The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1895-12-27
HIIDEECITEAENT At HAVANA
The Cuban City Expected to Be Be-
seIged by the Insurgents,
General GOmez's Good Gsnsralship Telling
Against the Spanish.
Ehs Insurgent Leader OHifisHSs the Famed
Spanish Commander Oantry People
blocking In Terror TO MataHzas-
Not Believed st Washington.

HAVANA, Dec 25.-Christmas eve
was ushered In with something like
dlsmay In the city and there is appre-
hensiou hourly gaining ground that
Havana will be bssieged by armed
forces before Christmas day is oveE
The advance OF the insurgents seemed
Ct latest advices to be uninterrupted,
thus contradicting q report sent out
daring the afternoon that they had
been turned back in a pitched battle
by Campos himself and were striving
to make their way back into Santa
Clara province. This rumor stated, in
great detail, that Gen. Campos, in
person, at the head of the Spanish
forces, had succeeded in coming face
to face with Gomez and his forces at
the plantation of ColiseO, which was
10 flames This plantation is situated
ls miles from Cardenas and u miles
from Matanzas The insurgents, it
was said, were hemmed in and COM
pelled to fight, ell retreat being cut
off. Desperate engagements took
placs, the c0mbatsnts being surround
ed by the flames of the burning plan
tations, The insurgents, it was said,
were dispersed, leaving 700 dead and
wounded on the field. The troops loss
was, II WAS reported, comparatively
insignificant being only IA, and Gems
Itsldes and Luque had already started
TO Sabinslla del Incomdadum, sup
ported by several other columns, in
pursuit Of the flying insurgents, who
wers supposed to be making their way
back to Santa Clara province at their
best speed.
The details of this engagement had
hardly become disseminated through
the city, however, before there came
in further report that the insurgents
were marching toward Gusuabana
and that Capt. Gen. Campos had hast
ened to that point to oppose the ad-
vance, thus once more moving his head
quarters westward and nearer Havana,
as he had had to do so often within
the last lew days Guanabana is only
about FIVE miles out of Matauzas and
ten or fifteen miles west of Coliseo
plantation, where Gen. Campos was
said 70 have won his impor tant victory
over Gomez In person. It became evil
dent that the reports of Gen. Campos'
successful stand and route of the in
surgents was either untounded or that
the force he had met was merely a
wing of the iusurgent army sent to
make a diversion, while the main col
umns pushed on to the westward.
All is confusion of mind here and the
authorities are apparently all at sea as
20 what will be the next step of the
insurgents, whether Matanzas will be
besieged, or whether the advance on
that point is merely a feint to hold
the Spanish forces there while the in
surgent forces make a way once more
in the west for Havana. which is less
than so miles from MatanzaS The
near approach of the insurgents to
Matanzas has, in fact, had the effect of
concentrating all the available Span
ish forces at that town, and the coun-
try psople for miles around bave focked
in to MatanzaS
A day or 80 ago, the insurgents
caused scurry IN Colon. Firing was
heard at Ajuca, about Is miles from
that place, and reinforcements were
sent to the front, but this turned out
70 be little more than an outpost af-
fair, and while the Spanish troops
made for this point, the main body of
the enemy passed south OF Colon, near
the line Of railroad, and headed for the
frontier province Of Havana, thus turn
Ing the flank of Che captain general,
who, with the bulk of the Spanish
forces in Cuba, is now we'll to the rear
OF the insurgent columns The latter,
moving much more rapidly than the
Spanish troops, who are utterly un-
used 10 travelling in this thickly wood.
Sd country, without regular roads and
with heavy grass and low brushwood
to interfere with every movement, are
cot thought likely to be able to catch
up with the quickly moving Cubans,
whose maehetes clear road for their
advances. and who, much more IA
Ealliar with the country and aceus-
toned to the climate, easily distance
the Spanish soldiers, ouly recently
brought into the country,
Gomez, by II beautifulIy-exeouted
eouRterm2rch, has turned the flank Of
the famed Spanish commander and
gestefday, with his army. made his APP
pseranee close to the town Of JovOi-
iano, we'll to the rear of Colon and
commanding the railroads to Cardenas,
MantanEas and Havana, The move
saent Of the Insurgents was an ex-
SIMPLE Of splendid generalship, accom-
plished under the most trying cireum-
stances and Ia tbe face of overwhelm-
ing numbers OF Spanish troops, COM
8anded by the best officers OF Spain.
3 late dispatch says that Capt. Gen.
C4mpos has managed to get out OF
Colon snd that he has placed himself
81 the head Of the Spanish forces at
Lssnonar, 20 miles east of Matanzas,
here he expects to be able to strike
y tao insurgents Thousands Of pso-
pie from all parts Of the country
ssoand Matsnzas are feeking in terror
g that city, according TO the official
spasehes But other reports say that