The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-12-25
HAVANA THREATENED
GOMEZ AND HIS FORCES ARE
ADVANCING UPON CUBA'S
CAPITAL.
MANY CONFLICTING REPORTS

At First 1t was Said That Gea. CampOs
Had Met and Defeated the Iasargents
With Lost of 700 Dead and w Oand-
ed--That is Now Denied and Gomez
is Reported to be Almost in Possess
sion Ofthe CITY of fMatanzas..Spanfsh
Forces Rapidly Concentrating.
HAVANA. Dee. 24.-Christmas Eve
is ushered in with something very like
dismay in the city and there is appre-
hension hourly gaining ground. that
Havana will be besieged by armed
forces before Christmas Day is over.
The advance of the insurgents seemed
at latest reports to be uninterrupted
thus contradicting a report sent out
during the afternoon that they had
been turned back in q pitched battle
by Campos himself, and were striving
to make their way back into Santa
Clara province.
This rumor stated i'm great detail
that Gen. Campos in person. at the
head of the Spanish forces, had sue
ceeded in coming face to face with
Gomez and his forces at the planta-
tion of Coliseo, which was in flames.
This plantation is situated twelve
miles from Cardenas and twenty-one
miles from Matanzas. The insurgents,
it was said, were hemmed in and were
compelled to fight, all retreat being cut
off. Desperate engagements took
place, the combatants being surround
ed by the flames of the burning planta-
ton. The insurgents, it was said, were
dispersed, leaving seven hundred dead
and wounded on the field.
The troops loss was, il was report
ed, comparatively insignificant, being
only fourteen, and Generals Valdez and
Luque had already started to Sabanilla
del Encombendums, supported by sew
eral other columns, in pursuit of the
flying insurgents, who were supposed
to be making their way back to Santa
Clara province at their best speed.
This report is having the effect of
greatly restoring confidence here, and
it was generally believed for time
that it indicated that Gomez had given
up his campaign for lack of support in
Matanzas.
The details of this engagement had
hardly become disseminated through
the city. however. before there came
further report that the insurgents
were marching towards Guanabana
and that Captain General Campos had
FASTENED to that point TO oppose the
advances. thus once more moving ms
HEADQUARTERS westward and nearer
Havana. as he has had TO do so often
within the last few days.
Gunabana is only about five miles
out of Matanzas and ten or fifteen
miles west of Coloseo plantation,where
Gen. Campos was said to have won his
important victory over Gomez in per
son. 1t became evident that the re-
ports of Gen. Campos successful stand
and route of the insurgents was either
unfounded, or that the force that he
had met with merely wing of the in
surgent army sent to make diversion,
while the main columns pushed on 10
the westward.
All is confusion of mind here and
the authorities are apparently all at
sea as to what will be the next step of
the insurgents, whether MatanZas will
be besieged or whether the advance
on that point is merely feint to hold
the Spanish forces there, while the
insurgent forces make away once more
in the west for Havana, which is less
than fifty miles from Matanzas. The
near approach of the insurgents to
Matanzas has, in fact, had the effect
of concentrating all the available
Spanish forces at that town and the
country people from miles around have
fiocked into MatanZaS