The herald., 1896-04-17
SPANIARDS FOUGHT NOBLY
Ia the Battle With the Insurgents
Under Mscee
II They Had Used Good Military Sense
They Might Have Avoided Getting
Severe Drubbing

HAVANA, April 16-Further details
of the fighting between the Alfonso
XIII. battalion and the insurgents un-
der Maceo at San Claudion, near the
northern extremity of the military line,
across the province of Pinar del Rio,
shows that the Spanish gunboat Alerta,
which so opportunely went to the as
sistance Of the troops, found the latter
had been compelled to retreat before
an overwhelming force of 5000 insur-
gents. Although the latter outnum-
bered the men of the Alfonso XIII. bat
TALON by over ten to one, and in spite Of
the fact that the soldiers were led in
pursuing the retreating vanguard Of the
enemy into the position which almost
enabled the insurgents to surround
them from neighboring heights, the
Spanish retreated in good order, fight
ing stubbornly as they did so During
the retreat the government troops in
flicted heavy loss on Maceos forces and
succeeded in maintaining correct for
nation until, after seven hours fight,
the harbor of San Claudio was reached
and the troops barricaded themselves
in the best positions possible and de-
termined to fight to the last. During
this long and harrassing retreat the AL
fonso XIII. battalion only lost one off,
Ger and four men killed and had only
thirteen men wounded. The fire of the
troops was we'll delivered and the move
ment of the battalion so efficient that
the 5000 CubanS were unable to achieve
any advantage further than compell-
ing the greatly overmatched body of
Spanish infantry to retreat in good or
der. Besides, it is claimed, even this re-
treat would not have been necessary
had it not been for the supineness Of
Gen. Echavaria, who was in command
operating in conjunction with the col
umn of Col. Devos, the Alfonso XIII bat
TALON, and in the latters immediate
neighborhood.
Generals Echavaria, Juarez and Yn-
clan left Mariel north of the line with
the Alfonso XIII battalion on Monday
by different routes in an attempt to en-
gage Maceo's forces. The Alfonso XIII
battalion became engaged, as already
detailed, and should have been prompt
ly supported by the nearest Spanish
column, that of Echavaris, but the lat
ter not only failed to support Col. De-
vos as promptly as he should have done
but he seems to have delayed notifying
Generals SuareZ and Ynclan of the To-
cation Of Maceo's forces when the lat
ter had attacked the Alfonso XIII ba-
TALON in force, otherwise combined
flank movement of the Spanish troops
might have resulted in crushing Ma
cco's army and possibly extinguishing
the rebellion at the same time.
cruising off the coast and headed for
San Claudio, where the warship found
the Alfonso XIII battalion. hastily bar
ricaded in houses. warehouses. ETC., in
and about the little port Col Devos,
while determined to hold San Claudio
to the last, was caring for his wounded
to the utmost and under the fire of the
enemy he succeeded in embarking
thirteen injured soldiers into small
boats, from which they We're trans
ferred to small schooner which was
at anchor near the landing place when
the battalion entered the place. When
the gunboat got within range of the in
surgents, who were swarming in large
numbers over the hills in the vicinity
of San Claudio. hot fire from her guns
and riflemen was opened on the enc
my's ranks, causing much disorder.
Then, when the troops under Gen. Yn-
clan arrived and opened fire on the in
surgents the latter beat a hasty retreat
over the hills and finally disappeared.
whereas, if the Spanish columns had
acted we'll in concert. the result might
have been a most disastrous defeat for
Maceo.
Letters to Gomez, Maceo, Aguirre
and other insurgent leaders show that
it is estimated that the loss of property
by fire in the district of Artemisa.
province of Pinar del Rio, alone is sS,-
100000.