The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-10-29
AT THE HOTTEST POINT.
HARDLY AN HOUR PASSES WITH
OUT SOME KIND OF AN
ENGAGEMENT.
NATIVES FIGHT LIKE HEROES.
GENERAL CAMPOs AWAITS RE-EN-
FORCEMENTS BEFORE GOING
FORTH IN PERSON.

BOSTON, MASS. Oct. 2S.-According to
dispatches received by a morning paper
from Santiago de Cuba, the rebellion is
now practically at its hottest point, and
hardly a single hour passes without some
sort OF an engagement. With the arrival
OF the re-enforcements from Havana, the
regulars have been able to make some ad-
vances, and during the week have sue
ceeded in forcing the insurgents to relin-
quish nearly all the advantageous points
which they had taken in the vicinity of the
CITY.
The latter were obliged to take this
course owing to the strength of the Spanish
field batteries, which proved very destruc-
tive. But beyond this slight success, the
Spanish have not been able to make any
advances and the insurgents still prac-
tically have the control of the whole east
and are pushing forward more rapidly
than ever toward the west. The one great
evil which the regulars have to face at
present is the action which the insurgents
have taken in putting a stop to all railroad
traffic by means of bombs and mines. The
dispatch says that nearly every day d
train is blown up with great losses, and
that railroad service has practically been
discontinued.
Word is also received of another severe
battle fought in the vicinity of Santiago de
Cuba on the 23d. The Cubans, who had
been obliged to vacate the strong earth
works which they had established little
north of the city, took refuge in the woods
near the river Pintos. They were followed
by large force of Spanish cavalry and a
general engagement was brought on. The
cavalry were REINFORCED by 1900 regulars,
but it was impossible to bring up any OF
field batteries.
Without these they were practically at
the mercy of the insurgents, who fought
with desperate bravery and who had the
odds of position. The Spanish line re-
peatedly charged, but suffered heavily by
the rife fire of the insurgents. Toward
night they retreated across the Pintos, but
renewed the struggle early next day, when
they were once more driven back and
forced to retreat to their headquarters at
Santiago de Cuba. Their loss was very
large. General Campos has not as yet
taken the field. but will do so as soon as
re-enforcements are received from Spain.
HAVANA, CUBA, Oct. 2S.-General
Gasco reports from Bayamo that, having
been advised that the rebels under Maceo
and Rabi in force had strongly fortified
Los Negros, he ordered Lieutenant
Colonel Redon with $50 soldiers of all arms
on October 8 to attack them. The rebels
attempted to prevent the column from
crossing, but after charges executed with
great gallantry were made by the Spanish
troops the rebels were driven off. The
Spanish column continued its march
toward Jiguani and again met the same
bands OF rebels at Cruz del Yarey, and a
fight ensued which lasted an hour, with
the result that the rebels were completely
dispersed, leaving on the field twenty
killed and sixty wounded. The Govern
ment had one killed and twelve wounded,
including four officers.
The condition of the director of the
Diaro de La Marina, who was seriously
wounded by a negro who attacked him on
the street with an iron bar Saturday night.
is improving.
SANTIAGO DE CUBA, Oct. II (via KEY
WEST, FLA.)-A party of insurgents, aided
by several of the residents of the village of
Hogolosongo, twelve miles from Cobre, set
fire to Hongo on the 18th inst, after seiz-
ing all the arms and ammunition they
could find in the place. The volunteers
went with the rebels.
On the banks of the Bayami River be-
tween Corojo Santa Barbara, short dis
lance from the city of Bayamo, there was
a short but bloody encounter on September
p between part of the followers of the rebel
leader Rabi, under his command, and q
strong Spanish column, 800 in number
under Colonel Tovar. The rebels were
lying in ambush on the right and left O.
the road, along which the Spaniards were
advancing. They allowed the vanguard
200 in number, to pass unmolested, as wei
as a section of guerrillas, but when tn,
main body of the column arrived, 300 O
Rabi's men, armed rifles, opened fire from
their positions and almost destroyed thu
main column.
After the fire had lasted an hour Colone
Tovar, seeing that he was losing many
men, ordered his vanguard to be re-en
forced and ordered the use of the bayonet
Rabi lost no time, but with $50 of his
famous cavalrymen attacked the Spanish
center and rearguard. The Spanish com
mander could not resist the attack anC
ordered a hasty retreat, leaving on the
field forty killed and wounded whom hi.
men were unable to carry with them. The
rebels had five killed and ten wounded anc
captured a quantity OF arms and ammuni
ton abandoned by the Spaniards. This
engagement proves how untrue was tn,
report that Rabi and many of his men
were about to surrender.