The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-07-15

his followers, including the lawyer Don Ramon
!zaguirre. Az twelve NJ, finding that Colonel
owing to the swelling OF the river the order to fail
back was given. upon the same and only road the
troops came by. The rain fell in torrents. The 1866
women and children taken under protection had
to be placed on the horses OF the contraguerllas.
VINO had succeeded in destroying all thew found az
the aforesaid factory.
Report Of an Eye Witness of the Expedition
Sent by Colonel Ampudia TO Destroy the
Rebel Factory of War Materials md En-.
campments Of Nngua.
MANzANILLo, July 4, 1869.
General valmaseda having learned that the rebels
were strongly intrenched In the Sierras, sent for
AmpudIa to come to Bayamo and finally conlded
the enterprise OF destroying their camps to Ampu-
dia and the contra-guerillas.
The attack was to be combinedly consummated by
three columns-One composed OF the Ampudia
Guides, the volunteers OF Campechuea and Bcana
with the contemporaries q few troops OF the Corona
and Cuba companies and the volunteer artillery OF
Manzanillo all OF which were to attack from CerrO
Pelado, skrting all the hills up to the elemy's en-
campments; another, composed OF 800 troops OF the
San Quintin Chasseurs, VINO were to attack from
Zarzal, also proceeding as far rs Nagua;
and the other, composed OF the voun-
teers OF Barrancas and force Of 100 mo-
bllzed troops from Havana which, starting from
Yaguabo, were to ascend to the Sierra on the same
cute as the rest; the TWO last columns under the
command Of Lieutenant Colonel Lopez CampiilO and
Colonel Heredia, OF the Santa Domingo reserves, and
the united forces under the command OF Colonel Am
pudia. The general attack was to be made on the
26th ult, at six A. NJ.
Ampudia, having returned from BayamO, conferred
~.
Ampuda left Manzanillo the 25th jIbacoa, our
camp OF operations on the skirts OF the Sierra. Ar
irving there, found the guides and the volunteers
coming In small parties, and in the evening the in
itiating column was ready The camp in Jibacoa
was strategcaly situated on the rivers margin, and
the position important The column left at one In
the night, preceded by ball. In the march the
Manzanillo column had to wade through rain and
nuu and arrived at Cerro Pelado ut SIX A. NJ. We
learned that to arrive at the Nagua camp ten rivers
had to be traversed, and that the chiefs Modesto
Diaz Marcano, Mascot aud others contemplated
nS as' reconnore on the rs rysr
pass, called PasO Malo, but finding no enemy re-
turned. The column commenced moving by another
pass, named Jesus Maria, while the cOntraguerllia5
took the PasO MaO, to enclose the enemy Dy the
flank should he appear The troops had TO carry
their cartridge boxes over head, owing TO the swell
OF the river; the artillery had to convey their car
rage ana munitOn boxes on their shoulders, though
column passed the first river breast Deep and after
wards had TO ascend a stupendOus hill. while the
contra-guerillas under Lieutenants RIOS and Elza9a
were Keeping up hot fire on the ntrenchment of
the enemy just discovered at the second pass. The
guides made bayOnet charge with lmpetuosity,
under Captain Martin and Ensign Venecia; crossing
the river under the enemyS ire at the Clara pass,
they reached the intrenchment simultaneously with
two more, capturing several arms. The rest
OF the columns crossed this second pass
under great fatigue and under Goat1nnons rei til
the enemy made a formidable resistance, as fore
seen by Ampudia but TO no avail. The rebels we're
positOned behind an intrenchment OF eighty meters
extent and commenced firing with impnnity at our
guides, who vaiantly threw themselves into the
swelling and rapid current, full OF snags, and we
| had a hard struggle to get over. Commandant ka-
fael Jerez had just been morally shot and one OF
| the guides was drowned while the enemy kept
pouring down his fire at distance OF sixty PAGES.
Two artillery shots well aimed by Lieutenant Bro
ton favored the guides and shortly after their cap
| tain and two ensigns rushed forward with "VtnG
Espafd" having forded the river, at which moment
| Lieutenant Rios and three more contragueriilas
were slightly wounded. The enemy's intrench-
| ment was instantly covered. He had another,
fronting the one just TAKEN at the height OF small
wood, but one lmpetuous charge was enough to take
that also. His losses must have been immense, az
the streams OF blood showed tnat our fires had been
wen aimed ana large quantity of arms were cap
tured. This formidable intrencnmenr was de-
Tended by 300 rebels under Daz ii was their Mala-
kotr--ther SebastOpO.
The movement was then continued, ever ascend
ing hills and crossing rivers. Colonel FrOsmeti was
| thrice at the bottom OF the river, and Ensign
CALVARY five times. The mules were often assisted
by the artilerists TO ascend with their heavy loads;
on all sides there were precipices and we were
| rounded with OBSTACLES. Under small volleys from
the enemy the column moved till 1t reached the
camp Of Lower Naguas, which we took without re-
sistance, with every evidence OF disorderly depnr-
ture on the part OF the enemy. The contraguerilaS
OF Rios proceeded TO occupy the camp oil Upper
Naguas, also taken without any opposition. len
under Campillo, aud how they accomplished it Is
almost Incredible while they the Quintln regu-
arsl had only had three killed, and must have gone
about like goats; OF course they had to dismount
their mountain piece.
troops were divided IN companies among the Sierras
to give him general fight IN which he lost fifteen
more, including Don Ramon Izaguirre, lawyer A
large number OF women ana children. almost naked
ana hungry, were taken In charge by our men, who
Immediately gave them their ratOns.
Ampudia having learned that the enemy had an
extensive factory OF arms an elevated nil,
pany OF regulars under Captain GOnZao was sent TO
attack. We had to ford ten river passes, submerged
TO tie neck before we reached the CarbOnerai NIL.
after crossing the Hedi0nd0 pass, Corral Ar.
| royOn. The enemy sustained firing at every pass,
but in vain. Finally we arrived at barracon, sixty
| yards long by twelve Wide where we found the lo-
| lowins:-Two large forges Tor making guns five
| sorted; a laboratory for manufacturing .gun-
powder containing ton OF pulverlzed
Of sulphur several tins Of different spirits large
quantity Of ntre nitrate OF potash, ton Of burned
| coal prepared, 200 lances, 1917 muskets, two re-
volvers. eight saDres one barrel with copper cut
tngs for caps, four coal Selves five anyis, six metal
instruments for manufacturing screws, &C; many
| steel models for moulding. a chemical laboratory
| containing complete complement: The lead found
exceeded ton. For the space Of three hours the
force OF Gonzao did nothing else but burn, destroy
and hurl into The river all what could not be
nently carried away. According TO documentary
evidence the existence OF tins factory dates before
| the commencement OF the iDSurrectlOn.
The following day at ten A. M. the columns OF Am
pudia and Camplo commenced their march, along
with the l57 women ana children under their protec-
tlon.
The municipality has named a committee to attend
mass being performed for the soul of the brave
JereZ.
Don Carlos Segrera, the public surveyor, is max
Ing sketch OF the ground where the attack and
capture Of the Nagua took place.
TRINIDAD.
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