The record-union., 1896-12-23
Reported Spanish Victories Turn Out
to be Defeats.
Three Times the Government Forces
Attack the INSURGENTS at cavite,
Both by Land and Sea, and on Each
Occasion Repulsed, With Heavy
LOss-Only the Poor Gunnery of
the Rebels Save the Spanish From
Slaughter
Slaughter.

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 22-Private
advices from Manila, Philippine Islands,
reached here to-day, and are verified
by an account that appears in the
HOngkong Press received per steam
ship Belgic this morning
The news contained in the commune
cation deals with the attack by the
Spanish on the Novelette, ISthmus, and
the attempt of the Spanish to dislodge
the insurgents in Cavite and Vallejo. At
the end of the campaign, which lasted
until the 14th of November. the Span
ish authorities sent out dispatches re-
porting that the attack had been sue
cessful and that the rebel loss was
very heavy. The Spanish claimed to
have lost about thirty-five killed and
100 wounded. 1t is now learned that
the great victory that the Castillians
predicted ended in ignominious defeat.
The rebels held Noveleta against war
ships and troops. The Spaniards re-
tired after suffering heavy loss
The Spanish forces, under General
Rios, were divided into two brigades of
1,c00 men each, supported by the Span
ish gunboats in the bay. The insur-
gents numbered about 12,000, some
hat smaller force than the Spanish
commanded, but they were strongly
intrenched in Cavite and Noveleta. At
the end of the Noveleta peninsula the
ground was honeycombed with rifle
pits, and the town defended from as
s&ult by earthworks planted with rapid
fire cannon and several pieces of heavy
artillery.
Rios attacked the first line Of re-
doubts at Noveleta, and the rebels fell
back to the main line of defense, a
mile in the rear of the picket line. The
Spanish had their plans we'll arranged.
They placed the cruiser Castillo close
inshore, and with her guns covered the
attack Of the royal troops. The cruisers
shells reached the outside defenses Of
the rebels, but had little effect on the
defenses of the city.
The fight started at 8 o'clock Sunday,
November Sth, and by / p. m the in
surgents' outerworks had been evacu-
ated. Then a general attack followed,
Rios throwing the main body of his
first brigade against the rebel intrench-
nlentS The gunboats opened fire on
the enemy, but owing to bad gunnery
failed to cause any damage to the de-
fenseS. The Cardela, the closest to
Cavita, was fully six miles from the
town, and all of her shells fell short
owing to the extreme elevation given
the ships cannon. When Rios men
reached the insurgents works a ter
rife fire was opened ON them. They
marched forward resolutely until the
rifie-pits commenced to belch fire,
moving down the ranks The column
faltered, then retreated slowly under
heavy fire. The Spanish troops were in
the open and subjected to the full eff
feet of the fire. Had the rebels gun
merry been good Rios would have been
slaughtered
On the morning of the 9th the Span
ish We're back in their camp again and
had repaired the remnants of the first
brigade The second brigade had suf-
fered very little
The steamship Isabelle /. and a small
transport We're used to bring the
wounded to port from the peninsula
At least 800 wounded were brought
from the battlefield
On Wednesday, November 18th, Rios
prepared and headed a second attack
on Noveleta. He threw his entire army
against the redoubts and was routed
with heavy loss in the first attack. The
gunboats failed to aid the troops to any
extent, their Shot falling short. The
Spanish did not attempt to renew the
attack, but waited until the morning of
| the l1th, when a weak effort was made
to flank the rebels, the failure of which
ended the fighting for the time being.