The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-04-17
OFFICIAL REPORTS.

Gunboat Went to the Assistance of Bat
talon ard Routed Insurgents.
Havana, April I6.-Eurther details of the
fighting between the Alfonso XIII bat
TALON and the insurgents under Meceo at
san Claudio. near the northern extremity
OF tn cmilitary line across the province of
Pinar del Rio. shows that the Spanish
gunboat Ale.ta. which 80 opportunely
went 10 the aid of the troops. found that
the latter had been compelled to retrest
before an overwhelming force of 900 in
surgents. Although the latter outnuin-
nered the men of The Alfonso NH bat
talon by over ten TO one. ana In spite OF
the fact that the soldiers were led III pui-
suing the rctrsatiHg vanguard OF the en-
envy Into the position whicn almost eiia-
bled the Insurgents to surround lheih, the
Spanish Infantry reiterated IN Boou OF aer'
fighting stnbho.nly as tney ga 80, ou aI
INK The retreat thc government troops IN
flictrd heavy 10 SEES upon Maccos forces
and succeeded Ia maintaining a correct
formation uUtil. after "a seven hours night,
the harbor of san Claudio was reached
and the troops barricadcd themselves IN
the best possible position ana determined
u fight to the last. During their iong ana
harraSslns retreat the Alfonso Mi bat
talon only Lost one officer and four men
killed ana had hut thirteen men wounded.
Tho fire of the troops was SO wen dtiif-
cred and the movements of the battalion
were so effective and promptly executed
that the 800 Cubans were unable to
achieve any advantage fuithcr tnan com
polling the greatly ovcrmatched body OF
Spanish infantry to retreat IN good order,
BESIDES. IL is claimed. even this retreat
would not have been necessary IL hhd
not been for the supneness OF General
EchaVIra who was IN command OF
much greater column operating IN con
Junction with the column OF colonel De
vos, the Alfonso NIll battalion and IN the
lattcr's immediate neighborhood.
Generals Echava,ia. Saurez and fnclan
loft Marcel. north Of the Inc, with the
Alfonso NH battalion on MondaE, ny
different roads. IN an attempt TO enGhsc
tiacnos forces The Alfonso XIII bat
talon became engaged as already detailed
and should have been promptly sprpotteu
bv the nearest spanish column, thut OF
General EcEavaria. but the Inter not only
failed 10 support colonel l,eV9s as ptoi'il'l-
To- have delayed notifying General sauroS
and General Ynclan of the iucalpn ui
Mareo when the latter had attacked the
N Tirhe Nlertn heard the firing while cruis-
Inn orf Tho coast and headed for san
claudio where the warship iound NE ~
fonso XIII battalion hastily hnrTicaded
in houses warchouscs- etc. III anu angn'
Inc landing plnce of the little port. Colo
mel IDovos. while determining to holu I'm
Claudio TO the last was caf1ns iof ~, ~
ycnuntied to the utmost. ana untcr IRE
of Tho enemy. he succeeded in emnafhllG
tho thirteen injured soldiers INTO SINAI
boats. from which they we're 'fthsinir ,,r
10 a small schooner which was AT ahcnor
near tho landing place when the battaiioh
entered the place. ,.,, o,,a ~
when the gunhoat got within rang "
numbers over the hills IN me Vieinily oi
san claudio, Il hot fire from hsr gun,
and nflcmon opened Maero = 20 - ~, M,
Nv well directed shells cAliuuru ~ '"'
| sn,,uy's ranks cnuse1 much dlsorur.,
rhcn. when tho troops un1sr nr'e ~,
Ynclan arrived ana openeh nr tro 81 owe v'e
H., Kin and finally disappeared. "horeai.
RI ,h t''s spanish columns had acted weli IN
concert tho result might nnve "e1 a., ~
n,nst diqastrous defeat for Maceo, n
araI Trhnyaria has since been reicE.u VI
| his command and IS nov IN ms olly ~, w
explain his inaeiion IL ~ VII, a ,nsst
,,h'''n Ia, thn circumrtances ana in Nl''w
! ht' ,pn 1Iifd ,utics offered by the country
hi. colunr had 70 irahei' .,roos do ,,s
u" -, ,,a,,oi Ruiz at sam Anireas un Ils
Wien Inns been ongEgc1 with the insur-
nents under Torres ana mas oap,u,ru t ,',1
Iatier's camp the insuIs,en,s, hen
with seventy XII. an" WIN 49,"
h'iin nolnn M Of Spanish troops under Lajas
has been ongneed WIN ~ ma ,,nb eft behind
~ IN 'i,6elr retreat sis rifles ana guam
~, .i,v', If 7" ammunition. The troops mad Two
n,h NWs 9u.'hn of Spanish troops under
60, r,s,riich while skirmlshing IN me
,oIu .,i,,.o ~ Santa Clara. has mad brusn
rr,ith the Insurgents, three Oh ""o'' w."
k rha leader Trujlo. near place,as san ~
clara recently sHrpriso1a So,shteere Thir
government v,are wounded but Irnliiio;
t teen Sisr"is 10 report was shot and killed
dur.nF ths aaa nn s,slrm!shes at Bahia Hon
Duins Antonio de los Banos ana Jaiu,2
40, S ins,,rrents left ten killed on the heid
me the troops took six prsonerst ackea the
The hsf'ii oiay. near Mariana. hut have
y yan 1reyp,used by a detachment OF 'n nf
Ssumea SSS,,,aaon a An SSSra
the sa iis surprised, on the farm OF Ia
tni s ,o u,as' a newly formed band OF insur-