The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-12-23

where Campos made his fnel stand
against the insurgent raiders. The
Spanish general b d planted bis line of
battle for three miles along a railroad
lust east of COliseo, and had ordered
his men to crouch down in the high
growth of sugar-cane, which grew in
green, waving stretches on either side
of the track. The country road, along
which Maceo was coming, ran at right
angles to the railroad and Campo's line
of battle hidden in the cane. As what
happened was extraordinary in war
fare, the descrip tion by Clarence King
is worth quoting at some length:
Maceo, unconscious of the ambus-
cade, but on the alert, was advancing
in five parallel columns. First came
band of fifty explorers, and few hun
dred yards after them the general him
self, following the road at the head of
the main column of 5000 men. A half
mile out on either side were two flank
ing columns of 250 men each, that on
the left, commanded by Col. Rodrigues,
the right by Tamayo. Still exterior to
these were two other thanking columns,
each thousand strong, marching, the
left under Gen. Perez, the right under
Lacret, at another half-mile distance,
thus making a column front of two
miles. All four thanking bodies were
wholly of cavalry. Before them were
only level stretches of inDOcent-looking
cane, with Coliseo and Sumidero in full
view just beyond. Marching steadily
on, the explorers passed between the
two divisions of Campos' line almost
within touch of the commander himself,
crossing the railway and moving into
the cane country beyond. Campos
maintained his silence and concealment
till they were gone, and Maceo's column
came within 200 yards; then the Span
iards sprang to their feet and delivered
their fire. AT that moment the two
generals were not 100 yards apart
Maceo Instantly deployed part of his
column to the right and part TO the left,
forming line of about 800 men, and
answered Campos' fire. From the
Spanish extreme TANKS began to come
forward two great wings of about 1000
men each, intended to envelop the in
surgent force. Then Maceo flashed out
sudden lightning bolt Of genius.
He dispatched two aids, one to the
right and one to the left, ordering the
two left hand fankiDg columns TO
unite, rush at full speed around the en-
emy's right, set fire to the village of
Sumidero, aud charge the Spanish rear
The right fianking columns received
orders to plunge through the caneways,
turn Campos' left, sweep around to
Coliseo, set that on fire, and charge.
Off flew the two cavalry bodies at
break-neck run, and in twenty-five
minutes both towns were burning. The
almost incre dible swiftness of this move
turned the scale. While Perez and La
cret we're charging the Spanish rear the
explorers fired the cane all along the
railroad, and NJ ,ceo kindled line of
flame across the whole of Campos'
front. Meantime Gomez came up from
his two days raid on Rogue and took a
position with the main Cuban line,
leaving Maceo free to move out west
ward with few cavalry squadrons.
Campos was hopelessly involved be-
TIVE en- two lines of cane fire. Suddenly,
from out of smoke and above cracking
musketry and the roar of flames,
sounded Campos' busle, blowing for
retreat. Two thousand men Of his eX-
IRENE left were ordered to fall back on
the town Of Jov, lanos; a the remain
ing 5000 Withdrew estward to Pt To-
mar, Perez and Lacret slashing their
rear and Maceo falling on their flank.
Scourged by the cavalry, Campos, on
reaching Palomar, formed his whole
force into one big b, How square, each
face made of four ranks, with himself
and his absurd cavalry in the middle.
In this shape he retreated on Llmonar
and its garrison. Then the victorious
Cubans reformed in order of march and
passed westward. leaving the captain
general in his square, b fled, outgen
eraled, stunned, and wrapped i'll a
winding sheet of smoke. This is the end
of Compos!-Springfeld Republican.