The New York herald., 1870-01-20
GU B A
Determined Struggles on the Road to
Las TunaS.
The March Of Spanish Convoy Opposed
by the Cubans

>~>>~~>o.~,>~~~~1~~>~~
valmaseda Promises Another Pro-
clamation.
Tne steamship MORO Castle which arrived here
ycsterday brings the following letters from Ouoa
up 70 the,15.h, the date or sailing from navana.
Purser Albert win receive thanks for tavors re-
eetved.
Passage or Convoy % Las Tunas-Severc
Fighting und Loss Of Demonstrating Yet
Heard Of PueIlo-The Spaniards Fear n
Disastcr-OMlcinl Reports from Various
Polnts-Combincd Operations Against Camn-
Sucy.
HAVANA, Jan. IL, 1870.
Through Spanish sources we learn Of the arrival
1t Las Tunas or the convoy which recently lett the
Cauto river for that place. The account ls contained
In correspondence Of the Diarto dc Ia Mart,sa,
dated Guamo, the ID inst, and u so incomplete as
70 leave considerable to the IMAGINATION Of the
reader. The force acco npanying the convoy was
very considerable subdlvidcd as f0llows:-The van
guard, consisting ef one regular and enc
volunteer regiment one piece OF artillery
and twelve rnemen; the centre and guard
OF the convoy was composci Of tine Marine
battalion ana two pieces OF artillery; the rear guard
Of eight riremen, one piece OF artillery, company
Of marine infantry ana the battalions OF Havana
and San Qulntin, all under command OF Colonel
velasco. Lieutenant Colonel Enrique Bouichc the
hero Of the fight at Las runas some months since,
was with the column, aud commanded the rear
guard.
An on the previous passage Of convoy the insur-
gents had opposed an obstinate resistance at point
called Aiqulaoo. A reoonnoltering party was sent
A Thar, fha
II arrived there without hndrance but the adv nee
had scarced passed the river Aguas Bancas when
tho Cubans opened IRE. bayonet charge followed,
BY which they were driven from tnelr ntrenchments
when they moved around 70 the rear OF the van
Uuard and opened heavy fire. causing the Spaniards
seven deaths.
rne account in the correspondence here abruptly
halts and mentions those Of the column who partl-
cularly distinguished themselves and adds In gen.
eral terms. that the enemy being dispersed along
she entire line the force returned, arriving at Its
starting point at two p. N. Immediately on their
return the colonel gave the troops an extra ration
Of wine, and issued an order compmentlng them
m the usual Oombastic manner. 1t ls evident tnat
this reconnaissance is tho advance Of the convoy re-
ferred to in private advces iron Manzanillo, men,
toned in . previous despatch, ana from which
owing to the determined opposition of the insurgents
was compe lied to return. The Goth devoted to
rest. At twelve (midnightl OF. that day hall
OF the regiment of Espaha moved ous on
the road 10 Las Tunas ana joined the convoy at Blk
IN the morning-evncing that 1t had before started
from Guam0 The march commenced Immediately
and continued without obstruc. ION past the point
OF tne recon noissance on tue eth On reaching OJo
de Aqua the enemy opened lire on the advance, from
behind some intrencnments, but ned before
oay onet charge Thence to Las Arenas there was
very little firing. Here camp lor the night was
established. The following morning nc dawn
tne march was resumed and the river Arenas
point called callijou de las Arenas q severe
nre was opened on the left. The first, second and
third companies Of the regiment Espaha success
slvely charged with the bay0net an0 succeeded IN
driving The insurgents from their position, losing
captain wounded and an isign ana soldier kiied.
the piain Of Munox was reached. Here the insur-
gents haQ concentrated IN large numbers, but were
srved At ne Pans Of peaa and we're tnere red
upon by the insurgents stationed on an elevated
point. The inevitable DayOnet cnarge followed IN
which the Span. ards mad officer and one soldier
wounded and one sergeant killed. One hour after-
wards the train entered Las Tunas The Insurgents
Kept up desutory are on the rear guard but with
ON the LIST the conveying force started on its
return accompanied by nity SIX persons from Las
Tunas. 1t was hostlilzed aC various points all the
way, now on The right ana now on the leit. In the
passtIas Arenas the SenOrita Mercedes VarOna, who
gong TO ManZanllIO was shot the heart. At half
past three p. NJ. OF the I'd, the column arrived aG
carried &c. 900 rations material Tor 70 900 more and
lOQ qutntals Of tdsdjO uerked DeeD
The steamer MOctezuma. from Nuevitas and other
points on the coast arrived here yesterday morn
ing. Dates from Euevtas ana Puerto pm
cipe TO the 12tn make no mention Of Pueblo
and his column, and nothing whatever mad been
received there. The Didrao de la Marina says that
rumOr was in circulation IN Nuevltas that Pueblo
had encountered the insurgents fortified ID an es-
tate called Zaldlvar short distance from Glbanca,
and had routed them, causing O00 deaths There
was no base for the rum0r, however, and 1t may be
doubled II 1t existed whether for good cause not
some OIL the more thoughtful Spaniards are little
fearful concerning this commander and his force.
he had with him but eight days rations. and ny TO
the 18th had been out eighteen days. True ne mlgnI
manage to subslst on the country, but only with
great dn1culty and IL Is known that he was march
ing through tine country occupied ny the largest and
best equipped lOrce Of insurgents IN the island IL
is however, useless 10 speculate At TINS time, ~
fow days VIII doubtless bring news OF hln.
The report OF the commanding general Of Hol-
Guin under date OF the 3d. says that all tnat part Of
tnis jurisdiction comprehended IN Bariay, sana,
Bljaru to the encampment OF Iacamara (wnere the
report n dated) and to BaraJagua remains free Of
insurgents. Small bands are III, the viclnlty Of the
are In the mountains OF Guiral, Camasau ana
Baguano. "Ail the others have fed aflghted before
our brave troops IN tne direction Of Las Nunas."
them an apothecary OF H0guln, ID. Jose Guerra
Almaguez, President OF the Revolutionary Junta In
this jurisdiction Among the prisoners mentioned
u. Bernardo MiNarcs formerly Secretary OF the
Lieutenant Governor OF Hoiguin before the war; ana
VINO commands the forces IN Vequita. He was
shot, Also ID. EladlO cabrera, secretary OF the Junta
IN this jurisdiction IL was found necessary TO
abandon Bljaru Oh the 27tn OF last month, but q
strong force had been sent to reoccupy H. TWO
thousand persons had presented themselves since
last report but no men In arms are mentioned.
There had been some difficulty In sending supplies
from Hoguin 10 the troops at facamara.
From Santi Esplritu we learn tnaL GOyeneche is
extending mis- lines from CIego de Avila to Puerto
Principe, intending TO cooperate with Pueblo.
From his report, dated at the former place ON
the 9th, IL would seem that the Insurgents IN that
jurisdiction were also reduced to small bands, to
suppress
be thought necessary. No operations OF moment are
reported. some points In the mountains had been
reconnOitred and few killed.
Lopez Canlara, In santiago de Cuba, as says the
VOz de CUBA, Is Also extending his lines TO CANA
guey. letter from tue former place. dated the 5tn,
says that the Insurgents recently attempted To
surprise the detachments OF troops nearest the city,
bit were driyeu OIL number OF the Spanards
we're killed.