The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1895-06-28
REAL FIGHTING IN CUBA.
A Desperate Battle in the Province
of Puerto Principe,
THE INSURGENTS USED MAOHETEs.

A Small Party of Government Gueriilas
Attacked by a Superior Force of Insur-
gents and Butchered-Captain General
de Campos Wants More Soldiers,
HAVANA, June 25.-Details have reached
here of desperate fight between
portion of the insurgent force under
Maxine Gomez in the province of Puerto
Principe and seventy of the auxiliary
troops of the Spanish government, known
as guerillas, under Captain Aguero The
engagement took place the day of the
raid on San Geronimo.
The seventy guerillas were surprised by
the vanguard of Gomez's force, com
manded by Nlcasio Mirabel, and there
was great slaughter on both sides, the
fighting being mainly with machetes
The guerillas were out on a reconnoiter-
ing expedition and unexpectedly came
across the insurgent vanguard, consisting
of about 400 men. At first the guerillas
imagined they had only a comparatively
small body of men before them, and their
commander, Aguero called upon the in
surgents to halt, crying out: "Who goes
thereY Spanish forces, was the reply
of the insurgent leader, as his men contin-
ued to advance rapidly upon the govern
ment guerillas. Twice or three times more
did the guerillas try to halt the insurg
ents, but the latter pushed on quickly un-
til their leader, seeing that the guerillas
were in an awkward position, cried: "At
the machete." This cry showed the gov
ernment force that they We're confronted
by insurgents and not by a detachment
of Spanish guerillas as they had been led
to believe, and the mask being thus thrown
off the guerillas replied to the then oft re-
peated cries of AT the machetes' with
volleys from their carbines as they com.
menced to retreat before the vastly SUI
perior force of insurgents.
Soon the government soldiers and the
insurgent troops became engaged in n
hand to hand combat, which quickly be
came little more than a massacre Of the
unfortunate guerillas. The insurgents,
in the meanwhile, had been reinforced
until they are said to have numbered fully
l,5OO men composing the main body of
men under the command of Gomez
Against these overwhelming numbers
the guerillas fought heroically shouting
Viva Espana' as they defended them
selves as best they could against the en-
emy, using trees, rocks or anything avail
able behind which to shelter themselves
as they fired as fast as possible at the in
surgents who pressed forward from all
sides upon the little band.
For an hour the fight lasted, and moth
ing could be heard but the rattle of mus
kerry, the shouts of the combatants and
the clashing of machetes 1t is believed
that few, if any, Of the guerillas escaped
being killed or wounded.
Captain Aguero led his men gallantly
until an insurgent slashed at his horse S
head with a machete, causing it to fall
and throw the guerilla leader heavily to
the ground.
The insurgents engaged with Aguero' 5
| guerillas are believed to form part of the
| body of men which recently burned the
| towns of Ell Mulato and San Geronimo
| after capturing the forts and garrisons of
! those places, and it is said the news of this
| fresh disaster has caused a very uneasy
| feeling in official circles. There is nc
| doubt that if the government officials are
| willing to admit these disasters to the
| Spanish army in Puerto Principe within
few days and not far from the capital OF
| that province, that the situation of affairs
there must be very grave indeed, and may
| prove much more so when Maceo, who is
reported to have made his way from the
province of Santiago de Cuba into Puerto
Principe, joins his forces to those of Go,
| mez.
That there is real cause for alarm may
| be gathered from the fact that Captain
! General Martinez de Campos has cableC
| to the Spanish government asking for the
! prompt dispatch Of H. 1000 additional troop;
from Spain to enable him to undertake
an offensive campaign in Cuba after the
rainy season is over. The statement has
caused some excitement in Madrid al
! though the government has been making
! preparations for some time past to seuC
additional troops to Cuba.
Advices received here from Santiago de
| Cuba say that an insurgent force mum
bering about 400 men has made an attach
upon Tiarriba, in the province of Santi
ago de Cuba, that they were repulsed, anC
are now in flight being pursued by th,
! Spanish troops.