Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-10-31
By TELEGRAPH.
covaAeeeus soeas.


spanish xsldisrs-
MApgrp. Oct. Sa-Generai Mnxslla,
eommandsr-in-ehisfo Of the Spanish troops
at Meiilla, was shot dead while leading .
sorsie against the Moors. Seventy OF his
men were killed and IL others were
wounded.
The engagement was commenced os
General Ortega, who, at the head OF re-en-
forcement= sent TO Meli'la, drove the
Mo9rs from the trenches they bad ocsu-
pied In front of the Spanish fortifcation-
The Meors fought desperately and with the
greatest courage. Many Of the Spaniards
we're killed, and among them was the Tn
fortunate tieneral Mxrsxlia. who oaly IS
hours previously exposed his troops 10 a
second defeat by sending a mere handful
Of men 10 the onslaught Of tens OF thou
sands OF Moors-
The SpAnisris were amazed at the
courage shown by the Moors In face OF a
terri he fire. The Moors charged recS-
lessly forward uatil they managed TO sp-
preach within - yards Of the forts. dr;v-
ing the Spaniardsin the trenches before
them and cutting the telephone and tele-
graph wires, which had been erected in
order TO keep up communication with the
outlying forts and trenches. While the
Moors da,hei forward. seemingly utterly
regardless Of the fire directed upon them
bg the Spauisrds, they lost many men.
skiilfuI Naval Movements.
The Moor- have now invaded the whole
Spanish territory, making their advance
during darkness, az the same time max
ing an attack upon Forts Camelies and
Cabreriz4s, outside of which forts the
Spaniaris had parties Of men at work
digging trenches. under the protection OF
the guns of the forts and Of advance
pickets of soldiers.
The Moors began the attack by opening
fire upon the piekets and driving them in.
whereup- n they advanced in force upon
the right flank as wei! as upon the rear Of
the forts. with the inteation OF cutting of
the retreat Of the Spaniards.
This movement would undoubtedly
have been successfully accomplished had
it not been f1r the skillfal manner in
which the guns of the Spanish warship
Venadito were handled The guns en-
board the warship kept Pumping shells
Ia front OF the Moorish advance, as well
as dropping number in the midst of the
advancing hordes of Moors- The explo-
sion of the shells seems to have caused the
creates. CONSERVATION in their ranks, for
it drove them back where the fire of the
infantry seemed unable to stay their
passage.
The Spaniards, in the face of this ad
mirably planned attack, retreated inside
the forts and had all they could do TO
reach the inside of the Notifications in
safety. The Moors, in the meanwhile,
pressed forward and succeeded in enter
ing the Spanish trenches and capturing
two modern field pieces and supply of
ammunition.
Renegades Aid Moors.
1t would seem that renegade forei gners
must be fighting in the ranks of the
Moors, for the latter had no sooner cap
tured the two field pieces referred to than
they hauled them out of the trenches,
placed them in position and opened fire
upon the forts and upon the warships in
the bay
Throughout Friday night and Saturday
morning the battle was kept up, aud at
daybreak General Margalla decided that a
desperate effort must be made to rally the
Spanish troops and take the offensive, as
the Moors were sending for and receiving
looked as Il they were preparing TO con-
centrate their forces and make an over
whelming rush upon the troops.
r General Margalia, shortly after day
break, had extra ammunition served out
to bis forces, and in light marchiug order
they left the Notifications. with General
Margalla at their head. Hardly had the
troops left Fort Cabrerizas than the
NJ | 4
ing which the Spanish commander was
shot in the head, and died almost in
stantly.
Cold steel Made MoorS Fly.
The Estramadura regiment and the
disciplinary battalion were called upon to
fix bayonets and charge upon the swarms
of Moors occupying the trenches in front
of the forts. The Moors, who had been
reckiessly advancing in spite Of the fire
directed upon them from guns and rifles.
were unable to withstand the attack of
cold steel in the hands of the Spanish
soldiers The Moors no sooner got taste
of the bayonet than they began to retreat
The Spdniards directed their point OF
attack against the body Of Moors who had
captured the two guns from the trenches
and who had been using them fairly
ships Nothing seemed To stand before
tie charge Of the Estramadura regiment
and the battalion of soldiers undergoing
punishment for breaches of military law.
they pressed forward, bayoneting those Of
the Moors who made any stand, and man
aged to recover the Two iieldpieces and
send them to the rear
During the moment of panic which fol-
lowed the death of General Margaila the
Moors succeeded in carrying off the body
IF the Spanish commander. During the
rush onward Of the Spanish troops de-
iachment of them pursued the Moors
who were carrying away the generals
body and, after desperate hand-to-hand
conflict with the tribesmen of the desert,
The Spaniards succeeded in recovering the
body of their late commander and escorted
1t into Melilla.
General Ortoga afterwards sent con-
voy Of provisions and ammunition to Fort
Cabrerizas, where the Spanish troops had
been fighting, without food, for whole
day. No systematic pursuit of the Moors
was attempted, owing to the insufficient
force of soldiers at Fort CahreriZal