Evening journal., 1896-04-15

'AN f'' --NAt'A u Aht IANlAola Out-
Rrais the Spanish officers and Routs
Er Soldiers Consul Williams Com.
hents His Successor.
TANA, April 15.-News has been re-
here Of a battle near Iechuza be-
tho Alfonso XIII battalion, under
and OF Colonel Dehos, and tho insur-
under Maceo.
bnel Dehos reports that his battal-
b combination with other bodies Of
sh troops, left Mariel, in the PROV
bf Pinar del Rio, for the purpose Of
B the onemy battle.
|y met the advance guard Of the in
pts. consisting Of a force Of 200 cav
who opened fire upon the govern
column.
Spaniards continued their march
1 Lechuza, although opposed at ev-
|p and every elevation being occu-
i them at the cost of fight
II arriving in the vicinity of Lechu-
found the insurgents gathered in
forces, and the patriots made an
It to surround the Spanish column.
Spanish troops fought with great
alton against heavy odds, says De-
F 1t wero defeated with losses Of many
.and wounded.
hing the intention of the enemy to
c his column, Colonel Debos order
treat.
4 Spanish column retired TO the San
o estate on the north coast, where
. .ops fortified themselves, awaiting
ival of other government columns.
Kept the Enemy at Bay.
raj Inclan arrived with his column
Ipportunely, and tho troops under
Debos We're also protected by the
at Alerta, which Kept tho enemy at
mel Debos estimates that tho force
insurgents who charged upon his
ND numbered 5000 men. The off
bort says that the losses Of the enc
st have been very great, as many
ere seen to fall before the fire of
lnish troops
. government column, according to
cial report, lost men killed and
and l3 soldiers wounded, but the
that the government losses were
,avy, the details being withheld BY
.horities.
william who volunteered to carry the
of the predicamcnt of the govern
solumn to the nearest fort ran the
Of the rebel FIRE and was compel
jump into the water twice to save
ral Inclan reported that upon his
at Colonel Dehos camp he COM
Maceo TO retreat from SAN Claudio.
Trying to Force Battle.
.object of the Spanish general for
.ime past has been to compel the Gu
aders 20 fight a battle. General
drew up a plan some time ago TO
t the reunion Of the two separate
Of the insurgent army and to de.
t single blow that one Of them
for some weeks has been the most
. sive and successful.
forco under General MacoO, num-
between 10, GOO and $4,000 men,
IN under the province Of Pinar, west
f lana, more than 100 miles away from
oe under General Gomez. Tho OBJ
the Spanish general was to conhno
forco within the district which it
ad, so that the main body of tho
F b army might be directed against
overwhelming force.
maneuvering on both sides began
a fortnight ago and went on day
cht. The Spaniards thought that
was shut up in narrow quarters,
which escape was impossible.
troohas, or walls, of soldiers had
tablishod across tho island near Ha-
md uyon these there were at least
Spanish troops, supported by other
stationed in Maceo's rear and on
dos.
oked az though Spain had at last
tho second best Cuban leader on
ido Of that quadrangle which Wey-
! repeatedly tried TO draw him into
he discovered that a triangle could
/ Id him.
object Of the Spanish maneuvorinR
close upan Macco, and the object
eo was 90 prevent the enemy from
in upon him.
ow looks as II the Cuban taotician
co more succeeded in frustrating
-efully laid plans Of the Spaniards.