The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-01-20
GLORIOUS CUBAN VICTORY.
GEN, PUEBLO MEETS THE PATRIOTS
IN FORCE.

Desperate Bnttie-Over Two Hundred
Spa niards Il ilIed-PucIio Sending for Re-
enforcements-Thc Cubans Attack and
Destroy n Convoy-The Gunboats-How
the Am rfcan Engineers were Treated.
Correspondence OF Tho sun
MArAszAs, Jan. Is, 1s7o.-Tbe gunboats ar.
rived at havana, and In order TO witness their en-
trance, and shake hands with former friend, whot
my regret acted as q pilot for the feet, went
10 Havana, and well was ! repaid for
tho trip. The gunboats came stringnP In one afer
another In quick succession, and were soon an
chored about the bay. Yankee like, wished TO
satisfy my curiosity, and going on board OF one,
witnessed a spectacle, such would make old Capt.
Ericsson jump out Of his boots.
Randall, an Irishman, and Chief Engineer OF the
Spanish Arsenal, was on board, swearing about the
ID Yankee shoemskers who had ruined the boil
ers and surface condensers OF the new boats. and he
told the truth. sum Of 100000 would not pay
the repair bill, and fully one-hst are unservicabe
the engineers having burnt the boiler plates and
worked the engine at high pressure nearly the en-.
tire trip using salt water without ever blowing or
Randall thought II was Ignorance on the part OF the
American engineers, but on returning to the shore
soon heard q different tale.
The agreement In New York made with the en-.
glneers that tho spanlards should furnish pro-
visions during the trip, and $40 on arrival at
Havana, TO pay for the passage back to New York.
the nremen to receive t25. The Spanish officers
passage from Havana to New York. and the promise
that steamer would be waiting for these people to
ever, % and the provisions furnished were Just good
enough for such chaps ~ those who forgot their
dgnity to serve the Spanish bloodhound
A barrel Of salt pork, another OF salt beef. and
another Of half moulding biscuit comprised the pro
visions for engineers and hremen and when they
informed them that such fare was altogether too
| good for the d-d Yankees.
| Once ashore the men had 10 live, and In couple
of days few dollars had TO be expended for eating
and lodging. No steamer wanted TO take them, and
at last the agents OF ngston, Fox Co, and the
Phiadciphis steamers took a few out Of charity at
greatly reduced rates. some OF the engineers selling
even their clothes and tools to get away whilst the
rest unable TO raiae the money lett as steerage
| scngers on the German steamer for New Orleans,
hoping to get back To New York from there.
,ley had been cheated by the spanish Governmcn,,
not even receiving the dollar promised them for
yoyacc, and Tor every day they they had to remain
IN Havana waiting for the steamer They went to Mr.
protection. Mr. Hall informed them that they
he'd made mistake IN the ofacer; tina,
| not the Spanish Admiralty; that he was
not here TO meddlc In the affairs of the Spanish
Government aud its employees, and that II any
own Government. lie could only aid American
scamcn in distress, but had nothing TO do
guards swore and called Mr.. Hall a bad American,
as if he aud not they had aided this corrupt snd
brutal Dstion to snslays the patriots again
when he caught up his stck the whole crowd Of
loalers ran as = an army Vas afer them, to thc
gcnboats are At for service. The rest need great
deal Of ovetnauling. and few will be sen, back to
| New York to have new boilers put In them.
| GENERAL PuELLo
has not captured Ouainaro. On the Sd inst. he had
reached about thirty miles from Neuyitas and order
ed a halt, the troops being so worn out as to
rear guards extended in al directions, a
few stolen beeycs were killed, and noa
!hs patriots .pp.aTsa ro@ every side. eal tae
small detsc1%cnts beicrs over 800 Of hsir SSTbs. 6.
covered the ground. The rear guard Of the
spaniards stood firm, and, marching forward, man.
became general, lasting until nghtfai The patriots
lost ~ killed and 63 wounded the Spaniards, ga
soaniards was destroyed. and Pueblo had 10 send 10
NueviiAs Tor supply remaining on the battlefield
on the 7th, the latest date to hand.
caULL ASSASSINATION,
| On the s0th December column Of over e509
men carried a few loads Of provisions and some
| earth from Guaao to Cas- Tunas. Several attempt Is
which hsa been a made & to relieve the starving gar
bana de Munot, Sahina de Ia Pevra and at the
Pass dc las Arenas, driving the troops back three
to Las Tunas on the eOth OF December by an ar.
raugement made with the spanish Col. Veiasco, who
the provisions which the psiriot- allowed /, be car.
red into the town should be tquay divided between
| tie soldiers and citizens: This promise was no
kept however, and tho soldiers appropriated al the
| provisions over hly children and women in the
besi'g ged town dying OF starvation within the fol
| lowing I've da,s.
The Cubans became cognZant Of these facts and
| vowed vengeance. Col. felarcO wrote n letter to
the patriot commander eNcusing the conduct OF the
| troops, and promising that the thing should
| not happen with the next convoy; but the
| Cuban commander had enough OF Spanish
| promises. and laid In waiting OF the three points
the 30th and 3ist OF December The troops fought
desperately and lost heavily. managing however Ia
save n portion OF the convoy. The Spanish com
manfeis maddencd at their heavy loss and desirous
Of protecting themselves against the Cuban rifles
compelled about forty Cuban lades, residing at Lrs
Tunas, TO accompany them. Ten ladies went with
the advance guard Of the Spanards 81 with the main
body, and about IS with the guard At first the
Cubans refused to re their enemies seeing their
wives and children In their midst but the Spanish
advance guard opening fire on a sentry prudence
and compassion was no LONGER possible, aud the
firing became general. A young lady, well known as
a strong insureent, named Miss Mercedes Narona,
stood up and shouted:
Fire Cubans, don't mind Us, We are willing tC
die.
The words had scarcely been uttered, when a
Spanish Captain turned round, pointed revolver to
her temple and blew her brains out, remarking, die
you -. The troops reached GuamO on the ID, and
the killing OF Miss Varona was soon noiscd about the
indignation being general even among spaniards
but a remedy was soon had. The death ascribec
TO the insurgents, and the state published tina
bullet from al 40 4 had accidentally Killed th'