The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-04-16
CUBANS IN MANY CONFLICTS.
PART OF MACEO's MEN STORM THE
SPANISH TROCHA.

The Aid of n GunbOat and Launch
Needed TO Enable the Land Force
10 Beat Them Back-MassO Leads
in Desperate Hand to Hand
Fight Near POseO RedondO.
Havana. April 15.-Col Pinto reports
that his command had fight with party
Of insurgents under Masso, near PoseO
Redondo, in Havana province. The en-
gagement terminated in hand to hand
encounter, in which the rebels fought
desperately with machetes. The result,
according to Col. Pinto's report, was that
the rebels lost ten killed, while the gov
ernment force had only one man wounded.
party of guerillas. while foragins
near Matanzas, encountered a superior
force Of the enemy and battle followed,
in which six of the guerillas were killed
and one was wounded. The column COM
manded by Lieut.. Col. Navarro came TO
the assistance of the guerillas and the
combined government forces routed the
rebels.
A band Of fourteen guerillas, while on
a foraging expedition in the vicinity of
San Antonio de Las Vegas, in the pro-
vince of Havana, was surprised by a
party of rebels 1000 strong under the
leader Castillos. The made a brave de-
fense, but only thI Of their number
escaped, ten being killed and one wounded.
1t is said the Lieut.. Col. Debos and Capt
Forbes have been promoted for their valor
in the recent battle near Lechuza.
1t is reported that some Of Maceo's
forces made an attack upon the trocha
near the south end of the line yesterday
but were compelled to retire by the gun
boat Almendares and the launch Dardo
aided by a land force.
Havana, April 15.-The Spanish admit
that the Lechuza affair is one Of the most
disastrous battles Of the war. The ac-
tual loss is still unknown. Maceo had
been encamped upon the hills around Le-
chuza, fifteen miles west of the trocha
line. for eight days. Gen. Weyler had 80 =
900 men along the trocha awaiting a rebel
attempt TO cross, with 10000 others in re-
connoitering columns under Gen. Inclan.
Col. Debos was ordered to operate a com
bination attack upon Maceo. Col. Debos
attacked, relying upon the others to sup
port him.
Gen Inclan arrived after Col. Debos had
been driven thirteen miles, surrounded
by Maceo's men and under a. constant fire
of seven hours. Col. Debos made a last
stand at the stone sugar house on the
shore of CabanaS bay. Gen. 1nclan, aided
by a gunboat, saved the remnant from an
Inhalation.
Col. Sanchez f yhavarria was ordered
court martialed wing to his failure to ar
rive in time. He is a brother of the in
surgent Col. Serafin Sanchez
eosrettris d to camp after the fight.
He is apparently In no hurry to attempt to
cross the trocha.
Insurgents continue to arrive in Havana
province.
The forces of Masso, Castillo and others,
numbering 5000, were defeated by Col.
Tort south of Melena on Saturday.
Ihe third reverse for the Spanish within
week occurred al Aguacate in Havana
province. Forty mounted Spanish gueri-
las supported by sixty infantry went out
under recent order for night operations
with the intention to ambush the rebels.
Aguirre learned of their plans and placed
his men in ambush and waited the ar
rival of the Spaniards. The latter fed at
the first fire, completely routed, twenty
nine were killed and two wounded.
Aguirre's men were uninjured.
The execution OF the death penalty in
the cases of a score of prisoners of war
has been stayed by cablegrams from Mad
rid pending the action of President CleVe-
land. Gen. Weyler, who ordered the men
shot, asked that approval of the order be
withheld. Ultra Spanish papers clamor
for more blood.
Leon Espanol, the Havana Corresponds
cia Militar of Madrid, asks first, that ev-
cry prisoner be shot; second, that every
peasant serving to guide the rebels be
hung; third, that every autonomist reform
lst suspected be also hung. Clarke.