The herald., 1896-12-09
GENERAL WEYLER
CAUGHT N 4 TRAP
Maceo Executes a Skill.
full Flank Movement
THE TR0CHA PROVES NO BARR|n
The Insurgents Pushing on To.
ward Havana
FORTY THOUSAND STRONG
The Rebels Are Knocking at the Gates
of Havana
While Weyler Has Got Himself Lost in the
Mountains
Not Unlikely That Maceo May Strik4
Before the Captain General Can
Return-Reports That Ma
Geo Is Dead
FORTY THOUSAND STRONG
The Rebels Are Knocking at the Gates
of havana
While Weyler Has Got Himself Lost II The
Mountains
Associated Press Special wire

Associated PreSS special Wlro
HAVANA, Dec. SIT is now SEMI
officially admitted that Antonio Maceo.
the insurgent leader, passed the mill
tary line at Pinar del Rio on Friday last
near Mariel He was accompanied by
the son of Maxine Gomez There was
much excitement here when 1t became
generally known that Maceo had crossed
the line with, it is understood, strong
force Of insurgents especially when
coupled with the fighting between Span
ish troops and insurgents close to this
city.
TT seems evident that the insurgsna
commander not only cleverly turned the
flank of Captain General Weyler, but
succeeded in getting in his rear and
crossing the famous military line near
the port, which has been used as q base
of supplies for the Spanish troops near
Pinar del Rio The Importance OF this
movement cannot be exaggerated.
The exact whereabout Of Weyler IL not
known, but he is believed to be hunting
Maceo in the mountains of the eastern
part of Pinar del Rio, while the insur-
gents chief has seemingly doubled on
his tracks, turned the flank Of the Span
ish general and passed in his rear in the
direction of this city, crossing the mill
tary line at will and possibly being BY
this time in the vicinity Of the capital Of
Cuba. 1fMaximo Gomez carried out tho
plan attributed to him-that OF pushing
westward to support Maceo-a junction.
of the two main bodies of insurgent
forces may be expected shortly.
Nothing appears to be known OF ~
strength of the insurgent force with
Antonio Maceo in this province. IN
fact it was not until the news passed
from person to person In the streets
that the authorities would give half-
hearted admission Of the truth OF tne
report that Maceo had crossed the mill
itary line. This, it is believed, VIII alter
the whole situation. and important
events may occur in a short time. There
is no doubt the insurgents have recently
increased in number about the capital
Stray bands of twenty and thirty ban-
dts met by Spanish troops are now
swollen to the proportions OF insurgent
forces OF 90, 900 to 10000.
1t seems to be admitted and believes
that Maceo will strike before Weyler
can hurry back from Pinar del H1o.
Indeed, 1t is currently reported that the
captain general has been wounded IN
an engagement with the insurgents De-
fore the latter crossed the military l1nes
and he may not be able to return here
except as a prisoner Of theCuba ns.
The authorities naturally are doing all
in their power to minimize the crossing
of the trocha by Maceo, and intimate
that he is, as usual according to the
Spanish, running away from them. This
does not alter the fact that he escaped
his hunter, and his hunter may nnd dif-
ficulty in getting home.
Friends of the insurgents here are
overjoyed at the new turn In the CAM
paign and are boasting that Maceo ana
Gomez will soon be knocking at the
gates of Havana. The supporters OF
Spain here today are looking discour-
aged
Defeat at the hands of the insurgentA
1t is admitted. would have been better
than the humiliation which the Spanish
troops have suffered in being so skill
fully outmaneuvered by the insurgents
General Fuigara yesterday had bat
tie with an insurgent force numbering
over 1000 at Rio Hordo. The insurgents
were dislodged after thirty-nine shells
had been fired into their position and
sixty-nine men killed. OF the Spaniards,
Lieutenant Colonel Currion was kille0
and one lieutenant and twenty-four pri-
Yates wounded.
Major Crujedo came upon a body %
5000 Insurgents occupying strong posi-
tion behind stone walls near San Pedro-
The troops dislodged the insurgents, but
at night the column returned to PuntB
Brava The insurgent leader Valencia
and forty men were killed. The troops
lost three men and two lieutenants. and
twenty Eight soldiers were wounded.
PLANS CARRIED OUT
NEW YORK, Dec. S.-The Herald,
commenting on the report that Maceo
has crossed the trocha. says: The re-
port that Maceo has crossed the trocha 10
in lire with the expectations OF the
Cuban junta in this city. Since General
Maceo. by order of General Gomez, and
in defiance of General Weyler, invaded
the province of Pinar del Rio in March
last, Spanish as we'll as Cuban reports
have represented him again and again
as having crossed the trocha constructed
by General Weyler to keep him from
joining Gomez.
The Spaniards have his crossing of the
line in disguise as his way of getting
out of the trap into which, according
to them, he had entered. The Cubans.
on the other hand, have reported his
crossing as in defiance of alleged Sc
curity of the Spanish line. Macec has
from time to time stated to those sllp-
posed to be in close communications
with him that he would cross the line
when it should be time for him to NEE.
General Gomez in Havana or Matanzas
province.
According to the dispatches General
Gomez was in Santa Clara province,
near Matanzas. with his extreme van-
guard already near Havana itself 6ome
OF his men are said to have participated
in the raid on GuanabaooA. just anfon99