The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-06-28

TaE IssURaESrs USED xAoHErRa

4 snali Party Of 9cvsrnment Gusriilns
Attseksd BY . sapsrier Fsycs 81 Insur-
gents and Butehersd Captain 0snsrai
de Campos wsnts More seldisrs.
HAVANA. June ss "Details have reached
here Of . desperate fight between
portion Of the insurgent force under
Maxine Gomez, in the province Of Puerto
Principe, and seventy Of the auxiliary
troops Of the Spanish government, known
a. gnerillas. under Captain Aguero. The
engagement took place the day OF the
raid on San Geronimo.
The seventy guerillas were surprised by
the vanguard of Gomez's force, com
manded by Nioasio Mirabel, and there
was great slaughter on both sides, the
lighting being mainly with maehstes-
The guerillas were out on q reeonnoiter-
ing expedition and unexpectedly came
across the insurgent vanguard, consisting
of about 400 men. At first the gueriilas
imagined they had only comparatively
small body Of men before them, and their
commander, Aguero. called upon the In
surgents to halt, crying out: who goes
thereP" Spanish forces," was the reply
of the insurgent loader, as his men contin-
ued to advance rapidly upon the govern
ment guerillas Twice or three times more
ents but the latter pushed on quickly I'M
til their leader. seeing that the guerillas
were in an awkward position. cried; "At
the machete." This cry showed the gov
eminent force that they were confronted
by insurgents, and not by q detachment
of Spanish guerillns rs they had been led
to believe and the mask being thus thrown
off the guerillas replied to the then oft re-
peated cries of AT the maohetes" with
volleys from their carbines as they COM
menced to retreat before the vastly SUI
perior force Of insurgents.
Soon the government soldiers and the
insurgent troops became engaged In
hand to hand combat, which quickly be-
came little moro than O massacre OF the
unfortunate guerillas. The insurgents,
In the meanwhile, had been reinforced
until they are said to have numbered fully
| 1900 men composing the main body OF
| men under the command of Gomez.
Against these overwhelming numbers
the guerillas fought heroically, shouting
viva Espana' as they defended them
selves as best they could against the en-
envy, using trees, rocks or anything avail.
able behind which to shelter themselves
as they fired rs fast as possible at the In.
surgents. who pressed forward from all
sides upon the little band
For an hour the fight lasted, and moth
ing could be heard but the rattle Of mus.
kerry the shouts Of the combatants and
the clashing Of machetes. 1t is believed
that few, II any, OF the guerillas escaped
being killed or wounded.
Captain Aguero led his men gallantly
until an insurgent slashed at his horses
head with q machete, causing 1t to fall
and throw the guerilla leader heavily tt
the ground.
The Insurgents engaged with Aguero's
guerillas are believed to form part of thu
body Of men which recently burned thu
towns of Ell Mulato and San Geronimo
after capturing the forts and garrisons o
those places, and 1t is said the news Of thi
fresh disaster has caused q very uneas!
feeling in official circles. There is nj
doubt thet IL the government officials ar
willing to admit these disasters to tn
Spanish army in Puerto Principe within
few days, and not far from the capital o
that province, that the situation Of affair
there must be very grave indeed, and ma.
prove much more SO when Maceo, who Il
reported to have made his way from thu
province Of Santiago de Cuba into Puert'
Principe, joins his forces to those of Go
meg.
That there is real cause for alarm ma
be gathered from the fact that Captain
General Marines de Campos has cable
to the Spanish government asking for tn
prompt dispatch of IA, 900 additional troop
from Spain to enable him to undertak
an offensive campaign in Cuba after tn
rainy season 10 over. The statement ha
caused some excitement in Madrid, a
though the government has been maxim
preparations for some time past to sen
additional troops to Cuba.
Advices received here from Santiago
Cuba say that an insurgent force nun
berlng about 400 men has made an attac
upon Tiarriba, in the province of SAINT
ago de Cuba, that they were repulsed, an
IRE now in flight being pursued by IL
Spanish troops,