Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1893-10-30
DESPERATE BATTLES AT MELILLA.

DESPERATE BATTLES AT MEL1LLA
The Spanish Commander Killed and His
Body Captured, but Recovered After a
Desperate Struggle - Re-enforcements
Wanted Badly by the Spanish.
MADRID, Oct. 3O-Dispatches received
here last evening say that fighting between
the Moors and the Spanish forces at Melilla
was continued Sunday, and 1t is rumored
that there has been serious loss of life on
both sides. The situation of the Spaniards
is said to be growing desperate, and addi-
tional efforts are being put forward to
hasten the dispatch of re-enforcements to
the front.
General Martinez Campos, commander in
chief of the Spanish forces, has been sum
moned to this city, and it is said that the
government has sent for him in order that
he may take command Immediately of the
Spanish army operating against the Moors
General Martinez Campos has expressed
the opinion that 10000 troops will be re-
quired to REINFORCE the Spanish garrison
at Melilla, and he HIS advised the govern
ment to promptly issue an order for the
mobilization of all the reserve troops in
Spain.
In this city the excitement continues to
increase, and the war fever seems to have
taken deep hold upon the people
y crowd of people excited by the runners
in circulation made an attack upon the
civil governor in Puerto del Sol, caus-
ing the governor to take refuge in the
bureau of the minister of the interior,
where the footmen 1T the door were severe
ly beaten by the angry crowd.
A Desperate Charge.
Another dispatch from Melilla says that
the garrison made sortie, 1000 strong.
The firing on both sides continued until
dusk, and the fighting was of n desperate
character. The Spanish forts shelled and
totally destroyed the Moorish village of
Frejana and its mosque. Re-enforcements
of 1000 mea will reach Melilla before to-
night.
The battle fought Saturday and Friday
night in and about the trenches before
Melilla and which resulted in the death of
General Margallo, who commanded she
Spanish troops i'll the first battle about Sidi
Quariach. has caused profound sensation
here. The engagement was commenced by
General Ortega, who, at the head of the
requirements sent to Melilla, drove the
Moors from the trenches they had occu-
pied in front of the Spanish fertilization.
The Noors fought desperately and with
the greatest courage. Many of the Span
iards were killed, and among them was the
unfortunate General Margallo, who only
IS hours previously exposed his troops to
second defeat by sending mere handful of
men to the onslaught of tens of thousands
of Moors.
The Spaniards were amazed at the cour-
age shown by the Moors in face of a ter
rible fire.
The Moors charged rccklessly forward
until they managed to approach within 20
yards of the forts, driving the SpaniarGis in
the trenches before them and cutting the
telephone and telegraph wires, which had
been erected in order to keep up communi-
cation with the outlying forts and trench
es, while the Moors dashed forward with
most praiseworthy courage, seemingly ut
terly regardless of the fire directed upon
them by the Spaniards.
The Moors have now invaded the whole
Spanish territory, making an attack upon
forts.
General Margallo shortly after daybreak
had extra ammunition served out to his
force, and in light marching order they
left the Notifications. with General Mar
gallo at their head. Hardly had the troops
left Fort Cabrerizas wden the Moors opened
a hot fire upon them, during which the
Spanish commander was shot in the head
and died almost instantly. For moment
it seemed as If the Spaniards would become
panic stricken by the death of their leader.
However, the encouragement of their Of
hcers seemed to make them mad TO avenGe
the death of General Margallo, and the
Estramadura regiment, named after the
old province in Spain from which the sol
diers of that corps are recruited, and the
disciplinary battalion were called upon to
fix bayonets and charge furiously upon
the swarms of Moors occupying the trenches
in front of the forts.
Recovered General MargaIIo's Body.
The Moors, who had been recklessly adj
vancing 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
had no sooner got taste of the bayonet
than they began to retreat, and the Span
iards succeeded in dislodging them from
the trenches and drove them scampering
before them.
The Spaniards directed their point of at
tack against the body of Moors who had
captured the two guns from the trenches.
and who had been using them quite freely
against the forts and against the warships.
Nothing seemed TO stand before the charge
OF the Estramadura regiment and the bat
TALON of soldiers undergoing punishment
for breaches of military law. They pressed
onward, bayoneting those of the Moors
who made any stand and managed to re.
cover the two fieldpieces and send them 10
the rear.
During the moment of panic which fol-
lowed the death of General Margallo the
MOors succeeded in carrying of the body
of the Spanish commander, aud IL was
this more than anything else which ena-
bled the Spanish officers to rally their men
and make the charge which drove tho
MOors from the trenches. During the rush
onward of the Spanish troops a detacb-
ment 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 IT,
Spaniards succeeded in recovering tbe
body of their late commander and eyeptn-
ally escorted 1t into Melilla