The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-31
CUBAN NEWS CONTRADICTORY
SPANISH ADVICEs REPORT THE
PATRIOTS RETREATING.

Letter 10 New York Paper Pict-
ures the spanish Forces as Falling
Back Before the Insurgents-Two
Thousand Cuban Cavalry Reported
Defeated After Charging Twelve
Times on a Spanish Force of 500
Men.
Madrid. Dec. 3O.-A dispatch to the I'M
parcial from Havana, under to-day's date,
says that the main army of the insur-
gents is retreatng rapidly before the
Spanish forces.
later dispatch to the Imparcial from
Havana says that the main insurgent
army has recrossed the Habana river re-
entering the province of Santa Clara at
a point short distance north Of the
cienaga Oriental de Saspata. Gen. Marin,
IN command of strong force has started
from the city of Santa Clara to intercept
them on their retreat eastward.
Havana, Dec. 80 Two thousand rebel
cavalry, who We're ambushed in the Godi-
neZ estate. near Calimet, province of Ma
tanzas, attacked government column of
6Ol men, commanded by Lieut.. Col. Perea
Ihough taken by surprise. the troops
made a brave resistance The rebels
charged upon them twelve times. but the
finally retired.
A strong rebel force under Gomez and
Maceo were attacked at Batey by gov
ernment troops. The rebels had taken IN
a position which they had barricaded
with rails and bolders from the plsnta-
uons. They made a desperate resistance,
put We're dislOdged after a fight that.
ldsJeu three hours . The government loss
was two officers and eighteen privates
Killed ana one officer and thigteen privates
wounded. The rebel loss was POO killed
wounded.
Col. Navarro's 5 column had an engage
ment that lasted one hour with a rebel
Pand. Iel,nl Ihe Insurgents, were dispersed,
Ihey LETT five dead on the field. The loss
on the government side was one sergeant
wounded. The rebels upon retreatlng 10
me cemetery at ManquitO met the column
OF Col aldez, which was countermarch-
ing, and found their line of retreat cut off.
Al clock this evening a train arrived
bringing the dead and wounded from Col
Ferera. column. The dead Will be buried
The Red Cross Society has furnished
thirty beds for the wounded
New y ork. Dec S0.-The Times to-mor-
row Will publish the following Havana
| letter dated Dec. %: "The excitement i'm
this city is almost beyond description
For the first time the blind supporters of
Spanish rule in the island realize that r.
IS seriously threatened by the revolution
Ihe shock has been the most severe as il
was expected by those who have faith
IN the military ability of Martinez Cam
pos that the moment had arrived when
| the Cuban forces, if not entirely crushed
would meet with such a sudden check as
10 demoralize scatter and send them back
| Hylng 10 Camaguey. Instead of that an
| ucipated result of Gen. Martinez Campos'
plans IT Is he and his whole army who
are lying before the victorious enemy,
| whose progress seems to find no opposition
and no obstacle
1T is impossible to ascertain how many
| times and to what extent the Spaniards
| have been defeated. The government has
| SO Iar succeeded In suppressing the news
| which must have reached Havana. 1t is
| said that the mail from the immediate
| vicinity OF the field of operation has been
| withheld and if any fetters have been re-
| cetved by private courier those receiving
| them are careful not to make the contents
PUBLIC, IN order TO avoid suspicion respect
| ing their connection with ~the rebels. One
| thing, however, is plain; that is, that Mar
| tineZ CampOs' plans have been shattered
and that hs has been compelled to beat a
| hasty retreat before the advancing enemy.
'Mutterings from Spaniards who are
supposed to be well Informed in regard
TO what is occurring indicate that the
situation is a. critical one for the Span
Sh government, while the reserve and
moderation shown by. some Of the most
outspoken and rabid peninsulars appear
to be a confirmation of that fact. In the
cafes and other public places the serious
and grave miens of the Spaniards is a
noticeable feature. Their long faces and
their whisperings show that all, is not
well with them.
"They will not however even acknow-
Martinez Campos' winter campaign, from
which he hoped so much. has utterly fail
ed. Even If things with him and his army
have not gone so bad as seems to be the
case, there is no doubt now that this year
there will be no sugar crop, and this
means no revenue for the Spanish treas
ury. which is already some $70O0,000 be-
hind in its obligations. Moreover, should
Gomez having accomplished his pur-
pose, withdraw from the territory which
he now occupies before Martinez Cam
In
tiOn to commence active operations the
rainy season will have set in, and he will
find himself at the end of the dry season
in a worse condition than at the begin
ming of it, and having to face an enemy
greater in numbers, better supplied with
arms and ammunition, and encouraged by
success.
"As an indication of the extent to
which the Spanish commanders have lost
their heads, their precipitated diligence
in fortifying the approaches to Havana
should be pointed out.
''No one not overcome by excitement
could suppose that Gomez at the pres
ent moment, would even dream of at
tacking the city. There might have been
a possibility, although remote, of his
making an attempt against Matanzas
not for the purpose of holding the CITY,
for this he is no doubt aware to be be-
yond his power, but to secure such arms
and ammunition as might have been
"Some of the newspapers here seem
to find consolation in the fact that the
cane fields having been destroyed the
Spanish army Will be able TO operate with
more freedom, while the rebels will not
find a place to hide themselves; They
forget or feign to forget, that the Cu-
bans have been advancing over the
burned fields and therefore in clear sight
of the Spanish army, who were retreat
ing before them.
at is rumored that Gen. Pando has
been called back from Santiago. His as
sistance seems to be necessary here, al
though there are several dozens of gen
.-a.. IL. 2 #fo faf1 %
do has done nothing but increase the
Cuban forces with several hundreds of
men from that city who did not care
to trust themselves to his humane in
stincts He is one of the most brutal and
sanguinary of the Spanish generals"
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