The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-01-15
Fighting Around Havana.

HAVANA, Jan. 14-At noon today
continued artillery firing was heard
south of Rincon, not far from Bejucal.
The, town was attacked by insurgents
yesterday. but they were forced to re-
treat. after a battle lasting it is
claimed, five hours; but it is admitted
the insurgents plundered the stores in
the outlying streets of Bejucal and
burned houses and destroyed the rail-
road depot. Previously they had
burned the town of Salud and partly
destroyed Quivican. They burned
freight trains and destroyed every
thing as they pushed northward to-
ward Havana. This force of insurgents
is the one supposed to be commanded
by Gomez, although it has been in
sisted that he is still in the province
of Pinar del Dio. and was in the con-
f1fct with the Spanish troops command
ed by General Linares. 1t is believed
an important engagement is taking
place
Confirmation has been received from
the eastern provinces that the leaders
Rabi, Jose Maceo. Rivero and others
at the head of strong forces of insur-
gents from the provinces of Puerto
Principe, believed to be much better
armed than any previous force and
to have been reinforced by filibustering
expeditions, containing numbers of
Americans. are moving eastward ap-
parently with the intention of rein
forcing the insurgents now operating
in the neighhorhood Of Havana. These
insurgent forces are said to have
moved into the Remedies district and
to have moved in northwesterly di-
rection from Sancti Espiritus to Re
medios and from there on westward.
80,
to meet this move by sending hack
towards Santa Clara several columns
of troops. which were on their way
through the province of Matanzas. to
reinforce his forces in this vicinity.
The INSURGENTS. it is believed. will
thus be Bile to continue for some time
longer their almost unchecked OPERA
tions, and if the Spanish generals are
not able to prevent a junction of all
the insurgent forces now in this vi
entity the situation will become more
critical.
Several insurgent bands. numbering
from 100 to 500 men. are reuorted to
have gathered in the provinces of Co
Ion and Matanzas, and all of these
will help to swell the Maceo forces.
The insurrection IS
INCREASING IN IMPORTANCE
every day Practically the whole in
terror of the island from east to west.
with the exception of the large towns.
is in the possession of the insurgents
who have burned everything con1busti-
BILE and have levied tribute right and
left under the very noses of the Span
ish commanders and cutting down the
revenue of the Spanish government
from Cuban sources about so per cent.
The insurgents are not acting hast
ilv in any way. They have nlenty of
time before !bem end intend to make
the most Of it. They have a central
government established at Hermnsa.
in the province of Puerto PrinciDe.
Their forces are orga nized in excellent
military style; they have regular army
workshops, hosnitaIs in addition to the
field hosnitals. depotS of provisions ard
ammunition. etc. Their cavalry is
vastly superior both in number and
quality to that of the Snaniards, and
the military experts assert that the
Importation of 1000 or 1000 Spanish
cavalry from Spain will in no wav
affect the situation as the Spanish
horses
CANNOT STAND THE CLIMATE.
The weak point Of the Cuban army is
its artillery. They have only few
guns Of the old-fashioned type and a
few modern rapid firing guns.
This afternoon it was stated that
General Maceo had plundered the vii
lage of San Diego de Nnuez, quite an
important place a little to the east
ward and southwark of Bahia Honda,
the port recently captured by the in
surgents. on the northern coast of
Cuba. and in the province of Pinar
del Rio.
J,ater-A report has lust been re-
ceived that the railroad station and
the railroad bridge at eSovea have been
BURNED BY THE INSURGENTS,
the bridge being partially destroyed.
Govea is on the railroad south from
Havana and south of BejucaI. In this
immediate neighborhood an engage
Inent is said to have taken place this
afternoon between General Linares
and the insurgents.
RIGHT TO KILL GAHE.
WASHINGTON, Jan. THE merits Of