The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-12-25

rneut y The insurgents was az Example of
splendid generafshin. accoEngl lsj1eo under
the EnaSt trying circumstances ard IN the
fpce of overwhelming numbers bf Spanish
5roaps. command9S ~ tAe e~st otfcers y
S1Son THE insssgents burned TAe railroad
station of 2Gtntins s.a7t of 1oeciiAno- ana
destroyed tie railroads oe>aind sfeln 5e pRe-
vent tila advance of the SfaN'lsa tre0iss 1+sSn
their rear The last news received wAs
THAT thsy had passed Iino81a, T. q Stlst
town eTsly few miles from Mata>iEsS- 8fd
were pushing fov the railroad ~hA'h con
meets Aatanxas with Havana
Il seems tha; there Is nothing ikeh e
prevent them from capturing Havana
within the next few days. fer the Spanish
commanders appear 70 aave entirely lost
their heads and. unless CampoS has sc-
coTnplisAed "a miracle of daring strategy
In allowing Gomez and his friends 10 slip
by. in order that the spanish troops may
be hurried after them, and by sortie
from Havana catch them between two
fires. the insurgents are masters 81 the
situation. The edds against she Span
iaEds being able 70 press on after the tri-
umphant insuTgeDt army are very heavy
Not only have The insurgents DESTROYED
the railroads behind them. thus burning
their ships, as IL We're. but they have in
many other WAYS done everything Possi-
bic 70 impede the progress OF the Spanish
army. and the friends Of the insurgents
here are confident thar the arrival Of Go
mez hefors Havana viii be shortly an
nounced. As tt j.. the insurgenr cavalry
has been sighted within about dfty miles
OF Havana. to the westward Of MatanZaS
and had apparently taken possession OF
the railroads Joining that seaport TO this
civ
Railroad and mail communication be-
tween Jovallanao. Colon and Matsnzas are
interrupted. and K Is believed 20 be only
question Of a few hours when the reie-
graphic communication with Natanzas
and the east viii be cut. Gen. CamPos has
ordered the Spanish commanders nearest
to the Insurgents. Gems. valdez and Ma
vaIr0. to do everything possible % attack
the insurgents under any and all circum-
stances. but IL Is not thought likely that
these generals will dare 20 DO what the
captain general has been Unable 10 DO.
A later dispatch says that Capt Cen
Campos has managed 70 get out OF Colon,
and that he has placed himself az the head
OF the Spanish forces at Limonara. twenty
miles east of Matanzas. where ne eSpSctS
10 be able 70 strike a. the insurgents
Thousands of people from all parts OF the
country around MatanZaS are Hooking IN
terror into that city, according 10 the Of
ic,al dispatches, but other reports say
that they in the main offer 70 Join the IN
surgents who are being plenuiauy sup
piled with provisions by the inhabitants
OF all The towns along the route they fol-
low The little town OF Jacan. Santo Do
mingo. where a detachment OF seventy
four soldiers. under captain and Two
ueutenants Of the Spanish army, were at
tackled. and for the mos, part cut 70 pieces
by the insurgents, IS almost deserted
Christmas evening IS ushered in with
something ike dismay in this city. ana
there is apprehension hourly gaining
ground that Havana viii be besieSed py
armed forces before Christmas day is Over.
The advance OF the insurgents seemed at
latest advlces to be uninterrupted. thus
contradicting a report sent out during the
afternoon that they had been turned back
in pitched battle by Campos himself. and
were striving 10 make their way back into
Santa clara province This rumor stated
in great detail that Gen. Campos in person,
a. the head OF the Spanish forces. had sue
ceeded in coming face 10 face with Gomez
and hisfo rces at the plantation or Colie-
SEQ, which was in flames. This plantation
IS situated twelve miles from CaTdenas anu
twenty-one miles from Natanzds. The m
sureents. " was said. were hemmed In ana
were compelled TO fight. Desperate en-
gagements were reported. the conbatants
being surrounded by the flames or the
burning plantation. The insurgents, IL
was said were dispersed, leaving 40 dead
and wounded on the field. The troops loss
Z
nidcant being only fourteen. ana. Gems
! VALDEZ and Luaue had already started 10
| Sabanilla del Incomodadum, supported by
several other columns. in pursuit OF fhe
/ fvins fnsurgents. who were supposed TO
/ he making their way back 10 santa cara
urovince at their hest speed. rms report
| had the effect Of generally restoring confl-
| dence here and IL was eenerali, beheVe..
! for a time. as II indicated thdt Gomez had
! given no his campaign for lack OF support
/ In MatanZas
1 The details OF this engagement had hard
/ * become disseminated through the city,
| however. before there came further re-
| port that the insurgents were Wafcnios
! toward Guauabana, and that capt. pr'i'
| Camnos had FASTENED 80 that po'nt 10 op-
| nose the advance. thus once more NOV
1 5ns his hea7o}Iarters westward ana nearer
! Havana as he has had 10 do 50 often
| wxthIu the last few days Guanattaua Is
| only about i've miles out OF Matanzas -th'
| ten or fifteen miles west OF colies"o piahtA-
| ton where Gen. Campos was said 10 nave
won his important victory over Gomez ~
/ person.
| II became evident that the reports OF
| Con Campos' successful stand ana rout
| of the insurgents was either unfcundfd' OF
| that the force ne had met with was mercy
a wing of the insurgent army sent TO MAKE
! a diversion, while the main c"iuNih9 pNs"
[ Ell on to the westward.
All is confusion Of mind here, ana the
/ authorities are apparently all at sea as 20
| what will Ice the next step OF the lnsui-
/ gents. whether MatanZaS VIII he h"sleEe.'-
/ or whether rpe ADVANCE on hat point ~
| merely a feint TO hold the Spanish forces
/ +hAr. while the insurgents make ~ay
/ once more ia the west ~ havana, @hlcn
/ * less than ten miles from Matanzas- The
/ near approach of the insurgents to MAI
/ aozas has. in fact had the effect Of con-
,..-- L.. .lall fl.rnA.s