Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1895-06-28
TBLEGRAPHIC.
4 BATTLE IN CUBA,
Sn,1lSh CuarllIas Surprised BY Tho
Insurgents.
GREAT SLAUGHTER on BoTu SIDES.
Csplaln Gensral campo, Gables the
spanish Government for Large
Reintorctmtnls Of Troops

HAVANA, juno 27.-Details reached
here today o, a desperate light between
a portion Of the insurgoat force unler
Maxine Gomez In tbs province Of
Puerto Principe, and seventy Of tbs
auxiliary troops OF the Spsnish gov.
,rnment, known Us ruetillas, under
Captain Aguerro. The engagement
took place on the day OF the insurgent
aid upon San Geronimo. The seventy
guefilias were surprised by this van'
guard Of Gomez's forces, commanded
By Mirabol, and there was great
laughter ON both sides, the fighting
teiug mainly with macnsies.
The gucrfillas Unexpectedly came
upon the insutgent vanguard, consist
ing Of about 400 men. At fifst tue
guefillas imagined they had only n
comparatively small body VI men be-
fore them. Commander AguetTo
sailed upon the Insurgents to hiatt,
crying out, "Who goes thoft1"
"a spanish force" was the reply OF
the insurgents, ns his men continued
a. advance rapidly upon the govern.
fuent forces. Two or thfer times more
nd tho guerrillas try TO halt tho insuTg-
enis, tut tho latter pushed on quickly,
pntil finally their leader, suoing that
Inc guorriilas werB In an awkward
position, cried, "At the machete0."
This cry showed the guUTrillas that
they were confronted by Insurgents
and not by detachment Of spanish
pucrtillas, ~ they Ind been lod to b.
lioye, anu the mack being thrown of,
the guerrillss replied 10 the then Oft
repeated cries Of sat tho msctois,
with n volley from their carbines, as
they commenced ~ retreat before tho
vastly superior forces Of tho insurgentS.
Then the government soldiers ami tue
Insurgent troops became engaged In u
hand.iu-hand combat, when quickly
became litilo moro than n massacre Of
the unfortunate guerrillas.
The insurgents In the meanwhile
had teen reinforced until they are said
10 have numbered fully 1900 men,
composing tho main body unGet tue
command OF Gomez.
Against these Overw holming num-
befs the guerrillas fought hetolcally,
shouting, "VIya Espanel" as they de-
fouded themselves M best they could
against the enemy, using tocks or any
thiBg available behind which 10 shell
tor themselves. The insurgents pressed
forward from all sides upon the liills
tent.
For an hour the fight lasted, and
nothing could be heard but tho rattle
If muskeiTy aud the shouts Of the com
batAnts ana the elashIng Of maoheIef
It " believed that few II any OF thu
gueTflllAs escaped being Killed ol
wounded.
The Insurgents engaged with tn,
Puerrillhs arc believed to form part o
the body Of men which recently
burned tho towns OF III Mutto nut
Sau Geronimo, after capturing tht
forts anu garfisons OF those plac0s,ant
Il IL said the news OF this fresh dlsas
ter has caused n very uneasy feelinl
Ia official circles.
The rebels are not far from the cnpi
tai OF tho province of Puerto Principe
aud the situation Of affairs there mus
ne very grave indeed, and may prov,
much more no when AAceo, VINO Ia re
ported 70 have made his way from thl
province Of Santiago do Cuba int
Puerto Principe, Joins hll forces 4
those OF Gomez
That there Ia real cause for alarm
may be gathered from the fact that
~ reported In well.iniormed circle
here touay that Captain General Msr
tlnsz dc Camps has oablod to th
Spanish government, asking for th
prompt dispatch Of large reinforce
tnents OF troops from spain.