The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1895-12-26
ADVANCING IN HAVANA
Cuban Insurgents Rapidly Nearing
the Capital City,
OAMPOs UNABLE TO CHECK THEM

HAVANA, Dec 26. - Further details
reached here yesterday from Matanzas of
the rapid advance of the insurgcnt army,
numbering about 1900 men, upon Ha-
vana, after forcing its way through the
province of Santa Clara and into the prov
ince of Matanzas, in spite of the efforts of
Captain General Martinez de Campos and
about 80, 100 troops at his disposal in the
territory traversed and invaded
The reported important battle ON Tues
day between the Spaniards under Campos
and the insurgents at Coliseo plantation,
twelve miles from Cardenas, does not APP
pear to have been a very severe engage
ment. Cardenas is a seaport, quite an inn
portant place for Cuba, of about 4 600 in
habitants. It's only twenty-one miles from
Matanzas, capital of the province of that
name
The Spanish forces do not appear to have
encountered the main body of the insur-
gents rs at first announced The fight at
the Coliseo plantation was between "a por-
ton of the northern column Of the three
insurgent columns now pushing through
the province Of Matanzas, and instead Of
turning out to be great victory for the
the result of the engagement
was virtually defeat for Campos, for the
Cuban army pushed onward unchecked,
and is still advancing on this city.
The fighting took place amid burning
cane under wood, tall grass and trees, and
was of the usual guerrilla nature. At
times both the troops and the insurgents
were surrounded by walls Of flame, and
the smoke was so dense over certain por-
tions of the ground contested that the
Cubans and the troops, unable to see each
other, kept banging away at open spaces,
wasting vast quantities of good ammuni-
tion. 1t is true that this indiscriminate
firing was more noticed upon the part of
the troops than on the side of the insur-
gents. For one insurgent killed at least
1900 shots must have been fired
General Campos seems to have SUI
preme contempt for the bullets of the in
surgents, but he is rapidly learning to ad-
mire their tactics In spite of all the vet
eran Spanish commander does, the Cubans
are marching through his forces, with but
a few skirmishes here and there, and he
seems to be utterly unable to concentrate
ahead of them forces sufficient to draw the
enemy into pitched battle. When Cam
pos establishes headquarters and lays
out place of battle the Cubans seem, by
some mysterious means, to hear of it, for,
pretending to fall into the trap, they push
a body of men forward, skirmish with the
troops, draw the Spanish forces upon them
and then the Cuban army proper out
flanks the Spaniards and pushes steadily
onward towards Havana.
The admirers of the captain general
claim this is his plan of campaign, that he
is allowing the Cubans to get by him and
/ near and nearer to Havana, only for the
purpose of eventually falling upon them
in the rear and scattering them to all the
points of the compass. This sounds plaus-
ible, but the insurgents are destroying all
| bridges, railways and plantations behind
them The route they have followed is
marked by a blackened swath of smoking
ruin and desolation, and the Spaniards
will have very difficult task to push on
after their fleet footed enemies.
All the Spanish generals in the rear of
/ the insurgent army have been instructed
/ to hurry after the enemy with all possible
1 speed Here, however, comes in the weak
est feature of the campaign of the Span
| iards. The poorly fed, half grown lads
/ shipped here from Spain are suffering ter
| ribly from the effects of the climate and
/ unusual exposure, in spite of the fact that
this is the so called healthy season in Cuba.
Yellow fever, smallpox and malarial feyers
have told terribly upon these unfortunate
/ troops, and, in addition they are utterly
unfit for campaigning in this land of bad
roads, high grass, swamps and low bush
wood They simply have not the strength
/ to push steadily on after the Cubans.
Then, again, the Spanish troops are
thoroughly dispirited. Their hearts are
not in the fight, in spite of the gallant
manner in which they respond to Viva
|. Espana" and dash ut the enemy, only to
| be shot down or cut down, or else to find
the Cubans disappear as if adorned with
wings.
The Cubans on the other hand, are ami
mated with the spirit of patriotism, with
the all absorbing desire for freedom, with
the fire which drove the British before the
American patriots under the leadership of
| Washington.
While these facts cannot be denied
there is one feature of the march of the
insurgents upon Havana which cannot be
overlooked. Admitting that they mum
Der 70 600 men, can they capture this city
and can they hold it if they do obtain pos
session of itY There is the strong garrison
of this place, the high walls of the forts
and the Spanish fleet to be reckoned with.
Ii must be quickly done or fail altogether.
.
eide everything.
The advance guard Of the army com
manded by Gomez and Maceo is less than
fifty miles from Havana, and, apparently,
steadily advancing In this city every
preparation is being made to give the in
surgents a hot reception. All the outly-
ing posts have been strengthened, the new
Notifications are being hurriedly pushed
to completion, ammunition is being over
/ hauled, guns have been made ready, and
the troops are kept constantly on the
alert, although the Spanish officials laugh
at the idea of the insurgents being able to
approach Havana.
Even the most stubborn Of the Spanish
officers agree that the march Of Gomez
and Maceo across Santa Clara and Ma
tanzas is a most remarkable military feat
to have been accomplished within three
weeks and in spite of all the forces that
Spain could throw across their path.
General Campos arrived in Havana last
evening 1t is asserted here that the Span
ish commander has deliberately suffered
] tba odvancp Of the Insurgents into the