Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-12-26
MARCH ONHAVANA
Cuban insurgents Making for the
Capital City.
CRISIS IN THE CONTEST AT HAND.


Recent Fight Seems to Have Beeu Only .
Their Point-Bullet for Campos Htts Ono
Of His subordinates = Havana Getting
Ready for War-Much Uncertainty - to
the Real Situation.
NEW YoEK, Dec GA dispatch to The
World from Havana, Cuba, says: ''It
can be positively stated that the insurg-
ent raid is ended. Gomez and Maceo are
retreating as rapidly as possible into
Cieniaga de Zapata, the '.Swamp of the
Shoe" on the southern border There
are too many troops in this country for
them. The swamp will make o splendid
hiding place for the insurgents.
HAVANA, Dec. 26.-[Copyrighted, 1895,
by the Associated Press Further details
have reached here from Matanzas of the
rapid advance Of the insurgent army,
numbering about Il, 900 men, upon Havana,
after forcing its way trough the province
OF Santa Clara and into the province Of
Matanzas in spite Of the efforts of Captain.
General Martinez dc Campos and about
$1,000 troops at his disposal in the terri
tory traverscd and invaded. The reported
battle between the Spaniards and the in
surgents at the Coliseo plantation does
not appear to have been very severe en-
gagement. The fight was between a por-
tiOn Of the northern column of the three
insurgent columns, and instead Of turning
out to be victory for the Spaniards the
result Of the engagement was virtually
defeat for Campos' forces, for the Cuban
army pushed onward unchecked and is
still advancing on this city.
Fought Amid Flame and Smoke.
The fighting took place amid burning
cane, underwood. tall grass and trees, and
was of the usual guerrilla nature At
times both the troops and insurgents were
surrounded by walls OF flame, and the
smoke was 90 dense over certain portions
OF the ground contested that the Cubans
and the troops, unable to see each other,
kept banging away at open spaces, vast
ing vast quantities of good ammunition.
The Cubans. following their customary
tactics, seemed to melt away into the dis.
tance SO soon as the troops got within
sighting distance Of them, and nearly all
the dripg WAS M very long range, al
though the soldiers made several gallant
charges through the burning territory.
The insurgents succeeded in accomplish.
ing their object, holding the Spaniards in
check while the Cuban army pushed on
southwark.
Captain General ut the Front.
The captain general was as near the
front as possible throughout the battle,
encouraging the troops by word and ac-
ton. One of the captain generals order
lies, who was sitting on his horse by the
side of DE Campos, received u bullet in
his chest and fell to the ground severely
wounded. The shot, no doubt, was in
tended for the Spanish commander. Cam.
pcs seems to have supreme contempt for
the bullets of the insurgents, but he il
rapidly learning to admire their tactics.
In spite Of all the veteran Spanish COM
Inander does the Cubans are marching
through his forces, with but few skir-
mishes 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
Hint ut Tint Ace Up His Sleeve.
That is what it looks like to an observer
Of events, but the admirers of Campos
claim that this is his plan of campaign that
he is allowing the Cubans co get by and
nearer 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
plausible enough, but the insurgents are
destroying all bridges, railways and PLAN
tations behind them. The route they
have followed is marked by blackened
swath of smoking ruin and dcsolation
and the Spaniards will have very diff
ficult task to push on after their fieet-footed
enemies. Spanish generals in the rear of
the insurgent army have been instructed
to hurry after the enemy with all possible
speed.
SnANISu cor uux,nS r,oor