The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-13
INSURGENT VICTORIES.
Regulars Defeated in Several Desperate
Engagements-crime of Spanish
Lender

the guerrillas of Colonel Teieda and the
battalion, constituting 1900 men in all, had
bloody engagement with the rebel leaders,
Brigadier Cebreco and Colonel Pancho
Sanches, with 500 men, IN Iona de los
Ciegos and in San Prudencio.
The Spanish troops commenced the at
tack with such a hurried and continuous
firing from different directions that the
insurgents abandoned the aforementioned
place and took positions in San Prudencio,
after inlicting some losses to the troops
Colonel TejeGa, after giving some rest to
the soldiers, again attacked the rebels in
their new positions. A terrible fight en-
sued, but when the Spaniards arrived about
half way up the mountain they began to
show signs of weakening in consequence
of the constant and deadly fire of the
rebels.
Colonel Teieda then ordered an attack
with bayonets, and the insurgents, seeing
that, suddenly attacked the guerrillas with
machetes. The latter disbanded and in
running disorganized and scattered the
battalion, leaving them alone in the field.
Colonel Tejeda, being unable to rally the
dispersed guerrillas, had to retire with his
wounded.
In this engagement the Spanish had Dr.
Gomez, four officers and fifteen soldiers
killed, and Commander Ponet, seven Off
GERS and forty soldiers wounded. The
rebels had six killed and fifteen wounded.
The insurgents captured several horses,
three mules laden with ammunition, many
weapons and large box of medicines.
Another encounter has taken place
lately in La Tontina, between Spanish
Colonel Sandoval and Cuban leaders Ruen
and Dominguez. After short but hard
fight Dominguez defeated the Spanish
column. The troops had nine killed and
thirty wounded, The rebels captured ten
mules laden with ammunition and medi-
cines.
A horrible crime was committed near
Manzanillo on December "a by Spanish
guerrillas commanded by Colonel Benitz,
bandit whom MARTINEZ Campos took out
from the prison where he was serving a
term for crime and raised to the rank of
/ colonel of the Spanish army. Lolo Benitz
is Cuban by BIRTH On the evening of
the oath he went from Manzanillo with sixty
guerrillas with the object OF inspecting the
surroundings of the city. In the middle
of the night they arrived at country seat
called San Francisco, where there were
about twenty-five persons celebrating
Christmas eve, the majority of them
women and children. The guerrillas went
to the front Of the house, fired volley at
it and then entered, machetes in hand,
killing an old man, the owner of the place,
two other men, two women and two
children and wounding four men, three
women and four children. Lolo Benitz
took three men with him to Manzanillo as
prisoners, saying that he had dispersed
party of rebels.
On December "a a Spanish column 500
strong, under Colonel Ochoa, left Mayari
to carry a convoy of ammunition to a de-
tachment of troops stationed at La Juli-
ana. On their way they were met by the
rebel leader, Matias Vega, with 900 men.
The insurgents attacked the convoy and
captured forty mules laden with provis-
ions and ten with ammunition. The
troops retreated to Mayari, having eight
killed and thirty-seven wounded. The
Cubans also captured eight prisoners
On December % the Spanish columns of
Colonies Rodons and Pablos, with HOO
men, left Tignani by different roads with
the object of meeting in Manacahueca and
continuing together to the Venta des Casa
nova to fortify it and to place there a gar
rison. The insurgents under Colonel
Lora and the forces of the brigade of Cam
butte, who had learned of the plan of the
Spaniards, took up positions in Manaca-
hueca ahead of the troops.
Rebel commander Abad Reyes with 100
infantry and twenty cavalry began to fire
at Ro6ons' column, which trusting In
Colonel Pablo's arrival, entered the trap
which the rebels had prepared Tor them.
They were fired upon from all sides, and
afterwards a terrible charge was made
with machetes, which scattered the troops.
The forces of the Spanish Colonel Pablos
arrived too late to be of service More than
100 Mansur rifles and twenty mules, laden
with ammunition, were left in the hands
of the rebels. The Spaniards had three
officers and thirty-nine soldiers killed and
five officers and nine soldiers wounded.
Lieutenant General Pando has issued an
order threatening to court-martial all
owners of sugar estates if they do not
grind the cane on their plantations. OF
course, some planters, fearing that Pando
would carry out his threat, tried to COM
ply with the order, but the very day the
order was published in Guantanamo
newspapers, all the canefields of those who
were grinding were set on fire and they
had TO stop.
Jose Maceo and Rabi have notified the
planters that if they attempt to grind
again not only the cane will be burned but
their houses and machinery, too. General