The San Francisco call., 1896-06-20
Tie Arrival of Requirements
Saves the Regulars From
Annihilation.
Two DAYS OF HEAVY FIGHTING
retails Of Crushing Defeat Which
General Weyler Reported as
Victory.

HAVANA, CUBA, June II (via Tampa,
Fla, June 19).-The event of the week has
been Gomez's splendid victory at Najasa.
Puerto Principe. The details thus far are
meager, the best report received here up
to the present time being from the cor
respondent of La Discussion. which is re-
garded as the best informed independent
paper in Havana.
He says General Jiminiz Castellanos left
Puerto Principe on the Sth inst. with 2114
men, 342 horses and five mounted pieces
of artillery. On the 9th they encamped at
q cattle ranch called Saratoga, where,
about P. NJ, the attack commenced by a
charge of 1000 rebel cavaIrymen with ma
chetes. From that moment until the
morning of the 11th the insurgents con-
tinued harassIng the troops, killing and
wounding many.
The story of General Castellanos, who
commanded the Spaniards, is that the
Cuban charges were repelled either by ar
tiIlery fire or by forming hollow squares,
which the Spaniards consider unbreak-
able. Still Castellanos confesses that there
were moments of great danger, and only
by displaying the greatest vaior could the
Spaniards succeed in repelling the attacks
of the enemy. He admits that the num-
Der OF wounded Spanish troops obliged
him to erect his camp hospital in the
farmhouse of the ranch, a brick structure
which was so riddled with bullets that
some of the wounded men were struck
after being placed inside
Castellanos also acknowledges that Gen
eral Godoy's arrival was very opportune,
since the forty-two hours fight had ex-
hausted his troops. In view of the loss
inflicted on the forces Generals Godoy and
Castellanos decided to return to the city
without pursuing the enemy, who had al
ready inaugurated their retreat on Godoy's
approach.
Varela, La Discussion correspondent,
also states that the Spanish troops fired
$1,000 cartridges and 80 shells and the
rebels 25,O00 shots He figures the rebel
losses from 400 to 500 and the Spaniards'
at IS, of Trhon only were killed and the
rest wounded, including two officers. He
concludes his story by simply announcing
the arrival of both columns in Puerto
Principe without stating in what condi-
tion they entered the city; whether all
their commanding officers OF high or low
rank returned or who were missing. This
is the Spanish side Of the fight, which is
borne out by the official report.
From other sources, incomplete and
lacking Important details, it is SHOWN that
Gomez had only 1900 men. General Cas-
tailanos' forces amounted to $500 men,
Gomez, knowing OF his rivals approach,
placed the men in convenient positions,
dividing his forces in small groups of 800
men each. As soon as the Spaniards were
comfortably encamped in the ranch. pre-
pairing for the next days attack on
Gomez stronghold at Najasa, the Cuban
chief suddenly made his appearance and
attacked their positions simultaneously on
all sides.
Taken unawares and completely sur
rounded, all they could do was to defend
themselves from the continued charges,
which, with marvellous military precision,
were kept up night and day without af-
fording the Spania rds a moments rest.
Thanks to General Godov's timely ar
rival with $500 men, Castellanos was saved
from complete defeat. 1t is said that if
Godoy had delayed his march six hours
longer Castellanns would have surren-
dered, as he was already too weak to stand
fighting much longer.
The actual losses on both side have not
been ascertained yet. 1t is only known
that the Spaniards brought with them 800
wounded from the field of action, and if
any were left behind them it is not
known. Report has it that the total Span
ish loss in killed, wounded and missing
was over q thousand.
The sanitary condition of the island is
getting worse every day. Reports are
coming in from every town and city re-
counting ravages OF yellow fever, small
pox and other diseases.
Advices from Manzanillo. province of
Santiago de Cuba, show that numerous
parties of rebels belonging to the COM
mands of Rabi and Jose Maceo, are con-
centrating in the vicinity of that city.
Every precaution is being taken by the
Spanish commander there to prevent or
repulse an attack on that city.