Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-26

The lighting took place amid burning
| cane, underwood, tall grass and trees, and
was of the usual guerrilla nature. At
times both the troops and the insurgents
were surrounded by walls of flames and the
smoke was 80 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, wasting
vast quantities CT good ammunition. 1t
is true that the indiScrirninate firing was
more noticed upon the part of the troops
than on the side of the insurgents, but for
one insurgent killed at least 1900 shots
must have been fired.
Fighting ut Long Range.
The Cubans. following their customary
| tao tics. seemed to melt away into the dis
lance soon as the troops got within
sighting distance of them, and nearly all
the firing was at very long range, although
the soldiers made several gallant charges
through the burning territory.
This style of fighting is termed a defeat
of the insurgents, but, as they succeeded
in accomplishing their object, holding the
Spaniards in check while the Cuban army
pushed on southwark, the result was really
a Cuban victory.
The captain general was as near the front
as possible throughout the battle, encour-
| aging the TROOPS by word and action.
One of the captain generals orderlies
who was sitting on his horse by the side of
Gen. Campos, received a bullet in his chest
and fell to the ground severely wounded
The shot no doubt was intended for the
Spanish commander.
Brave Correspondents.
The correspondent of Correspondence
Manuel Escobar, was decorated on the field
of battle by the captain general for gallant
conduct at the battle of Ensenenada de La
mora, and it may here be added that sew
eral other newspaper men have displayed
good deal of pluck in remaining with the
ANITA md fro W
to have supreme contempt for the bullets
of the insurgents. but he is rapidly learn
ing to admire their tactics
In spite of all the veteran Spa lish COM
mander does, the Cubans are marching
through his forces, with but few Skin
mishes here and there, and he seams utter
ly unable to concentrate ahead Ct them
force sufficient to draw the enemy into a
pitched battle When Campos establishes
a headquarters and lays out place of bat
tie, the Cubans seem by some mysterious
means to hear of it, for, pretending to fall
into the trap they push body of men for
ward, skirmshing with the troops, draw
the Spanish forces upon them, and then
the Cuban army proper outfianks the Span
iards and pushes steadily onward toward
Havana.
Is 1t II Trap:
The admirers of the captain general claim
this is his plan of campaign; that he is al
lowing the Cubars to get by him and near
and nearer to Havana only for the pur-
pose of eventually falling upon them in the
rear and scattering them to all the points
of the compass.
This sounds plausible enough, but the in
surgents are destroying all bridges rail-
ways and plantations behind them. The
route they have followed is marked by a
blackel ed Swath Of smoking ruin and DESC
laton, and the Spaniards will have diff
cult task to push on after their 11eet-foo-ed
enemies.
Besides within two weeks, Campos has
changed his headquarters from Santa Clara
to Cienfuegos, from Cienfuegos to Palmil-
las, from Palmillas to Colon, from Colon to
Jovellanos, from Jovellanos to Limonare,
he slept Tuesday night An these changes
were direct retreats before the enemy, in
the hope, it is true, of being able to bring
about pitched battle
This seems to be the secret of the failure
of the Spanards to check the advance of
the Cubans.
Ordered to Pursue.
The exact whereabouts of the captain
general is not known, but he is reported to
have made another change Of base, and 10
be making another attempt to engage the
enemy. All the Spanish in the rear of the
insurgents have been instructed to hurry
after the enemy with all possible speed.
Here. however, comes in the weakest fea-
ture of the campaign of the Spaniards. The
poorly-fed, half-grown lads, shipped from
Spain, are suffering terribly from the effects
of the climate and unusual exposure in
spite of the fact that this is the so-called
healthy season in Cuba. Yellow fever, small
poX and malarial fevers have told terribly
upon these unfortunate troops, and, in adj
dtion, they are utterly unfit for campaign
ing in a land Of bad roads, high grass,
swamps and low bushwood. They simply
| have not the strength to push steadily on af-
| ter the Cubans, who, as rule, are thorough
| ly acclimated, men accustomed to the coun-
| try, familiar with all its peculiarities and
| able to bear long marches without suffering
| too severely.
| Then again the Spanish troops are thor
| oughly dispirited. Their hearts are not in
| the fight, in spite Of the gallant manner in
| which they respond to Viva Espania" and
| dash at the enemy-only to be shot down OF
cut down, or else to find the Cubans disap-
pear as If adorned with wings.
The Cubans, on the other hand, are ami
| mated with the Split of patriotism, with
| the ali-absorbing desire for freedom.
Capture of Havana.
| While these facts cannot be denied, there