The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-01-04
HAVANA, no !.
VictOriousCubans Come in Sight
of the Ramparts
Of the Beleagured Capital of
Cuba Today.
Campos, the Spanish General is
Surrounded.
SOME ADVANCE BODIES
Of the Cubans Already in Ha-
vana's Outlying Suburbs.
Last Night Their Campfires Wis
ible to the City People.
Of the Cubans Already in Ha
vana's Outlying Suburbs.
Last Night Their Campfires Wis
ible to the City People.
THE LAST DEFENSE.
Preparations for a Final Battle
to Hold Havana.
CONSERVATION Prevails in the
City Among All Glasses

HAVANA, Jan. 4-Unless all indica-
tious are misleading the end of the
Cuban insurrection is at hand, and the re-
suit. it would seem, must be in favor of
the insurgents, whose armies. under Gen
erals Maxine Gomez, Antonio Maceo and
Quintin Bendara are nearing this city
from three different directions.
The above facts, so frequently
denied in official circles during
the past two weeks, are now
generally admitted, even in Ofic
ial circles Although all sorts
of lame explanations of the triumphant
advance of the Cubans are put forth in
the hope of calming public excitement,
no amount of explanation will alter the
fact that the insurgent cavalry scouts
are believed TO have been sighted from
here this morning
As these advance bodies of the Cubans
wero at Tapaste, eighteen miles from
Guanabaco, practically a suburb of this
city, last night it is by no
means improbable that the report
that the Cuban scouts have been sighted
from the lines defending Havana is cor
rect
1t is no longer a cry of "on to Havana"
from the Cubans They are here slowly
but surely surrounding this capital after
a triumphant march from the eastern
end of Santiago de Cuba to the capital
of this island, in spite of all
the best troops of Spain could
do to prevent them. Step by
back before the advance of the victor
ious army, until here preparations ara
being completed on both sides for the
final and decisive struggle.
General CampOs has 10000 men, but
they can not be massed at Havana in
time. Gomez has $4,000 trained and
hardened soldiers.
General Bandera and his column
camped last night at San Jose de Las
Lakas, very short distance from Ia
parie and his forces are now said to be
moving on GuaRabaco, or its vicinity in
order to take up the position assigned to
them for the siege of Havana.
Another report has it that Bandera will
try to pass Mount Bejuca to Rincon and
from there to Santiago de Las Vegas to
cut the railroads leading into Havana,
but in any case, it is admitted that he
will push onward toward this city. His
camp fires were last night visible from
In fact 1t is claimed that Bandera will
camp this evening at the Venio farm,
within rife shot of the outposts of the
Spaniards.
The main body of the insurgent col
umn under General Gomez was reported
this morning TO be at Duran moving in
the direction of Guira Melana at the
bend of the railroad leading from the
province of Pinar del Qio into Havana
Other portions of Gomez's column, by far
the strongest of the three and now said
70 number 5000 men, were sighted to-
day at Guivican and San Felipe, only
slightly to the eastward and northward
of Guira Melana.
The third insurgent column, under
Gen. Maceo was announced this morning
to have passed Csiba, Mocha, with
Gomez, who as last heard from should
now be in the vicinity of San Antonio
Vegas.
All three columns have been continu-
Ing the work of destruction, burning
cane fields and plundering the houses of
the wealthier class as they pushed
onward. The Providence Nom6r de
Dias, Julia La Gia, Mercedita and other
plantations in the Guines district. |
through which the insurgents have lust |
passed, have been completely wiped out |
Here the utmost CONSERVATION nra.
walls in government circles There
is no denying that Havana is
now to all intents and purposes |
invested by the insurgents. Their |
columns are pressing unchecked around |
this city and the military authorities
seem to have fallen into a cor1nIe+a .tata
of helplessness. -'-'S
Government officials are bIaminp the
different Spanish generals for fhe co..
dition of affairs, utterly regardless of
the fact that it was Cannes,
plan of campaign, the Wild
scattering of his forces ali
over the island, which is mainly 70
blame for this crisis. although other in.
Euences have had a great share ia the
bitter humiliation of the Spaniards In
capacity has been supplemented by sick
AesS and treachery. The Spanish sol