The herald., 1896-07-19
The Spanish Forces Suffer q
Crushing Defeat
GENERAL INCLAN CAPTURED
And Held As Hostage for Lives o1
Insurgents
Pew Thousand Cheap Rifles Would Insure
the Success Of the RebeiIion-Dis-
ease Dreadfuiiy Prevalent
Associated Press Special Wire.

Ashoclateu FresS Special Wiro.
KEY WEST, Fla, July 18.-The Span.
iards under Gen. Suarez Inclan have
sustained a crushing defeat at the hands
of the insurgents under Antonio Maceo.
Not only was Inclans column defeated
with heavy loss. but it is currently re-
ported that the Spanish general himself
was captured and Is now held a prisoner
by Maceo.
The battle is said to have occurred on
July 18th. near Maceos stronghold in
Pinar del Rio. For the past two weeks
the rebels have been very aggressive
and small parties have repeatedly at
tackled the trocha, causing the Spaniards
much annoyance. Inclan was ordered
to drive back these detached bands of
Cubans, and for this purpose took with
him 1000 men. Maceo seems to have ex-
pected such a movement and arranged
to ambush the Spaniards. He station
ed large force in a favorable spot and
ordered his detached bands to draw into
the trap. The Spaniards followed the
insurgent skirmishers in cautiously and
fell into the ambush. Then the Cubans
opened fire from all sides, which threw
the Spaniards into confusion. While the
Spaniards were thus beset the Cubans
charged and completely routed their
foes. Inclan made a desperate effort to
rally his demoralized forces, but was
surrounded by the Cubans and COMPEL,
ed to surrender.
1t Is said In Havana that the Spaniards
were pursued almost to the trocha and
lost more than 800 men killed and wound
ed. There were fourteen officers among
the killed.
The Cubans here also say that Maceo
will hold Inclan as hostage to save the
lives Of prominent insurgent officers
who have been captured by the Span.
iards One of those officers Is Capote.
II this rebel leader is shot by the Span
iards it Is thought Inclan will meet the
same fate at the hands of Maceo.
MORE ARMS WANTED
NEW YORK, July 19.-The World this
morning publishes the following corres-
pondence from the headquarters of
Gen. Maceo:
| TOMAS DE SAN JOSE, Pinar del Rio.
June 26.-"The want Of few cartridges
and few cannon said Gen. Antonio
Maceo, is all that makes our govern
ment use natures rocks instead of brick
and mortar for White House"
ASKED now many and what arms and
ammunition he needed to guarantee to
win the war in, say two months. he
said:
L could do it with.20.oo0 cheap Rem
1ngton rifles, small caliber, 1,5OO, 900 cart
ridges, ten cannon and 100000 rounds
of artillery ammunition. might do II
with much less. would invariably at.
tack the Spaniards and attack them
after maneuvering their columns into
cul de sacs, and 1 would take an i'm
portant town. The supplies captured
there would assist in the capture of the
next one, and so on, until 1 would be
able to storm Havana with its fully
equipped army of 100000 men and flftv
pieces of artillery.
IN addition to our $4,000 armed men.
we have fully 10000 more men armed
with only machetes and revolvers. thus
giving us probable total of $4,000 revo-
lutionists in the field"
He estimates the Cubans have seven
cartridges to each soldier.
II have no dictatorial aspirations
Shall use what influence possess In
the government of the republic of Cuba
only to secure its stability and to pro-
mote its prestige. The moment the flag
or Spain leaves our shore / shall recon-
mend the payment and dismissal to the
peaceful pursuits from which he was
taken of every armed man of our armv
OF liberty except the few policemen nee
essary to enforce the observance of the
laws of the republic"
Gen. Maceo says he is sick and tired
of war. He is suffering from his twenty.
fourth wound.
RAGING DISEASES
HAVANA, July 1S.-During June the
military hospitals of the island accom-
modated S06S sick. OF that number 1872
were suffering from yellow fever. 146
from dysentery, 972 from malaria, 70
from typhoid fever and 72S wounded.
During the last ten days of June 236
deaths occurred, of which III resulted
from yellow fever.