The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-04-23
The Suppressed Cuban Rebellion.


The Suppressed Cuban Rebellion.
An important document on the condition Of
matters in Cumagucy appeared in the Diario
dc Ia Marina of Havana of the 14th inst. II
emanatcs from the pen of jose oIANo, one
OF the wealthy Spaniards Of Cuba, and cap
tain in the Captain.General's body guard. In
that capacity he accompanied De RoDAs to
Puerto Principe, from which city the letter
lie dated on the 10th inst.
The writer, after commenting on the i'm.
proved aspect and condition Of the city itself
tince the arrival of the Captain General there
on the 23d ult., details some of the military
operations executed under the orders of
DE RoDAs. Four columns were sent out,
20 be further undivided into ten, under
sealed orders One Of these columns went
from Nueyitas TO Guanaja, port on the
north coast, distant some twenty-five miles;
one from Las Minas, place ON the railroad
halfway between Nuevitas and Puerto Prn.
cipe, in the direction Of Cubitns, small
place due north of Principe; one from ORR
ente, a place between Guaimaro and Sibani-
CT, TO Najasa and the fourth westward on
Caunao and San Geronimo. All these col
umns, with the exception Of the one sent TO
Najasa, returned TO Principe without meet.
ing the enemy but on the ljcct of this
one column, by far the most important of
them all, Capt OLANo preserves the greatest
mystery. All that we are allowed to know
is that at has retuSled, but It Is incon.
a. 10 4, t.,
nsmuch as care is taken to mention that the
other three columns did not meet the enemy,
II is fair to conclude from the silence OBJ
served that this one did meet them, and that
the result, not being fit 10 be revealed. was
very disastrous.
The letter further states thrt con the 18th
inst. four well armed and well mounted men
surrendered themselves at one of the forts
that defend the city y and then follows a
very extraordinary statement in view of pre-
vious Spanish accounts These arc real
surrenders, and the first up TO today in this
department" Here we have n Spaniard-a
person who from his position must know the
truth-adm,iting that the much vauntcd sur
render Of NAPOLEON ARANGo, and of the host
OF others who are said to have come into the
Spanish lines, were no surrendcrs ut all.
They never had been in arms against Spain,
and could not surrender.
Capt. OLANo further states that "the
movements of these ten columns" which he
forgets that Gen. DE RopAs promised should
sweep every insurgent out Of CamOguey,
"were only intended as reconnoissances in
force, and that the Captain-General all along
Intended to open the decisive campaign in
due form only subsequent TO their return"
This last dec sive campaign has we pre-
sumo at length commenced, for Capt. 0LANo
informs US that on the Sth force Of 1900
men, composed Of infantry. cavalry, and two
batteries Of artillery, with Il body Of engi-
neers, left Principe for the Caunao district
This army took along with it two months
provisions, and every requisite for the con.
structon of camp that might serve rs
headquarters for operations in that district
II seems strange that so considerable force
should be sent to hold district in which the
expeditionary column had not seen single
enemy.
The news received by telegraph is still
more important than the implied defeat
suffered by the troops operating in ca
maguey. In tho Eastern Department
Count VALMAsEDA, since his departure from
Santiago, and after celebrating in that city
The pacifcation of the whole country, has
been endeavoring to advance, in accordance
with orders from DE RoDAs, from Las Tunas
eastward into Camaguey. For the execu.
lion of this plan, which, If successful
would have hemmed in largo forces of the
insurgents, il was Indispensable for VALMA.
sEDA to keep his lines Of communication
open from Las Tunas to Bayamo, and from
the latter place to Manzanillo. But these
" scattered armed forces" as Consul BIDDLE
ingeniously styles them, have been little
too much for the Count. After defeating him
bn the Cauto river, they have by the capture OF
strategic point named Homo, few miles 10
the south of Bayamo, actually cut off his com
munications with Las Tunas and endangered
his return to his base at Manzanillo.
De RoDAs had previously ordered Val,
AAsEDA to send back to him in Puerto Prin
cipe two battalions Of his troops. This requi
Eition will hardly bc complied with aftel
this disastrous blow.
No more convincing proof, however, of
the complete suppression Of tho Cuban
instruction can be adduced than the fact tina
Captain oLAHo, has been sent by DE RoDAs Il
Spain for tho purpose Of explaining L