The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-01-27
THE CUBAN WAR.

ACCOUNT or TIE BATTLE or LERxA ~ Coz
LOSSES ON BOTH sIpEs-cHAxoEs or crBAx
MILITARY MASAoEMEST IN TIE VILLAS
Towxs-sUcCEssYrL LANDING or AxoTuKp
EXPEDITION.
CAmp or rms CrsAs lssrRsxcrIoy Dec 81, issa
General Martinez Campos has 'uaugarAtsd hts cam
paign not altogether baby, but with such success -
he achieved In tho BY the aid Of the millions
OF SPAN the "a. 200 from the metropolis
IN crush the last head o: the hydra Of The
Mambies tina, Lerna may be only the means Of re-
producing many other heads while be cuts o6 bat
Az the The Gght commenced IN the villas OF Nue.
Grandes the spanish troops numbered. according
TO tho ofnc.ai record, about 500. while our troops
consisted OF 400 cavalry and infantry. The dead os
tho Geld or battle stl! more out OF proportion,
so,ng the field o: battle al Caudonarop W
discovered scventy-ninc bodies but they took soma
prisoners retiring with them by circuous road &c
as AVOID our harass!ng in the rear By communities
lions which have had with all the towns IN ths
Villas learn that the lowest estimate OF killed ane
wounded tho spanish SHE was 200, while the tosai
o. our losses reached 70 ABOUT seventy.
Here may say why Martinez Campos has not In.
augurated his campaign so badiy-usyer before have
the spaniards resisted frmy-and therefore
mate the action higher than others OF greater Inn.
portancc The fight lasted SIX hours column OF
900 spanards marched from Puerto Principe. In tho
department OF Camagucy and almost from the
OF starting our skirishers kept up cnniadc
the spanish forming syssema"calIy ana Dressing ~
squares, to meet our cavalry, which, In reality, were
but small groups sharpshooers, 10 harass our friends
the march
From the East we can hear nothing Of tho cam
paien and yet mere we are a! the end OF December.
two months against enemy who fights only
when and where lac plcascs, against an enemy who
.nnct suffering IN twenty different ways, moro than
he can DO made to feel; against an enemy
who wherever he likes or attacks and Furnishes
mn adversary in u terrible manner, prohting by the
slightest vacation or hesitation In word, taking
80 the necessity of the cause and OF his superior
knowledge OF the country Tho campaign goes ON. IN
Decd without any reports OF Importance IRON tho
Spaniard DIS. and it'uow looks though the borrowed
millions would soon DO consumed without result and
! that many will have 10 pass through deadly ordeal
before reaching inc stage managers and real actors OF
the comedy. With the spring Will como black vom,t,
mud II IS easy to imagine what vii! become Of tho
r. 900 who have come forth with such great an-
cipations ~ 00O veterans; but the latter
have the intention OF giving good account OF them.
selves and OF not exposing themselves TO ruinous
battles.
General Vicente Garcia was requested 60 and tsko
charge OF the Villas hitherto Tor some time under tho
control OF Gomez. Garcia is an pathetic genus. HIS
movements arc executed with great caifnness lie
performed this move with an mpor'uroaoic severity
and prudence that nothing can equal, much 70 his
honor II he has tho fault OF trdncss the results
none the less positive and our soldiers possess abua.
dant faith In all the operations he Directs
General Gomez, on tho other band, 10 active. i'm
petuous, with intelligent rapid VISION discovering IN
second WHICH Us tue Wcakest point eXpOscu ny tno
enemy and tho best way break II: hut his rascibo
temper aud violent determination led TO tho bcIic that
u would DO relieve him Of tho command Of tho
Villas, where he has gained so many laurcls. This
announcement made by the Secretary
OF War and Acting President Senior Tomas
Estada Palma, he takes tho general
supervision OF tho conduct OF the campaign, power
which Congress grants to our Presidents Garcia
accompanied by his rnemon belonging to Las Tunas,
who great and effective lighters Though they havo
sometimes exceeded his orders they always inspire
complete confidence II Is to be hoped, OF course,
shat the operations OF tho villas may have be
often repeated still, with such decisive and econom-
teal results 10 our iavor we must not complain.
Al the moment OF closing my letter learn that Col
onci Juan LUIS phchcco has succeeded IN landing
expedition upon our coasts, having, among other
goods, large quantity OF sulphur, which Is Invalua
bio US IN the manufacture OF powder and which will
supply with ammunition enough TO last US year o.
mo