The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-09-24
FROM CUBA.
insurgents and Spaniards Both TelI Of
Bloody Conflicts.
REBELS CLAIM GREAT VICTORIES
While "Official" Reports Are
Quite to the Contrary.

New YORK, Sept 24.-President Palma
of the Cuban revolutionary party In this
city received a very important letter from
Cuba yesterday, written sept. IA by
friend of Pedro Royira, Spanish private,
who deserted to the Cuban ranks at Pera
Zego, where Campos was defeated.
In a later engagement Rovira was cap
turcd by the Spanish, court-martialed and
sentenced To receive 400 lashes and to be
shot. The sentence was carried out while
Rovira was shouting for Cuban liberty.
The letter says that all Santiago. where
the execution took place. was disgusted
with the Spaniards, and then goes on to
describe hard fought battle: A man
who was sick in hospital at Casimbra
escaped and told the Spaniards that Gen
eral Jose Maceo was sick at the Casimbra
hospital and had only 30 men with him.
On Aug 80 Maceo heard that 1900 men
battalion corps and squadron OF cavalry,
with two pieces of artillery-were march
ing on him. Maceo mounted his horse
and from the mountain of Santa Maria
reconnoitered the enemys position. He
ordered eight of his men TO keep up firing
from ambushade so as to deceive the
Spanish. Meanwhile he had word sent to
his brother. General Antonio Maceo.
On Aug. 81 the Spaniards got hold Of
Fuencis, aid General Jose Maceo fortified
his few men in a plantation house near
the hospital. He wished TO guard the
right side of the road leading to Bacca-
lano, which skirted the ho.pital. The
Spaniards were slowly closing in on him
when General Cebreco and Cuban col
umn came to his relief and made the en-
amy eyacuate their position.
A hot engagement followed, in which
the Spanish rcgained their position, but
were unable to hold it long, as General
Antonio Maceo suddenly appeared on the
scene, and with Cebreco and Colonel Men
mint succeeded in wrestling it from
Canalle and Garrido, who commanded the
Spanish.
The Spanish now made a brilliant
charge, and for the third time managed to
secure the position, but in the engage
ment the Spanish captain of artillery was
mortally wounded, and they slowly with
drew, the Cubans fighting them back.
At 1t Again.
This battle lasted from o'clock a. m. to
o'clock p. m. 1t was resumed in the
early afternoon, however, and is described
as follows: General Antonio Maceo clev-
erly turned the Spanish column and
gained the pass OF Baccane.- He then
massed his troops before the Spanish van
guard, while General Jose Maceo got his
men in the rear.
A desperate encounter ensued. It ragged
until . o'clock at night, when 1t was dis
continued until the dawn Of the next day,
Sept. 1. The Spanish then commenced to
retreat until they reached the Igubanabano
field, where they were able to use their
cavalry, which was impossible ON the
mountains of Santa Maria.
They did not gain any advantage, how
ever, and after burning their provisions
they continued to retreat to Mountanin,
which place they entered in scattered
| groups. The Cubans had no cavalry, but
| made effective use of dynamite bombs,
which, the letter states, v'struck terror to
| the enemy"
In the engagement the Cubanst loss was
20 men. wounded and killed. The Span
iards lost over 800 men. 40 horses and q
large store of provisions and munitions of
war. The Cubans are still capturing
stragglers and picking up arms near
Mountamin.
The Spaniards, after the battle, sent a
cable TO Spain, headed "The defeat and
capture of Jose Maceo'-and also asked
for the reward and advance of the Office RS
In the engagement