, 1896-08-20
THE BOLD INSURGENTS.
BAKE POSSESSION OF AND DE-
STROY A MILITARY TRAIN
NEAR HAVANA.
\ Relief Train With Heavy Reinforce
ments Manages to Save the Surviv-
ing Spaniards from Total EXtinc-
tion-Weyler Wants to Take the
Field Again.

Havana. Aug. l9.-The mystery of
the missing military passenger train
which disappeared last Sunday has
been solved, and it furnished another
instance of the audacity of the insur-
sents and of the troubled state OF af-
fairs existing in the province of P1nar
del Rio.
On Sunday last a train, having on
board a number of civilian passengers
and a strong escort of troops, consist
ing of regular cars, and armored cars
for the military escort, left Consola-
zion del Sur. Pinar del Rio, for his
city and should have arrived here the
same day. But the train did not ap-
pear. the railroad authorities became
alarmed. and the military authorities
were notified. Apparently, however,
the latter were very slow in taking &C.
zion. In any case, throughout Monday
he military authorities professed alb
'c''N' Vi ~ :" aDoulo VI
the train. although it was understood
that inquiries of some description had
been made along the line. but without
any definite result.
AUTHORITIES WE'RE CARELESS.
This failure to obtain the necessary
information caused the railroad people
20 renew their representations to the
military headquarters, and on Tuesday
several exploring parties were sent out
TO search for the train. Two of those
parties. consisting of cavalry scouts,
reported having heard heavy firing
yesterday between Bacunaga and Taco.
The latter town is about one-third
the distance between Consolation del
Sur and Havana and not far from the
important town OF San Cristobal. Con-
solacion del Sur is only a short dis
lance from Pinar del Rio, the capital
Of the province Of that name. Later
the o reported that the. passenger
coach. together with the military cars.
had been derailed between Bacunaga
and Taco and that it appeared severe
fighting had taken place between the
escort of the train and the insurgents
who attacked it.
ACTION TAKEN AT LAST.
This news stirred up the military au-
thorities to send relief trains loaded
with troops toward the scene. These
forces consisted Of the Arapiles and
Bas5astro battalions. under the COM
mand of Col. Arizona, and they have
just returned with the story Of the de-
lay. The troops brought with them
passengers who are over forty-eight
hours . late. and the survivors and
wounded of the military escort of the
train. The latter, it appears, vas run
ming between Bacunaga and Taco.
When near the point known as Kilom-
ire 113, the train was compelled to slow
UP on account Of an obstruction across
the line. AS it did so a smart rifle fire
was opened up on the train from both
sides OF the road, while a party OF in
surgents was seen to march out Of con-
cealment behind the train and place
heavy distractions across the road.
Other insurgents occupied themselves
actively in removing the rails behind
the obstruction. thereby catching the
military train in a trap from which it
could neither advance nor retreat.
FIGHT ON THE LINE.
The troops promptly returned the
fire OF the insurgents, who kept well
under cover and whose bullets splin-
tered the cars and lattened themselves
upon the sides Of the armored wagons.
The firing lasted three hours according
to the official statement. At the end OF
this time the insurgents are said to
have been repulsed. 1t is added that
the military escort, upon the arrival OF
the train, burned the military passen-
ger train and returned to This city with
the Basbestro and Arapiles battalions.
Unoflcial versions of the affair, how
ever, claim that the train was derailed
and subsequently burned by he insur-
gents. and that the escort Of the mill
tary train were rescued just in time to
save them from being exterminated by
the insurgents. AS 1t was. six soldiers
of the escort are admitted to have been
killed and one lieutenant and twenty
one soldiers were brought here wound
ed. The lieutenant is expected to die
WEYLER WILL NOT FIGHT.
The general situation In Cuba IL
about the same as 1t has been fol
months past. Each side seems conn.
dent OF firing the other out, and little