The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-04-17

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plains" his Share in the "Vietory."
Havana, April 16.-Further details
! Of the fighting between the Alfonso XII
battalion and the insurgents under Ma
Geo, at San Claudio, near the northern
/ extremity Of the military line across
| the province of Pinar del Rio, shows
! that the Spanish gunboat Alerta, which
so opportunity went to the assistance
| of the troops, found that the latter had
| been compelled to retreat before an
overwhelming force of 5000 insurgents.
Although the latter outnumbered the
men of the Alfonso XIII battalion by
over ten TO one, and in spite OF the fact
/ that the soldiers were led, in pursuing
/ the retreating vanguard or the enemy
| into a position which almost enabled
/ the insurgents to surround them from
neighboring heights, the Spanish re-
treated in good order, fighting stub
| bornly as they did so. During this re-
| treat the government troops inflicted
heavy loss upon Maceo's forces and sue
| ceeded in maintaining a correct for
ma ton until, after a seven hours fight
| the harbor of San Claudio was reached
and the troops barricaded themselves
| in the best positions possible and de-
termined to fight TO the last During
| this long and harassing retreat, the
! Alfonso XIII battalion only lost one
officer and four men killed and had only
! thirtene men wounded. The fire Of the
| troops was so well delivered and the
| movements of the battalion were SO eff
cient in the ordering and so promptly
executed that the 5000 Cubans were I'M
able 70 achieve any advantage further
than compelling the greatly overmatch-
ed party of Spanish infantry TO retreat
in good order.
ECHAVARIA TO BLAME
Besides, it is claimed, even this re-
treat would not have been necessary
had it not been for the supiness of Cen
eral Echavaria, who was in command
Of much stronger Spanish column
operating in conjunction with the col
! umn of Colonel Devos Cthe Alfonso
XIII battalion) and in the latter's i'm
mediate neighborhood.
Generals Echavaria, Suarez and In
clan, left Mariel, north of the line, with
the Alfonso XIII battalion on Monday
| by different routes in an attempt TO en-
gage Maceo's forces. The Alfonso
/ XIII battalion became engaged as al
ready stated, and should have been
promptly supported by the nearest Span
ish column, that of Echavaria, but the
latter not only failed to support Colongl
Devos as promptly as he should have
done, but he seems to have failed TO
notify Generals Suarez and Inclan of
the location Of Maceo's forces when the
latter had attacked the Alfonso XIII
battalion in force, otherwise COM
bined flank movement of the Spanish
troops might have resulted in crushing
Maceo's army and possibly extinguish-
ing the rebellion att the same time.
ALERTA TO THE RESCUE.
The Alerta heard the firing while she
was cruising off the coast and headed
for San Claudio, where the warship
found the Alfonso XIII battalion hast
lily barricaded in houses, warehouses,
etc, in and about the little place of
Little Port. Colonel Devos, while de-
termined to hold San Claudio to the
last, was caring for his wounded to
the utmost and under the fire of the en-
envy, he succeeded in embarking thin
teen injured soldiers in small boats,
from which they were transferred to
small schooner which was at anchor
near the landing place when the battal-
ion entered the place. When the gun
boat got within range Of the insurg-
ents,who were swarming in large num-
OF
San Claudio, a hot fire from her guns
and rifiemen was opened upon the
enemy's ranks, causing much disorder,
Then, when the troops under General
1nclan arrived and opened fire on the
insurgents, the latter beat a hasty re-
treat over the hills and finally disap-
peared; whereas, if the Spanish column
had acted we'll in concert, the result
might nave been most disastrous de-
feat for Maceo.
General Echavaria, who has been
since relieved Of his command, is now
in this city trying to explain his mac
ton TO the satisfaction of he capain
general 1t is understood that he claims
10 have acted as promptly as possible
under the circumstances, and in view
OF the difficulties offered by this coun-
try his columns had 10 traverse.
MINOR OPERATIONS.
General Ruiz, at San Andreas de Las
Villas has been engaged, with the
insurgents under Torres and has cap
tured the latter's camp. The insurg-
ents retreated with the loss of seven
killed and took with them a number of
wounded.
y column of Spanish troops near La
Jas, has been engaged with an insurg-
ent force. The enemy lost nine killed
and left behind in their retreat six ri
hes and quantity of ammunition. The
troops had two men wounded.
The village Of Coral Nuevo, in the
MatanZas district, has been burned
by the insurgents Sixteen houses ana
part Of the local church were DESTROYED
The fields Of the settlements OF La
baTinto, Zapata and Fumero. and the
houses and plantation OF Dos Felicas
near Bolondron, have also been burned.
La Cret, the insurgent leader, who
was reported yesterday TO be moving.
is in the vicinity OF the swamps IN the |
southern part OF Matanzas.
There are persistent runors that thu
insurgent brigadier generals Rego and
Castillo, have been removed from their
commands.
The splendid plantations and houses
OF Ochenta AID Don Justo. in the Guira
Melena district. have been destroyed
by the Insurgents
The insurgent leaders. Mssso. I.astre.
and Vega, with about 2e00 men, have
passed AlQuiza. this province
\ detachment Of Spanish troops IN
der Colonel Estruch, while skirmishiuZ
in the province of Santa Clara. has
mad brush with the insurgents, three |
Of whom were killed.
The insurgent leader TruiiIlo. nAer
Placatas, province Of Santa Clara, re-
Gently surprised 4 detachment Of gov |
eminent guer-illas and volunteers |
Thirteen guerrillas were wounded but l
TTuJilla was. according 70 the report.
shot and killed during the ARRAY.
During recent sIirm,s7es az Bahia |
Hondo. san Antonio de los Ranos. and |
Jaruca. the insurgents LEFT ten killed /
on the field and the troops CAPTURED |
six Persons
rrha s-su-s-z-..z 49, -. !