The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-12-27
HABANA A PLACE OF REFUGE,
Campos Is Evidently Hard
Pushed by tho Enemy.

the Cubans would either bc compelled tu
fight "a pitched battle in that provinces %
surrender, it is not generally believed hero
that tho march of Gomez and MnccO upon
Habana has really been completely stop
ped, and that they are in retreat.
In support Of this /; is said that }!
Gomez and Macco were really rctrcaling
the government would not be slow IN
making public every item of news obtain
able concerning this feature OF thu
hitherto triumphant march Of the insur
gents from the province OF Puerto Prin.
cipe, through the province OF santa Clara,
into the province of Habana, in spite OF
the numerous columns of Spanish troops
In the territory travcrscd.
The last news OF the movements of tho
Spanish columns was that they were head
ing for Guanabana, the last headquarters
evacuated by Camros, situated not far
from Matanzns.
The fact Is thnt so many announcements
OF the defeat and retreat of the insurgents
have been made that it will require strong
confirmation 10 make anyone believe thag
such Is an actual fact When the insur'
gents first entered the province Of Santa
Clara, 10 was announced that they had
been defeated with great loss and had re-
treated across the border But the next
news received from the frontier was that
the Cuban army We're threatening Pla.
cetas, more than half way between tho
border and the caI ital OF Santa Clara, and
since then they have apparently pushed
onward with little or no interruption.
Campos Kept Moving.
On the other hand, Campos has actually
retroated from Santa Clara to Cienfuegos,
Palmlllas, Colon, Jovellanos, Mmonare,
Guanabana. Matanzas, and, finally, to
Habana. There is no denying this, Tor
Campos Is now in Habana.
The absence of news OF the movements
OF tho insurgents is causing some anxiety
among their friends here, but they claim
Gomez and Macco arc in possession of tho
railroad and telegraph wires, and that i5
was with difficulty that Campos succeeded
in reaching Habana Christmas night. 30
that MS IL may, the only news obtainabls
is that furnished by rumor. and il tho
authorities are in possession of any ad'
ditional facts, all such matter Is carefully
suppressed.
In the meantime, active preparations
are being made here for the defense of l
city, and for forwarding to the front ell
the troops which can be spared. Ii is un.
dcrstood that the Spanish columns in tho
rear of the insurgent army have been or
dercd To concentrate as quickly as possible
about the frontier Of Matanzas, and that
every effort Is TO bc made to prevent the
retreat OF the Cubnns into Santa Clara.
While these preparations are being made
TO apparently stop the insurgents from
escaping back into Santa Clara, the land
fortiflcatlons OF Habana are receiving at
tcntions day and night. A number of al.
ditional earthworks have been thrown up
during the last month, also, and these are
being hastily completed and supplied
with guns as rapidly as possible. The
magazines arc being plentifully suppli
with ammunition, and the outposts of the
Spanish troops around Habana are being
strengthened and more securely fortified.
There l. an mir OF hurry and anxiety
about the different headquarters hero
which does not seem TO indicate that the
supreme authorities arc in any way sat
isficd that the insurgents are retreating
and II military activity goes for anything
the most determined efforts are being
made TO prevent surprise.
The insurgents, when last heard from,
were well To tho westward of Matanzas
and threatening To capture the railroad
lines. Shortly afterward all news from
the front was suddenly shut off, and a few
hours later Campos arrived here, after
having been driven from town 10 town by
the victorious insurgents.
The Ipsurgcnt Forces.
There is considerable speculation here
ss 10 the actual number OF men under tho
highest estimates have IL that tho Cuban
army numbers 1900 men. while the low
est number Of followers of the insurgcnt
leaders are credited with having under
their command Is 5000.
IL is To he presumed, however. that
Gomez and Mucco may have l0,Oo0 men
with them. as they nre known 10 havo
been joined by large numbers of adhcrents
since they entered the province of Matan-
zas. The insurgents have also been plcnti.
fuS supplied with ammunition, said to
have been stored for their use 10 diffcrcnG
points and accumulated and hidden for
months past
In order 10 enable rs many troops rs
possible tO he sent % the front. all tho
marines und sniiors who could be spared
from tho Spanish fleet have bceh landed,
and thc former are now doing duty as ar-
tillcry men wherever their services arc
needed All the volunteers available aru
under arms, and every male inhabitnnt
capable of doing active service or of find.
ing somebody else to do IL for him has
been or is b,!ns called ON 90 bear arms
A conservative estimate of the force at
the disposal here OF General Campos has
been made and " II estimated that he has
ou, 900 regulars and about 1890 volunteers
with wNlch to meet tho insurgcnt army.
But the spanish regulars and volunteers
are scattered over largo oxpausc of forts
and Notifications. composing the defcnscs
NJ Habana. and when the brilliant achieve
mcnt of Gonicz and Maoco In passing
through the many Spanish columns, said tu
humber from i0.OD 10 S1.O0J men. in tho
provinces of Santa Clara and Matanzas,
II taken into consideration. there Is somo
Justification for the belief of the friends ot
he insurgunt cause that ~ will not D,
long before Gomez aud Macco arc orfsid,
~ Habana. This. however, Is ridicUlcl by
hc spanish authorities horc. who claim
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