The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-01-03
Cuban Forces Only Thirty Miles
From the Capital.
There Has Been No Real Check
to GOmeZ's Advance.
SPANISH IN RETREAT.
Campos Outgeneraled by the
Insurgent Leader.
Full Strength of the Insurgents
in the New IncurSiOn.

HAVANA, Jan. 3-News received
to-day leaves no doubt that the in
surgents are in large force in the
province of Havana, and are spread
over a wide space, their rear guard
stretching back into Matanzas prov
ince, while their van guard is at Aqua
Cate, town of some Importance on
the railroad between Matanzas and
Havana. and only little over thirty
miles from Havana. Apparently the
full force of the insurgents is engaged
in this renewed incursion toward
Havana. But they maintain the same
scattered formation, divided into col
umns, which proved so effective in car
rying them in the immediate neighbor-
hood of MantanZas, the different col
umns apparently retaining the intui-
tive faculty of knowing the where
abouts and needs of each other and
thus being able to cooperate with one
another and avail themselves to the
full of the feints 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 ap-
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 battalions of troops
were stationed at Los Palos to oppose
their advance into the rich valley of
the Guinas district, which is studded
over with some of the most valuable
cane fields in the island. This force
seems to have failed utterly to pre-
vent the insurgents from passing them
and reaching Aqua Cate, which is.
however, well to the Northward of the
Guinas distrist. 1t is learned that
Gomez now intends to extend his in
cursion into the Western province
of Pinar del Rio, and the situa-
ton is considered exceedingly grave,
in view of the great activity that has
been manifested by local bands of in
surgents in Pinar del Rio ever since
Gomez advanced into MatanZas. 1t is
known that Gomez has directed these
movements, Notwithstanding the des-
ignation of their leaders by the au-
thorities as mere bandits. 1t is feared
that this advance will be accompanied
by general uprising in the province,
co-operated 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 surround
ing the city with insurgents, and
there are ill-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 a raid, intended to destroy
property, as was the last one.
The sentiment of the population
here, as already noted, is gradually
undergoing change favorab Bile to the
insurgent cause. and nobody would be
astonished to find that it has taken
more decided form than passive sym
pathy. The police are carefully watch
ing the quarters inhabited by people
supposed to be in sympathy with the
insurgents; but this has not pre-
vented numbers of young men from
escaping from the city and making
their way to the insurgent camps.