaniards. two hundred killed aud two hun
dred and fifty wounded, which difference must
be ascribed to their superiority in respect of
weapons. The forces eng aged on both sides
numbered 1900 to 1400 Spaniards, and about
$500 Cubans, many OF these badly armed. This
is 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 whole Of
the Central and Eastern Departments, with
many slices from the cinco villas in our possess
sion, before the rainy season has fairly COM
menced
This is the substance of the letter, ana
have given it as nearly as possible in the same
words. To listen to Spaniard for few
minutes, one becomes convinced that in few
weeks the revolution will be over; they have at
least got to believing it themselves. Listen to
Cuban and he will produce sufficient docu-
ments and dates to show conclusiveIy that the
Spaniards will lose and be compelled to leave
the island in few months, or year at the
furthest. Both parties are undoubtedly sincere
waen they express their determination to re-
duce the island to a mountain Of ashes before
allowing the enemy to possess it; and If past
actions are to guide US, and the character OF
both factions be taken into account, woe to the
island and it's people. as neither party will be
able to restore what they have destroyed. Only
the future will tell whether these sanguinary
plans will be carried into effect, or if these
threats are merely the ebullition Of the heated
brain Of an excitable race, quick to plan, but
oh how slow to execute.