New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-01-27
Encournging from Cuba.

grams relating to insurgent successes, ana
. when speak Of kilograms 1t Will be readily
. understood that the news has come OIL
ciallv. Of course the official accounts are
meagre. and the dispatches have been con-
cocted in way which makes them out as
favorable as possible for the Spaniards, but
the fact of their contessing to defeat at all
is very significant. ooo
strong. which had been out skirmishing and
accommodating, arrived on the third at Hol-
cnin after q rather lengthy absence, and
after some days rest and obtaining fresh
supplies, left town in pursuit of the enemy.
Instead, however, of this part of the pro-
gramme being carried out, the pursuers be-
came the pursued, the next accounts We
have of them being that the enemy was
met within a place called Melones, where
the Spanish column, after a hard fight, was
completely routed, and fled from the field
in great disorder. The official accounts OF
the battle state that the number OF Espon-
das men was at tine time of the action was
only $50. so that we have here a loss Of $50
men. which is not accounted for in any way,
and must be put down to the large NOR
tality which exists among the troops fresh
from the peninsula and several skirmishes
which be had with the insurgents previous
10 meeting with them at Melones.
The fight commenced at a. NJ. of the
ninth, the fire being opened by the advance
guard of the insurgent forces, which were
calculated by the Spaniards to be about
1900 strong Shortly after the main body
of the Cubans came up, and General Maxi.
mo Gomez, who was commanding, threw
his men forward, placing them in position
Tor attacking on all sides. The maneuver-
ing of the Cubans was splendid, and all re-
treat would have been completely cut off
had the Spanards not given way jost IN
tine to save themselves from capture.
The insurgents fought desperately and in
perfect order only breaking the line once.
When in the heat of the action small body
rushed forward, land attacking furiously the
left wing of the Spanish column, succeeded
in making twenty prisoners.
Esponda, seeing that he was going to snf
Ter heavy loss, if not the entire destruction
of his forces, ordered their retreat. Arrived
at the banks of small river near Melones
he made stand, but after several hours
hard fighting his men again gave way, this
time completely demoraiized, and He'd in
the greatest disorder, leaving behind them
arms and ammunition, as well as their bag
gage and papers, which fell into the hands
of the Cubans Colonel Esponda used all
his efforts to rally his men, but Intellectually
He himself in this last encounter was
wounded in the face, and narrowly escaped
capture, his horse having been shot under
him.
The routed column, or what remained of
il, succeeded in reaching Junicun, small
village about four leagues from the scene of
action The official accounts state the
Spanish loss to have been four officers and
sixteen men killed, fourteen officers and
fifty men wounded, while we know that
that of the insurgents was comparatively
irtiing, as the first part of the action Was
fought on their own ground where they
had well entrenched encampment.
The gazette publishes the official report |
Of the cutting to pieces of a toragin. eXpe- |
'lition near Puerto Principe. 1t states that |
forty guerrillas when near Fort Gar. |
,do of that town saw approaching them a |
body of 300 mounted insurgents, and from
The order in which they were advancing ,
and the ir uniforms lit must be remembered |
that the Spaniards say that the insurgents
are half naked) took them to be some OF |.
heir own troops. They soon found ont
heir mistake, when the cavalry charged
hem with the terrible machte, and in few
minutes not one Spaniard remained. The
lieutenant in command of the foragers and
men were killed, the res. being
AIKEN prisoners.
On the seventh Martin Castillo. under
over of night, made an attack on Nuevi.
as with the object of getting supplies, in
v hich he was successful, sacking several
hops and carrying off large quantities 0.
lothing and provisions.
General Portilo had part of his convoy.
which he brought from the Cinco Villas.
ut otf by the insurgents, and is now in that
own completely hemmed in. He brought
With him about 5000 men, AMI has sent an
rgent demand to the Captain General for
but there arc none TO be
ad at present at least.
Arrests of suspected persons are being
lmost every day made in Puerto Principe.
nd among them figure those of officers in
he Spanish army accused OF selling sup
lies to the insurgents.
IT is reported that a discovery was made
" the chief of police in that town of a |
o processes of law against suspected |
;ubans. Suspicion was reused by seeing a |
IAN known - be disaffected making fire.
uent visits TO the house next 10 that of the |
hief of police, and on search being made
he whole of the missing documents were
The man, a Cuban on seeing !
lat he was discovered, took flight, intend
~ to place himself under the protection of
foreign flag. but he was captured and :
'dged in prison.
The military hospital in the town is go {
divided with sick and wounded that the !
,rish church has been turned into an in-
mary, and $50 natients Were removed to
many of them suffering from alterations
the legs. Brigadier Acosta leaves to.
orrow for Puerto Principe to take COM
and of the brigade which is now IN San
eronimo.
In Havana the forced enlisting of free {
groes for service in the army is proceed {
. quite actively. The Quartet de la .
ierza is full of them, and numbers are y
ing sent away every day. All are liable :
ho do not belong to the fire company, or I
,mberos, which is composed entirely of q
lored men.
1t is affirmed that the general drafting of
between the ages of eighteen and thirty