The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-12-28
REBELS are RETREAT|NC
Reports That Cubans Arc Stcalinq
Away to Matanzas.
SPANISH TROOPS TO MARCH
1t Is Claimed That They Will Endcavor to
Head OFF the Insurscnt Band-For-
tifications Arc Being Con.
structcd in Havana.

Havana, Dec. FIT is reported here
that the insurgent forces have taken up
line of retreat from about the city of
Matanzas through Sidra, Navajas and
Corral False. in the direction of Jaguey
Grande. in the southern part of Matan-
zas. This is beyond Union Reyes.
where it was reported that the Spanish
troops were being concentrated to cut
off their retreat.
The insurgent leader Acebo was exc
cuted yesterday at Cienfuegos.
Havana, Dec. 27-Active prepara-
tions are being made here for the de-
fense of the city and for forwarding to
the front all the troops which can be
spared. 1t is understood that the Span
ish columns in the rear of the insur-
gent army have been ordered to con-
centrate as quickly as possible about
the frontier of MatanZas, and that
every effort is to be made to prevent
the retreat of the Cubans into Santa
Clara.
While these preparations are being
made apparently to stop the insurgents
from escaping back to Santa Clara, the
land Notifications of Havana are re-
ceiving attention day and night. A
number of additional earthwOrks have
been thrown up during the last month
piled with guns as rapidly as possible.
The magazines are being plentifully
supplied with ammunition, and the out
posts of the Spanish troops around Ha-
vana are being more securely fortified.
There has been an air of hurry and
anxiety about the different headquar-
ters here which does not seem to indi7
cate that the supreme authorities are
i'm any way satisfied that the insurgents
are retreating. IF military activity
goes for anything. the most determined
efforts are being made to prevent sur
prise.
There is considerable speculation here
as to the actual number of men under
the command of Gomez and Maceo. The
highest estimates have it that the Gu
ban army numbers $4,000 men, while the
lowest number of followers the insur-
gent leaders are credited with having
under their command Is 5000. 1t is to be
presumed, however, thai Gomez and
Maceo may have 10000 men with them,
as they are known to have been joined
by large numbers of adherents since
they entered the province of Matanzas.
The insurgents have also been plenti-
fully supplied with ammunition, said
to have been stored for their use at diff
ferent points and accumulated and hid
den for months past.
A conservative estimate of the force
at the disposal here of the captain-gen-
eral has heen made and II is estimated
that he has 10000 regulars and about
10000 volunteers with which to meet the
insurgent army. But the Spanish regu-
lars and volunteers are scattered over
q large expanse of forts and fortifica-
tions composing the defenses of Ha-
vana, and when the brilliant achieve
ment of Gomez and Maceo in passing
through the many Spanish columns
said to number from 10000 to $4,000 men,
in the provinces of Santa Clara and
Matanzas, is taken into considera-
tion. there is some justification for the
belief that it will not be long before
Gomez and Maceo are outside of Ha-
vana. This. however, is ridiculed by
the Spanish authorities here, who claim
that the insurgent movement has re-
ceived decided check.