Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1896-01-09
THE CUBAN WAR.
Insurgents Within Thirty Miles
of Havana.
POPULATION FAvORINC THE REBELS.
Tho Sentiment Of the People Said to Be
Undergoing a Change and Showing
Sympathy with the Insur-
gent Cause.

HAVANA, Jan. News received yes
terday leaves no doubt that the in
surgents are in large force in the prov
ince OF Havana and are spread over
wide space, their rear guard stretch
ing back into Matanzas province, while
their vanguard is at Aqua Cate, town
of some Importance on the Terminal
railroad between Matanzas and lla-
vana and only little over 80 miles
from Havana.
Apparently the full force Of the in.
surgents is cnga red in this renewed
incursion towards Havana. But they
maintain the same scattered forma-
ton, divided into columns, which
proved so effective in carrying them
into the immediate neighborhood of
Matanzas, the different columns
apparently retaining the intuitive
faculty of knowing the where's
ahouts aud needs Of each other
and thus being able to cooperate with
one another and avail themselves to
the full of the fents and diversions
which the different columns carry out
for the assistance OF the others. The
Spanish commanders are apparently
utterly unable to cope with this style
Of warfare, or to check the destructive
advance of the Insurgents, which is
now once more directed straight upon
Havana.
Early in the day the authorities APP
parently had hopes of preventing the
entrance of the insurgents into
Havana province, when it became
known that they were gathering in
force on the borders, and two battal-
ions OF troops were stationed at Las
Palos to oppose their advance into the
rich valley of the Guinas district,
which is studded over with some of
the more valuable oaneiields in the
island. This force seems TO have failed
utterly to prevent the insurgents from
passing them and reaching Agua Cate
WHICH is, however, we'll to the north
ward of the Gunas district
1t is learned Gomez now intends to
extend his incurson into the western
province of pnar del Rio, and the sit
uation is considered exceedingly grave,
in view Of the great activity that has
been manifested by local bands of
insurgents In Pinar del Rio ever since
Gomez has directed these movements,
Notwithstanding the designation of
their leaders by the authorities as
mere bandits. 1t is feared that this
advance will be accompanied by a gen.
eral uprising in the province, cooper
ated in by the local leaders, who are
already very well equipped for doing
damage.
An advance into Pinar del Rio would
have the effect of practically sur
rounding this city with insurgents and
there are i'll concealed fears Of an up
rising within the city of the insur-
gents sympathizers. The authorities,
however, stoutly maintain all their
previously expressed confidence that
the insurgents will not dare to attack
Havana, and that the movement is
merely raid intended to destroy prop
srty, as was the last one.
The sentiment Of the population
here, as already noted, is gradually
undergoing change favorable to the
insurgent cause, and nobody would be
astonished to find that 1t has taken a
more decided form than passive sym
pathy. The police are careful ly watch
Ing the quarters Inhabited by people
supposed to be in sympathy with the
insurgents; but this has not prevented
numbers Of young men from escaping
from the city and making their way
to the insurgent oampa,