The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-12-26
UnIOIO UUIvIaNU.
Insurgent Army Marching Rap
idly to Havana.
Are Between the Spanish Army
and the Capital
CAMPOS OUTWITTED.
Bridges Burned to Impede the
Spanish Troops.
Overthrow Of the Cuban Capital
Expected Soon.
CAMPOS OUTWITTED.

HAVANA, Dec. 26.-Further details
reached here yesterday from Matanzas
of the rapid advance of the insurgent
army, numbering about 12,O 600 men,
upon Havana, after forcing it's way
through the province of Santa Clara
and into the province of Matanzas, in
spite of the efforts of Captain General
Martinez de Campos and about $4,000
troops at his disposal in the territory
traversed and invaded.
Campos seems to have a supreme
contempt for the bullets of the insur-
gents, but he is rapidly learning to
admire their tactics. In spite of all
the veteran 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 a pitched battle. When Campos
establishes headquarters and laws out
a 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 outffanks the
SPaniards and pushes steadily onward
toward 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 nearer and nearer to
Havana, only for the purpose of event
ually falling upon them in the rear
and scattering them to all points of
the compass. This sounds plausible
enough, but the insurgents are de-
strOying 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 heet-footed enemies.
Besides, within two weeks Campos
has changed his headquarters from
Santa Clara to Cienfuegos, from Glen
fuegos to Palmiilas, from Palmillas to
Colon, from Colon to Jovellanos, from
Jovellanos to Limanare and from
LimOnare to Guanabana, where he
slept Tuesday night. All these changes
were direct retreats before the enemy
in the hope, it is true. of being able to
bring about a pitched battle. This
seems to be the secret of the failure of
the Spaniards to check the advance of
the Cubans.
In this city every preparation is be-
ing made to give the insurgents hot
reception. All the outlying posts
have been strengthened, the new for
tihcations are being hurriedly pushed
to completion, ammunition is being
Overhauled, guns have been made
ready and the troops are constantly
on the alert, although the Spanish
officials laugh at the idea of the in
surgents being able to approach Ha-
vana- But any person who, three
weeks ago, would have limited at the
possibility of the Cubans being able,
within that time, to push through the
provinces of Santa Clara and Matan-
zas, to the borders of the province of
Havana, might have been promptly
locked up as lunatic. Yet there are
the Cubans, scouting near the borders
of the province of Havana, having
passed CampOs and the picked troops
of Spain, civil guards, volunteers and
guerillas
Campos arrived in this city last
evening and made known his belief
that General Gomez has designed his
movement, which thus far proved so
signally successful, merely as a raid
into the heart of his enemy's country
as near to Havana as it was possible
for him to go, intending then to fight
his way back. General Campos be-
ieves the whole aim of the incursion
was the destruction of property and he
asserts they have already initiated a
retreat. He states he has foreseen
this purpose and that he has taken eff
fective measures to prevent their re-
turn to Santa Clara. They will be
compelled to fight at Mantanzas, he
says, or to surrender. He does not be-
lieve they can effect retreat without
destruction.
The captain general was accorde ed
an enthusiastic reception upon his ar
rival here by the city authorities, and
by committee representative of all
the political parties. So far as can be
learned he expresses undated conf
dence in the success of the Spaniards,
and believes that the hour of the de-
struction of the insurgent forces is at
hand.
Was Sister of "Parson" Davies.
NEW YORK. Dec 26-Wi11iam Hall