The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-07-09
INSURCEN'T DEFEATS.
News Of the War in Cuba from
81 Spanish Sources.
aEvoLUTIoNIsTs LOSE HEAVILY.

In Ono Engagement Alone the Number of
Killed Was Two Hundred and Eighty,
and Many Were Entrapped
spaniards Fight Their Way Out
! HAVANA, July GA severe engagement
has taken place between the Spanish
troops under the command OF Major Aze-
mar and General Rabi, an insurgent COM
1 mander at the head Of a large force. Two
hundred and eighty Of the latter were
killed
1t appears that Major Sanchez received
Information to the effect that force OF
1900 insurgents, under the command Of
/ Rabi, had occupied strong positions near
Manzanillo,p province Of Santiago de Cuba.
Consequently the major sent a messenger
to his superior officer, Colonel Azuar, pro-
posing to the colonel that they should
Join their forces and make an attack upon
thc insurgents. The messenger, however,
fell into the hands Of the insurgents, who
hanged him. and sent word to Major San
chez, in the name Of Colonel Azuar, to
mako an attack upon the insurgent posi-
tion from a point which compelled the
troops to approach the insurgents through
narrow thoroughfare.
Major Sanchez, recognizing the diff
GUILTY OF tho movement he was apparently
directed by his colonel to execute. sent
forward advance pickets of twelve and
thirty men, respectively, under the oom-
mand OF two sergoants, with Instructions
10 push forward to the right and to the
left Of the narrow thoroughfare referred
20, and to be careful to take up advan-
tageous positions from which they could
protect the advance Of the main body Of
the troops under Sanohez's command.
The sergeants oleverly followed out tho
instructions given them.
Major Sanchez then advanced carefully
upon the insurgent position, protecting
his men by every inequality Of ground.
But, as he expected, the troops were no
sooner inside the deflle than the insur-
gents attacked them In force. The first
charges of the insurgents were made with
enthusiasm, and their maohetes played
havoc among the troops, who were
hemmed in and unable to deploy on 40
count Of the narrow road they had to fol-
low. But 1t was here that the two ad-
vance pickets under the two sergeants
came to the rescue. From their elevated
position they kept up q continuous and
well directed fire upon the insurgents
within range. and eventually, assisted by
charge Of the Spanish troops, compelled
them to retreat outside of the deflle
The troops pushed forward after them,
and once In the open they charged the in
surgents with great courage and COM
PEELED them to retreat hastily. The in
surgents then sought refuge in the strong
position they had previously loft In order
to attack the troops, but the soldiers car
xied this position and put the enemy to
flight. With the loss upon the field of ESQ
Killed The troops lost fifty men in killed
and wounded.
In another fight reported from Neguitn,
the insurgents under Rabi lost five killed
any many wounded, while ON the side OF
the troops one officer and four soldiers
were wounded.
News of another defeat of the insurgents
has reached here from Bellamotas, in the
province Of Santa Clara Bellamotas was
gerrisoned by an officer and fifty soldiers
Mho occupied fortified barrack building.
The place was attacked by tho insurgents
pnder Castillo. The enemy built large
Aro to wlndward Of the barracks and the
@Ames communicated TO that building.
The insurgent leader then sent word TO
Che officer in command of the garrison,
thc soldiers forming part Of the union bat
taiion, notifying him to surrender under
pain Of being burned alive with his men
The officer sent word to Castillo In reply
that he preferred to die fighting or be
burned to death than surrender to the in
sprgents. In the meanwhile some of the
Soldiers succeeded in extingutshing the
flames, which threatened to consume the
barracks, and while they were doing &C
the remainder of the garrison kept up a
continuous fire from their rifles on the In.
surgents. The latter replied from every
point, but the garrison held out gallantly
for two hours. Suddenly Spanish rein,
foreements appeared, and the insurgents
Immediately retired, leaving many dead
and wounded on the field