The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-01-05
The Cuban Insurgents Closing
in Upon Havana.
FROM THREE DIRECTIONS
The End Of the Insurrection is
Now at Hand.
PREPARING FOR THE STRUGGLE
Rebel Camp Fires Visible From the
Spanish Outposts Around the City
Campos Seeks a Conference
With the insurgents.

WIN Une insurgents.
Havana, Jan. 4.-Unless all indica
tions are misleading. the end of the
Cuban insurrection is at hand, and the
result, it will be seen must be in favor
of the insurgents whose armies under
Maxine Gomez, Antonio Maceo, and
Qulntm Bandora are nearing this city
from three different directions.
The above facts so frequently denied
in official circles during the past two
weeks are now generally admitted.
even IN official circles, although all
sorts OF lame explanations of the tri-
umphant advance of the Cubans are
put forth in the hope of calming pub
liceXcitement. Butno amounto fexpla-
uation Will alter the fact that insur-
gent cavalry scouts are believed to
have been sighted from here to-day.
AS these advance bodies of the Cubans
were at Lapaste, IS miles from. Guiana
baco, practically a suburb of this city.
last night, ii is by no means improb-
able that the report that the Cuban
scouts have been sighted from the
lines defending Havana is correct.
IT is no longer cry of ION to Ha-
vana," from the Cubans, they are here.
slowly but surely surrounding this
Capital after triumphant march
from the eastern end OF Santiago dc
Cuba to the capital OF this island, in
spite of all the best troops of Spain
could do 10 prevent them. Step nv
step Gen. Campos has been driven back
before the advance of the victorious
army until now preparations are being
completed on both sides for the final
and decisive struggle.
General Bandora and his column
camped last night at San Jose dc Las
Lajas, a very short distance from
Lapaste, and his forces are now said to
be moving on Guanabaco, or it's vicin-
itY,in order to take up the position
assigned to them for the Siege of
Havana
Another report has it that Bandora
will try 10 pass by Mount Beiuical to
{incon, and from there to Santiago de
Las Vegas, to cut the railroads leading
into HAVANA but in any case, it is ad-
mitted that he will push onward to-
ward this city and his camp-fres may
tonight be visible from the Spanish
outposts around this city. In fact,it
is claimed that Bandora viii camp to-
night at the Vento farm, within rifle
shot of the outposts of the Spaniards
The main body of the second column,
under General Gomez, was reported
this morning to be at Duran, moving in
the direction OF Guira Melana, at the
bend of the railroad leading from the
province of Pinar del Rio into Havana.
Other portions of Gomez's column, by
far the strongest of the three, and now
said to number 5000 men, were sighted
to-day at Glrvican San Felip, only
slightly 10 the eastward and north
ward of Guira Melena.
The third insurgent column, under
General Maceo, was announced to-
day to have passed Ceiba Mocha, with
Gomez, when last heard from, and
should now be in the vicinity Of San
Antonio Vegas, or between there and
Nazarene. All threee columns have
been continuing the work of destruc-
ton, burning cane fields, and plunder-
ing the houses of the wealthier classes
as they pushed onwards. The Provi-
dence, Nombre de Dias, Julia La Gia,
Mercedita, and other plantations in
the Guines district, through which the
insurgents have just passed, have been
completely wiped out by fire.
Here the utmost CONSERVATION pre-
walls in Government circles. There is
no denying that Havana is now, to all
intents and purposes, invested by the
insurgents. Their columns are press
ing unchecked around this city, and
the military authorities seem to have
fallen into a complete state OF help
lessness.
But the most astonishing feature of
the climax is the cool manner in which
the insurgents have pushed onward
during the past ten days Right on the
ground the insurgents have traversed
are strong columns of Spanish troops,
said to number i'm all about 10000 men;
but we hear OF no fighting worth
mentioning, a skirmish here and
there being all that is received.
Well-to-do people from the districts
around Havana are focking into the
city. The price of provisions has al
ready begun to go up alarmingly. In
the streets the hustle and hustle of
the military is visible. Every man and
boy who can be placed under arms has
been called upon to shoulder q rifle,
and the warships have landed every
man and every gun available for the
defence of the city.
Late this afternoon it was reported
that Campos had sent special mes
senger to the insurgents with the OBJ
ject of bringing about a conference
with their leaders Not only was the
report not confirmed, but the authori-
ties ridiculed the idea, claiming that
the enemy consisted OF only "few
fving bands of rebels" and that the
Spanish columns are pressing on after
them, had caught them in tran from
which their only escape was death or
unconditional surrender,