The morning call., 1893-10-30
THEY CHARGED RECKLESSLY
And Drove the Spanish Troops
Back to the Forts.
SPAIN WILL SOON BE AVENGED.
Terrible Hand.to-Hand Conflict In
Which the Troops Recovered Gem
erai Margalla's Body.

MADRID, Oct. 29-The battle yesterday
and Friday night about the trenches be-
fore Mellla and which. as cabled to the
Associated Press. resulted in the defeat OF
General Margalla. who commanded the
Spanish troops. caused a profound sensa-
tion here. The Spaniards were amazed at
the courage shown by the Moors.
In the face of a terrible tire the MoOrs
charged recklessly. driving the Spaniards
before them and cutting the telephone and
telegraph wires. The Moors again attacked
with the intention of cutting off the retreat
of the Spaniards. The movement would
undoubtedly have been successful had 1t
not been for the skillful manner in which
the guns of the Spanish warshlp Venaclto
were handled. The SpaniardS retreated
Inside the forLs. The Moors, regardless Of
the danger, succeeded in entering the
Spanish trenches and ca ptured two modern
field pieces and supply of ammunition.
The Moors, unable to withstand the attack
of cold steel in the hands of the Spanish
soldiers. began to retreat. The SDanlards
directed the attack against the Moors who
captured the two guns and who have been
using them freely against the forts and
warships.
Nothing seemed to stand before the
charge of the Estremadura regiment and
the battalion of soldiers undergoing pun
ishment for breaches of military law.
They pressed onward, bayoneting the
Moors who made any stand, and managed
to recover the field pieces.
During the panic which followed the
death of General Margala the Moors sue
off Ia nj
Spanish commander. and it was this more
than anything else which enabled the
Spanish officers to rally the men and make
the charge which drove the Moors from
the trenches During the rush onward OF
the Spanish troops detachment of them
pursued the Moors who were Carrying
away the generals body, and after des-
perate hand to-hand conflict the Spaniards
succeeded in recovering the body of their
late commander. and eventually escorted
il into Melilla. No systematic pursuit OF
the btoors was attempted, owing TO the
insufficient force OF soldiers at Fort Cab
raiZas, but it is understood that General
Ortega is making preparations to take a
terrible vengeance upon the Moors for the
death of General Margalla when he has
enough men under his command to be
able to make the movement in force
enough to chastse the Moors.
When the steamer brought the details of
the battle to Malaga the firing was still
proceeding, and it is reported the Moors
had made another attack upon the Span
ish troops. General Ortega is known to
have sent an urgent dispatch asking for
reinforcements and expressing an inability
to do any more than bold his own until re-
nforeed by large body Of troops.
Spain is now making war preparations
on very large scale, which will tax the
resources of the Government to the ut
most. There was monster demonstra-
tion here to-day. Crowds paraded the
streets bearing banner and singing patri-
otic songs, doing everything possible to
urge the Government to hurry forward re-
Inducements to Melilla, in order the loss
suffered by the Spaniards may be promptly
avenged.
Additional dispatches received this even.
ing say the fighting was continued to-day,
and it Is rumored that there has been
serious loss of life. The situation of the
Spaniards is said to be growing desperate.
General Camos, commander-in-c chief of
the Spanish forces, advised the Govern
ment 10 promptly issue an order for the
mobilization of all the reserve troops in
Spain. A crowd OF people, excited by the
rumors in circulation, made an attack
upon the civil Governor in Puerto del Sol,
causing the Governor to take refuge in the
bureau of the Minister of the Interior,
where men at the door were severely
beaten by the angry crowd.