The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-01-09
Gomez. Movenents.

ST. LOUIS Jan. S.-The Globe-Dem-
ocrat of this morning publishes a let
ter from Havana under date of Jan
uary /, as follows:
Hon. S. f. Laney, a sugar planter.
whose place is near Narajas. arrived
here today after the unusual expert
ence of five days with the insurgents.
Gomez'S army approached his place
and was about to burn his cane when
he protested and started to look for
Brigadier General Zayas, with whom
he was acquainted. He was promptly
made prisoner and taken before Ma
Geo. who turned him over to Gomez.
The rebel commander took him as a
guest but for military reasons would
not let him go home at once. The
general questioned him and was ques-
toned by him. During the five days
of Laney's stay with the insurgents
Gomez's army swung in a big circle
first along the line of the railroad,
passing Pedroso. Torriente, Claudio,
and coming around south of Murga.
They crossed over the east, crossed
another railroad line north of Aouada,
and recroSsed it on the western arc
near Calimete. This is where the big
fight occurred. but Mr.. Laney gives a
very different account of it than that
published. According to official re-
ports, the insurgents lost 100 or more
men. while the losses of the Spanish
were put down as Is killed and Ga
wounded.
Il saw some of NTaceo's men fail
dead. and there were other casualties
says MIR. Laney. shut no more Than
eight men were killed. I saw seven
teen dead Spanish soldiers on the field
after the fight when the Spaniards
reiterated.
THE BATTLE.
1.-THE battle started Just as Gomez's
men were hanging negro, also of
the commarG. He mad ASA ulted a ne
gress. and was condemned by court
martial. They were hanging him back
of the buildings of a sugar plantation
when a volley was fired, and one of
the execution squad was killed. The
rebel infantry dropped into the grass
and began to answer the fire with
great effect. while cavalry came and
charged the Spaniards. who had form
ed in two squares. The first square
was having a pretty hard time with
the infantry, who crawled into the cane
and poured shots into it. I heard Co
mez order a machete charge on the
other square, and under that charge
the square melted away. the soldiers
finding shelter and protection in the
cane. After the battle, when the in
surgents had mustered up quite num-
Der of mausers. they came back to the
buildings where their wounded were.
Later as the column moved away, the
Spaniards opened fire with cannon. but
did little damage General Navarro
came up with more forces in our rear
and fired. The insurgents did not fire
after leaving the plantation.
GoMEz's FORCES.
Later on in the march the rebel col
umn was fired on by train load of
troops. Another man was killed, and
there was a third engagement. This
cid little damage. From Calemete the
march was northwest. The troops
crossed the railroad just west of Baro
and recrossed it at Corralitos. Thence
they marched to Nevajas, where I was
released near home. There are,
should estimate about 5000 men with
Gomez and Maceo. understand there
are couple of thousand more to the
north under Lacre, and perhaps an
equal number in the south under Ban
dera."
There was a story that Gomez was
going to avenge the execution of Ca
bacillo AcebO on certain prisoners he
had and of this Mr.. Laney said:
Nothing could be wider from the
truth Prisoners are nearly always re-
leased at once"
Now. Mr.. Laney. there are, accord
ing to your account, ten or twelve
thousand insurgents in the Matanzas.
We know there are 10000 or 10000
Spanish soldiers in the province. Now
how can such armies. if they are in
earnest. maneuvre around in the way
you describe and not have a battle?
How is it that the insurgents hide so
well? The insurgent column is over a
league long. How can you hide such
an army?"
And that is all the answer he made.
Insurgents Routed.
HAVANA, Jan. SIT was announced
last night that the sound of cannonading