The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1895-12-25
THEY FOUGHT At CLOSE QUARTERS.
NO SHAM THIS TIME.
spaniards and cubans Fight a Genuine
Battle.

The fight near Minas proves to have
a real battle.
In the thickest OF It the CubnnS>
breasts with the enemy and welded fnell1
machetes with deadly effect, while the Span
iards defended themselves with their bay
onets.
The disparity between the forces in num-
bers was great. Some reports say there
were 800 insurgents In the attacking party.
Adv lees are that there were at least 800.
The correspondent In Puerto Principe
sends the following details Of the engage
ment, which took place ut the Congreso
sugar estate, a few miles from Minas, the
halfway station on the railway from Puerto
Principe to Nuevitas;
II Spanish soldiers left Minas with 20 Of the
battalion of Corona, with carts TO sccure
fodder. There were IA of the engineer bat
TALON and some infantry Of the battalion OF
Puerto Rico, together with some drivers and
two guides. Captain Borrego, OF the Corona
battalion, was in command, assisted by three
lieutenants
"These II spaniards passed small fort
garrisoned by u dozen soldiers under u Hem
tenant, and reached field OF heavy grass
Thereupon the commander threw out picketi
toward the thicket, which extended on two
sides of the field, and proceeded to cut grass
"The pickets were suddenly driven In by
charge OF 500 insurgent cavalry and infantry
who furiousy assailed the little party OF for
ayers.
A squad OF Agramontes cavalry led byI
Lapez Precio attacked on the right, while the
left was assailed by u squadron Of Carnagney
! cavalry under Major Caballera.
Soon the fighting was hand-to-hand, the
Insurgents attacking with machetes, the
| Spaniards defending with bayonets. Thef
carts as rallying points.
nt.tt.v oh. qloxt nd I..fa
The spanards made desperate resistance,
but they were armed with old-fashioned
| Remington rifles and consequently had not
| the advantage OF their Mauser quick firers-
They fell like leaves before the wind, over
weighed by vastly superior numbers.
| Captain Borrego and three private soldiers
| escaped to the rear. Eleven soldiers and the
| two guides reached Fort Senad0. One lieu
tenant and % soldiers were killed on the
| field, and 8 Spaniards were wounded. Two
| ieutenants and 21 soldiers we taken prison
| ers.
The insurgent loss was heavy. Colonel
Oscar Primelles. Lieutents Recio and Espn-
$50 were killed. Major Castellanos was
was wounded. Colonel Prlmelles belongs to
n distinguished Cuban family In Camaguey,
and was physician before the war, He was
| shot and was twice prodded by u bayonet
| welded by soldier Of the Puerto Rico bat
tallion.
The prisoners were sent by the insurgents
to Mihas with letter from Jose Maria Rod-i
riguez. who commanded the insurgent forcey
stating that the Spanish defense was heroid
| and he took pleasure In returning the sur
vivors. The prisoners say they were treated
respectfully.
General Rodriguez formerly was chief Of a
staff under General Gomez. He Is small
man and lame In consequence Of wound
received in the former revolution. He organ
| lied the insurgents In Santa Clara provincial
He assumed command In Puerto Principdl
province when General Gomez went to Santa
| Clara.