Omaha daily bee., 1896-05-15
ATTACKED FROM ALL SIDES
Insurgent Army Gets the Spanish Troops
Into an Awkward Corner.
OPEN FIRE ON THEM FROM THE CLIFFS
Cubnns, However, According to the
Omcinl story, Are Driven from
the Field, After Two
Hours' Fighting.

HAVANA, May 14.-Coonel Segura, at the
head of a column Of Spanish troops at
Ciego Montera between Santa Clara ana
Cienfuegos has been engaged with force
OF insurgent cavalry said TO number 2,UOO
men, under GARLIC and Zaya, forming the
escort of Maxine Gomez. After a two
hours conflict the insurgents retreated,
leaving many wounded behind. Country'nen
met by the troops assert that the insurgents
in retreating carried with them many dead
and wounded on their horses. On the gov
eminent side, one lieutenant and nineteen
privates were wounded The troops pur-
sued the enemy and another engagement
took place yesterday morning at Arroyo
Banco.
Meagre details have been received OF an
attack made upon the famous Platere camp
of the insurgents by Colonel segura COZ.
umn. which was admittedly severe for the
Spaniards The official report, however,
places the loss of the troops at only one
lieutenant and four prlvates killed ana one
capt1in and twenty-seven privates wouhdeu,
while the reported loss OF the insurgents
was ffty-nine killed left on the field and
hundred wounded carried of.
COLONEL SEGURA'S MOVEMENTS.
Colonel Segura left Jaguaja at the head OF
his column on May and encountered an IN
surgent band in ambush at Santa Cruz. lhese
rived at Seibabo Colonel Segura perceived
insurgent infantry going toward the noted
Platero camp. The troops went in pursuit,
proceeding cautiously, however though only
slight resistance was offered to their ad-
vance They went forward till they came op-
posite lofty hills, where the insurgents mad
built a stronghold with intrenchments and
earthworkn Here bloody engagement oc-
Cured The Insurgents allowed the column
TO advance until they had entered dehle
close under the heights. the cavalry ana bag
gage train, however, being still in the rea.'
In moment the heights blaZed with a Sue
den fire Of musketry and there was 1ullIu re-.
down upon the heads of the troops a deaaiy
shower OF dynamite bombs and shells which
exploded in the ranks of the Spaniards rms
sudden onslaught was unexpected and threw
the troops into temporary panic. IL iookeu
as though the insurgents would sweep
everything before them. The artil-
lery was thrown into confusion and was
helpless and useless, and was placed hors
du combat. The mules which were dragging
the pieces SHE'D at the noise and fre Of
the explosives. and fell into a ditch. The
artilerymen had to lift two of the cannon
out of the ditch and into position by main
strength before they became available Tor
service at all. They we-e trained on the
rocks and loaded with she'll There was no
enemy visible to fire upon, the only sign Of
them being n heavy smoke cloud, which
hung over the rocks and showed where
their terrible onslaught had come from. The
attack from a line of the enemy perched
in entrenchments on the steep hills which
faced them, and. to add to the damage and
confusion. an attack was very soon opened
upon the left flank Of the troops The first
company of the Seamore battalion and the
cavalry were intrusted with the task of
repellng the flank attack. The engagement
thus suddenly opened began at II o'clock
and continued until 1 o'clock. The official
/ report announces that at the end of that
time the SpaniardS were in sole DOssessiOn
of the field, the losses incurred being as
above stated.
Captain General Weyler has congratulated
General Segura and Colonel Frances upon
their activity IN operating against the in
surgents and has recommended them to the
government for promotion.
Colonel Dubia while accommodating in the
district of MatanZas, not far from Cienfueros,
captured two insurgent outpCets and contin-
ung his advance, eventually came upon and
attacked an insurgent camp After hard
fight the insurgents who were led by Aulet
were compelled to retreat and the troops
captured the camp. the Insurgents left
flag and a quantity of arms. The troops
also captured two prisoners. On the side OF
the troops five men were wounded.
General Prats has overtaken and dispersed
the insurgents under Edourdo Garcia at
Guasama this province. The insurgents
left three killed on the field and the troops
captured one prisoner.
A captain Of guerrillas belonging to- Raba-
dana in the province of Matanzas has had
skirmish with an insurgent force under Car
denas Three ot the enemy were killed
While the guerrilla forces of the column
of Spanish troops commanded by General
Castelano were reconnoitering at Pales
Umevado, province OF Puerto Principe, they
came across an insurgent force In the
fight which followed eleven of the Cubans
were killed among them being two lieuten-
ants belonging to the insurgent band com