The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-02-18
WORK OF INSURGENTS
CUBAN PATRIOTS NOW OvERRUNING
THE PROVINCE OF HAVANA.
MaccO Ready to Join Forces with
Cornerstone sOnlcial" Account
Of Spanish Victories.

HAVANA, Feb. 17.-Antorio Maceo is fair
ly within the province Of Havana, and is
east of the Batabano trocha. and If he
ha3 not joined forces with Maxine Gomez
he is in a position 10 do Sd when he pleases.
Large forces of insurgents are also within
reach in Matanzas province, where they are
overrunning the country and doing much
damage. The exact whereabouts OF Maxine
Gomez is not known, as he has not led any
large aggressive movements for some time
past. He seems to have lapsed into a condi-
ton of seeming apathy. like that which
characterized his stay in Puerto Principe,
while Antonio Maceo was waging an ener-
getic campaign in Santiago de Cuba. AS
that period Of seeming apathy on toners
part terminated with his Eruption into
Santa Clara and his dashing march west
ward almost TO the gates of Havana, show
ing how busy he had been in making effect
i've preparations. the authorities do not al
low themselves TO count much on his pres
ent ~quietude. The last reports stated that
Gomez was in the neighborhood of San An
tonic de las Vegas, a little west of the CEN
ter OF Havana province. This town has been
to a large extent the headquarters OF the in
surgents for some time past and has been
in their hands. In fact, a number OF the
officials of the town went over to the in
Yesterday Antonio Maceo, with his large
following from Pinar del Rio. made known
his presence also at San Antonio de Las
Vegas. His band, together with tnose OF
Miro and Castillo, were attacked at that
town yesterday by a column of troops un-
der Colonel Segura, and an engagement Oh
some Importance ensued. Colonel Segura,
In .,Is official report, relates that his forces
took the town and dislodged the insurgents,
who retreatel to a hill at Culebra. There
tney took positions and prepared to make
a Stand. But the artillery was brought to
play On them, and they were charged with
the bayonet, the cavalry, at the same .irie
and they retreated, leaving twelve Had,
besides seventy-one horses, some arms and
a quantity of ammunition. Ihey also car
ried OF numerous wounded. Colonel Sc
gura also engaged a portion of Maceo's
cOmmand at Vapor, where a vanguard OF
sixty and a main body of six hundred in
surgents were passing. Thu insurgent loss
wounded and three prisoners.
General Echague has employed a bit of
strategy to come up with the insurgents.
He embarked his command on a train made
up to resemble a freight train. The insur-
gents, In fact, mistook it for a freight train,
and. near Molina, surrounded 1t with the
intention of destroying 1t. Gen. Echague's
force attacked them. and. taking them by
surprise, caused them considerable loss In
killed and wounded.
The Spanish authorities here comment
upon Antonio Maceo's return to Havana
province by stating that he came with
three thousand men from the Eastern
provinces, and that he has returned from
Pinar del Rio to Havana with about seven
hundred men. Even IL he left some men
in Pinar del Rio, they say, these figures
prove that he sustained a great loss while
in that province.
A group of insurgents have burned the
stations at Minas, Campo and Florida and
the warehouse of San Miguel, near havana,
on the railroad to MatanZas.
The insurgent leader Ingesito and his
band attacked the village of La YSabel, in
the Colon district. The garrison repulsed
the assault upon the fort and put the in
surgents to flight with a loss of two killed
and twelve wounded. Several small bands
also attacked Fort Salvador, at C%iefentes,
in the Aqua district. The captain led the
garrison of fifteen in a sortie and three
insurgents were killed in the attack. The
insurgents also burned Panchila, near Sa-
qua. In Havana province they have burned
the canefields of Ell Arte, near San Felipe,
the fields of Armonio at Bolondron and the
fields of Santa Catalina at Guanavaba-
The culverts of the railroad at San Louis
in Santiago de Cuba have been dynamited
by the insurgents.
According to later reports of the engage
ment at Palo Prieto with the band of
Sarafin Sanchez, it was more important
than at first supposed. The insurgent loss
is now said to have been forty killed and
105 wounded, including the leader, Trujillo,
the Secretary of the Treasury of the
Cuban government; Severe, wounded and
the famous bandit. Tuerto Rodriguez, killed.