St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-10-04
MOORS ON THE WARPATH.
SIX THOUSAND M00RS ATTACK -FOUR
HUNDRED SPANIARDS.
THE BATTLE A BLOODY ONE.

Moors After Revenge and the Sit
uation CriticaI-Great Bravery
Displayed by the Spanish SOL
diers Throughout the Entire
Battle - Reinforcements En-
Route for the Spaniards.
MADRID. Oct 3.-Dispatches received
here today from TangIer give details of
the desperate battle which has taken
place between large force of Moors
and the Spanish troops who were
engaged in erecting a new fort at
Quaretah, near Mellilla. The fight
lasted all day. The Spaniards were
outnumbered, and their ammunition be-
coming exhausted, they were compelled
to retreat to MeIlilla. 1t is
now announced that the Moors
who were engaged in the battle
yesterday numbered 5000 fighting men.
and that the Spaniards had only 800
troops to oppose them. The Spaniards
throughout behaved with the greatest
discipline and bravery, and were only
compelled to retreat when their ammu-
milton was so far exhausted that only two
to defend themselves with their bay
onets against the charges of their
Moorish enemies. The battle lasted
from dawn until night, and it
was only with the greatest difficulty
that the troops managed to beat sue
ceSSful retreat. In their retreat, how
ever, the Spanish succeeded IN rescuing
the laborers who were employed upon
the fortiication being erected at
Quaretah. A picket of soldiers engaged
in protecting the laborers at the works
were for long time in great
danger of being massacred. The
Moors surrounded them and repeatedly
charged, with the Intention of not
only killing the picket, but of massa-
cring the laborers they were detailed TO
protect. The Moors were armed with
Winchester repeating rifles, and used
them with considerable effect. The
Moors fought with the fury of religious
fanatics, pursuing the Spaniards to the
very walls of the fort, and in the teeth
of fierce fire directed upon them
from the upper works of the
ramparts of Mellilla. From the ram
parts continuous fire from rapid-fire
guns was poured into the pursuing
Moors, but their horsemen circled in
clouds of dust around the retreating
Spaniards, and their footmen dashed
upon the Spanish ranks with
all the rage and courage of
the most desperate fighting men.
To oppose the Moorish horsemen, the
Spaniards had but a small body Of cav
airy mounted on horses which could not
compare with those of their opponents.
The SpaniardS, however. made the most
use OF the small body of horse at their
command; whenever party of Spanish
Infantry was seen to be hard pressed by
the Moorish troops, the Spanish cavalry
would charge up to them, relieve
upon the main body. These dashing
cavalry charges were one of the most
brilliant features of the engagement.
The Arab hOISemen made frequent ef-
forts to come to a hand-to-hand en-
counter with the Spanish cavalry,
but in most cases the Spanish
infantry drove them off before
they could overwhelm the Spanish
force. Every now and then a small
body of Spanish troops would gather
together back to back and resist in the
from all sides upon the part Of the
Moorish force, and the manner in which
they behaved under these most trying
circumstances has called forth the ad-
miration OF the whole of Spain.
The sutferingS of the Spanish troops
throughout the day of battle beneath
burning sun and without food or water
are almost beyond comprehension. The
Spanlards tried as much as possible to
rescue their wounded from the hands of
the Arabs, Dut the inferior number of
Spanish troops prevented them from
saving many brave soldier, who.
wounded, was killed numerically by
the charging Arabs.
whenever the MoorS charged up to a
body of Spaniards, and after killing a
few OF them whirled around and got in
most cases out of range before any
effective fire could be brought upon
them, the Spanish horsemen dashed
after them in the most gallant manner,
cutting right and left at those they were
able to catch up with. The guns of
the forts were admirably handled,
and their fire wrought terrible havoc
among the Moors. But the number of
Moorish soldiers killed will probably
never be known, owing to the fact that
the Moors managed to carry off their
dead and dying. The spanish troops
managed to destroy the Arab villages
OIL the heights. They also DESTROYED a
number Of mosques and houses, and did
all the damage possible in many ways
to the enemy. After the Moors had re-
treated for good from beneath the walls
of the fort it was seen that eighteen
Seaniards had been killed, and that
twenty-five more, including two officers
who were fatally wounded, had been
wounded.
The Spanish troops at Mellilla are
now in very unenviable position; they
are surrounded by force of Arabs
which is being increased hourly, and
they are very hard pressed. A
mounted messenger sent to the coast
has brought the news of the battle ana
of the gallant fight sustained by
the Spanish troops, and it is
now announced that large reinforce
ments of troops have been ordered to
leave Malaga and Seville for the front
AS this dispatch is sent the reinforce
ments are already leaving Spain, and
before many days have passed the gar
rison at Me!lilla will be in position to
take the offensive.
At meeting of the cabinet TODAY the
situation was discussed, and it was de-
clded to dispatch a diplomatic note to
the sultan of Morocco, whose authority.
however, is merely nominal over the
desperate tribes of Arabs and Moorish
horSemen, to protest against the action
or the MOorS, and to insist upon re-
dress. In addition. Spanish war ship
VIII be Immediately sent to Tangier. in
| order to support the diplomatic note
referred to.