The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-12-23
WERE ROUTED.
Spanish Force in Philip
pines Badly Beaten.
False Reports of the Results
Sent to Madrid.
Genern Rios Said to Have Ceased
Operations for a Time.

San Francisco, Dec. 23.-Private ad-
vices from Manila reached here yester-
day and are verified by an account that
appears in the Hong Kong press. The
news contained in the communication
deals with the attack by the Spanish
on the Noveleta isthmus and the at
tempt OF the Spanish to dislodge the in
surgents in Cavito and WHO. At the
end OF the campaign, which lasted until
Nov. H. the Spanish authorities sent out
dispatches reporting that the attack
had been successful. and that the rebel
loss was very heavy. The Spanish
claimed to have lost about 35 killed and
100 wounded. II is now learned that the
great victory that the Castilians pre-
dicted ended in ignominous defeat. The
rebels hold Noveleta against warships
and troops. The Spaniards retired after
suffering heavy loss.
The Spanish forces under General
Rios were divided isto two brigades of
1000 men each. supported by the Spanish
gunboats on The bay.
The insurgents numbered about IL, 600,
but they were strongly entrenched In
Cavito and Noveleta. At the head OF
the Noveleta peninsula the ground was
honeycombed with rife pits and the
town defended from assault by earth
works 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 Dononze. a mile
In the rear of the picket hne. The
Spanish had their plans well arranged.
They placed the cruiser Castillo close
In shore and their guns covered the at
tacks of the royal troops. The cruisers
shells reached the outside defenses of
the city.
The fight started at o'clock Sunday,
Nov. g. and by i o'clock In the after
noon the insurgents outer works had
been evacuated.
Then a general attack followed, Rios
following the main body Of his first bril-
eade against the rebel eutrenchments.
The gunboats opened fire on the enemy,
but owing TO pad gunnery failed to
cause any damage TO the defenses. The
Cardelia, the closest TO Cavito, was fully
six miles from the town, where her shells
fell short, owing TO the extreme eleva-
ton given TO the ships cannon. When
Rios men reached the insurgent works
a terrific fire was opered on them They
marched forward resolutely until the
rifle pits commenced to belch forth fire,
moving down the front ranks. The
column faltered. then retreated slowly
under heavy fire. The Spanish troops
were In the open apd subjected 10 the
FULL effect of the fife. Had the rebels
Guanery been good Rios forces could
have been slaughtered. The morning
OF the 9Th the Spanish were back in
their camp again, and had repaired the
remnants of the first brigade The
<econd brigade had suffered cry little.
Tho steamers Isabelle / and a small
transport were used to take the wounded
to the port OF the pe.irsuia. At Least
800 were brought from the battlefield.
Wednesday. Nov. IL. Rios prepared
and headed a second attack on Move
ieta. 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 20 any extent,
their shots falling short. The Spanish
did not attempt to renew the action,
but waited until the morning OF the 14th,
when a weak effort was made to flank
the re oels. the failure OF Which ended the
hghting for the time being.
A Madrid dispatch says: In order to
insure the success of the next loan, the
government Is straining every nerve to
conceal the true situation In the Philip
pines. The whole colony Is in revolt,
and scattered bodies of Spanish troops
have been hemmed In by ihe rebels II
is rumored that a certain proportion OF
German reserve officers are in the in
aurRent ranks.