The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-07-09
Their Slaughter Averted by Wary
Commander and the Tables Turned
ON the Insurgents.
NEARLY 800 REBELS SLAIN
AND ONLY FIFTY GOVERNMENT SOL
DIERS KILLED AND WOUNDED.
Several other engagements In Which
lamation by De Cnmpos.

HAVANA, July S.-An engagement has
taken place between the Spanish troops un-
der the command of Colonel Aznar and Gen.
Rabi. an insurgent leader. at the head of
large force. Two hundred and eighty of
the insurgents were killed. The troops lost
fifty in killed and wounded.
1t appears that Major Sanchez received
information to the effect that force of
1,500 insurgents. under the command OF
Rabi. had occupied strong positions near
Manzanillo. 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 on the in.
surgents. The messenger, however, fell into
the hands of the insurgents, who hanged
him and sent word to Major Sanchez. in
the name of Colonel Azuar to make an
attack on the insurgent position from a
point which compelled the troops to ap-
proach through narrow defile. Major
Sanchez, recognizing the difficulty of the
movement he was apparently directed by
his colonel to execute. sent forward two ad-
vance pickets of twelve and thirty men.
respectively, under the command of two
sergeants, with instructions TO push forward
to the right and left of the narrow passage,
and to be careful to take UP advantageous
advance of the main body of the troops un,
der Sanchezs command. The sergeants clev-
erly followed out the instructions given
them. Major Sanchez then advanced care
fully on the insurgent position, protecting
his men by every inequality of the ground.
But, as he expected, the troops were no
sooner inside the defile than the insurgents
attacked them in force.
The first charges of the insurgents were
made with enthusiasm. and their machetes
played havoc among the troops, who were
henmed in and unable to deploy on the
narrow road they had to follow. But it wac
here that the two advance pickets under
the two sergeants came to the rescue.
From their elevated position they kept up
continuous and well-directed fire on the
insurgents within range, and eventually,
assisted by charge of the Spanish troops.
compelled them to retreat outside the defile.
The Spanish troops rushed forward after
them and. once in the open, they charged
the insurgents with great courage and com,
PEELED them TO retreat hastily. The in.
surgents then sought refuge in the strong
position they had previously left in order 20
attack the troops: but the soldiers carried
this position and put the enemy to flight,
with loss of $50 killed. The troops lost
fifty men in killed and wounded.
1t was at first reported that the insur>
gents were commanded by General Maceo,
but it was subsequently learned that they
were under command of Rabi, alone. ana
that Maceo took no part in the engage
OTHER ENGAGEMENTS.
In another fight reported from veguita.
the insurgents under Rabi lost five killed
and many wounded, while on the side of the
wounded.
News of another defeat of the insurgents
has reached here from Bellamotas. in the
province of Santa Clara. Belamotas was
garrisoned by an officer and fifty soldiers.
who occupied a fortified barrack building.
The place was attacked by the insurgents
under Castillo. The enemy built large
fire to wndward and the flames commune
Gated to that building The tnsursent
leader then sent word to the officer in COM
mand of the garrison, the soldiers forming
part of the Union battalion, notifying him
to surrender under pain Of being burned
alive with his men. The ..fticer sent word
to Castillo in reply that he preferred TO
die fighting or be burned TO death rather
than surrender to the insurgents. In the
meantime some of the soldiers succeeded in
extinguishng the flames. which threatened
to consume the barracks. and while they
were doing so the remainder OF the gar
rison kept up continuous fire from their
rifles on the insurgents. The latter replied
from every point but the garrison held out
gamely for two hours. The news of the
insurgents attack had in the meanwhile
been communicated TO a detachment of
Spanish soldiers in the neighbo-hood and
they pushed forward with all possible speed
90 the relief of the garrison OF Bellamotas.
The moment they reached that place
brisk fire was opened on the insurgents
and the latter Immediately retired, leaving
many dead and wounded on the field. On
the side of the troops only three men were
killed ard four wounded.
The insurgents have burned church near
Banao, in the Santi Espiritius district of the
province of Santa Clara.
Captain General Martinez lie Campos has
left Plazetas for Santi Espirltius.
Twenty-nne persons have been sent to
the island of Pinos for participating in
political conspiracies.
Generals Salciedo and Bazan while out
scouting in the fields near Yateras. had
skirmish with the insurgents. no left ten
dead on the field. On the side of The troops
two soldiers were killed and six wounded.
General Navarro has had an engagement
with the Sousa band of insurgents at Botija,
Santiago de Cuba. The insurgents lost two
killed. left two wounded behind them and
in addition the Spanish troops captured two
prisoners.
Captain General Campos has issued a
proclamation saying that all insurgents
captured with arms In their possession will
hereafter be summarily tried ny court
martial and shot. Those who conspire
against the integrity of the nation will
be sent to the African peniten.iaries, and
those who surrender will he released.
At Macagua. near Matanzas, an insurgent
band consisting of about thirty men, has
plundered and burned three stores
During the present month reinforcements
OF sixteen thousand men will leave Spain
for Cuba and during the month of October
and the early part of November additional
reinforcements to the number OF sixty
thousand troops will be sent ffcm Spain TO
Cuba. All the steamers of the different
Spanish lines will be chartered by the
government in order to send the troops
here.
NEWS RECEIVED by CuEAys