The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-12-25

within about nifty miles OF Hnlonn,
10 the westward OF Matanzas, AMI np-
parently taking possession Of the rail
city.
Railroad and mall communication be-
tween Jevallunos, Colon, and MatalzaS
ara interrupted. and II Is believed . be
Only q Question os q few hours whentel-
cgfaphic service wiz also fail,
nlsHAy ia Havana,
Christmas eve Is ushered In With
something very like dismay in the cty
and there Is apprehension hourly gan
Ing ground that Havana will be besi,g-
ed by armed forces before Christmas
day is over The advance OF the ins'F-
gents seemed at latest adYlces 10 Ae
uninterrupted, thus coptradicting q ~.
port saht out during the afternoon thht
they had been turned back In a pitched
battle by Campos himself, and were
striving TO make their way back into
Santa Clara province.
This rumOr stated IN great detail that
General Campog, In person, at tho head
OF the Spanish forces had succeeded IN
coming face to face with Gomez and
his forcse at the plantation OF COlseo,
which was infamed. This plantntion
Is situated twelve miles nom carte-
naA and twepty'onn miles from Mn'un-
Eas. The insurgents, Il was said, were
hemHipd In and were compelled To figlt,
all retreat being cut on. Desperate en-
gaEements took place. the conbnteits
being suroundede by the flames OF tho
burning plantation. The insurgene,
Il was said, were dispersed leaving W
dead and wounded on the field. Tie
loss was, II was reported, compNT-
lively Insignificant. being only four
teen. and Gen. Valdez and Loque Ind
already started 10 Sannbilla del Elc,-
mendadum. supported by several othG
columns, In pursuit OF the flying In
surgents. who were supposed 10 b.
making their way back TO Santa Ciart
province ht their best speed. This re-
port had the effect OF greatly restoring
confidence here, and II was generally
believed for a time that II Indicated
that Gomez had given up his campaign
for lack Of support In Matnn1as.
The details OF this engagement had
hardly been disseminated through the
city, however. before there came fur
ther report that the Insurgents were
marching towards GuanAbRna and that
Captain General Campos had hastened
thus once more moving his headquar-
tGrs westward and nearer Havana, as
he has had TO do 90 often within tho
last few days.
NoTruth in n.
Guanabana Is only about Ave miles
out Of MatanEas and ten or fifteen miles
west of colisco plantation. whore Gen.
Campos was said 30 have won his i'm
portnnt victory over Gomez in person.
Il became evident that the reports OF
Gen. Cnmpos' successful stand and rout
OF the Insurgents was either unfouhded.
or that force that he had met wns mere
~ a wing of the insurgents army sent
10 make a diversion, while the muin
columns pushed on TO thewestw0rd.
All is confusion OF mind here and the
authorities are apparently nll at sea ah
to whnt will be the next step Of the In
Burgents, whether MathnEas will be be-
sieged, or whether the advance on that
point Is merely q font to hold the Span
ish forces there, while the Insurgents
forces make q way once more In the
west for Havana, which Is less than
fibty miles from MatanZas. The near
approach OF teh Insurgents 70 Matnn-
zns has, In fact, had the effect OF cons
centriting oil the available Spanish
forces az tiTat town and the country
people from miles around have locked
into Mntnngas.
Thousands oc people from all parts Of
the country arotfad MntAnSas are flock
ing In terror into that city. according
to the official reports. But other re-
ports soy thnt that they are in the main
offering to Join the insurgents who
are-belng plentifully supplied with pro-
visions by the Inhabitants OF NIL the
towns along the route they follow.
At tho little town OF Jacnn. Santo Dc
mingo, a detachment OF seventy four
soldiers under a captain and two lett
tenants OF the Spanish army, were at
tackled and for the most part cut to
piecea BY the InsurRents.