The record-union., 1896-02-26


Feb. 2o)-Special correspondence of the
United Press.-Refugees from San Cris-
tobal and Candelaria, towns on the
Western Railroad in Pinar Del Rio Pro-
vince, bring news from a region that is
without telegraph, railroad trains and
regular mails. 1t is also a province
without salt, and in which the inhabi-
tants are shut up in towns in a starving
condition, and guards of Spanish troops
threaten to shoot anyone passing in or
out.
1t appears that a battle has taken
place, which has not figured in the Off
cial report. 1t was at San Cristobal on
the 18th. The town had been occupied
by the rebels from January 9th to that
date. Antonio Maceo had fought with
General Luque at Paso Real on one side
of the town and later with General
Canella on the other side
Colonel Segura and 600 men had a
narrow escape from annihilation on the
main road between Candelaria and San
Cristobal on the 9th, but no fight in San
Cristobal has been announced by the
Government
An eyewitness of the affair to-day
said that a Spanish column, 1,200
strong, under Colonel Hernandez, ar
rived at San CristobaI on the 18th, sup
posing that the insurgents had gone
further east, for Maceo was near Ar
tensia. The rebel leader, Zayas, and five
of his men were in the town, and 800 of
his followers We're camped just east of
the town. Hernandez came from the
west, entering the main street. Zayas
and his men ran, firing their revoIvers
to warn the men of the approach of the
troops. Zayas reached the rebel camp
and took command. He divided his
men into three battalions of 800 men
each. Two of them remained at the
east end of town and attacked Herman
dez's column as they came down the
narrow street
With 800 mounted men Zayas rode
around the town and entered in Her
nandez's rear, attacking the troops and
driving them in between the cross-fire
of the other rebel bands. Hernandez
fought desperately and used several
cannon, but the rebels had him in dis
advantageous position. He fought on,
moving slowly along the.oad east from
San Cristobal to Candelaria.
1t is said that the road was Uttered
with dead soldiers for the entire six
miles to Candelaria. My informant said
he saw in the ruins oe a house which
had been burned on the road the heads
of six Spanish soldiers, the bodies hav-
ing been burned to prevent identiflca-
ton. The rebels burned two large Gov
ernment bridges on the highway at Ha-
gassa and Rio Hondo to prevent the
Spanish cannon from being again taken
to Pinar Del Rio Province. After Her
nandez left the rebels re-entered San
Cristobal
On the 10Th the insurgents burned the
town of Cabanas, on the north coast,
twenty miles west of Havana The gar
rison was driven out of the town and
the torch was applied While the in
surgents were in the town the gunboat
Alerta, which once before fired upon the
rebels shelled the town. That COM
pleted the work of destruction.
The ''Delario de Lar Marina" pub
fishes the following account of the de-
structior of an insurgent hospital near
Bolondron, which is semi-official, since
ali matter passes through the censor's
hands before publication: Receiving
confidential notice that in the plain
called Mayea there existed hospital
that direction and ordered an advance
of a section of his troops, commanded
by Senors Pozo and Gonzales directed
by the scout Ramirez. Hardly had the
sentinel of said hospital seen our gall
liant troops than there were seen coming
out of the same eight unarmed individ-
uals, who Immediately fled. There were
captured medical case, cartridges, one
Manser rifle and sundry effects. The
hospital was destroyed and everything
that could not be transported"
HAVANA, Feb. % From staff COR
respondent of the United Press).-The
news of the capture at New York Of the
fiIibustering expedition under Garcia
caused a sensation here. The Spaniards
praise the vigilance of the American
navy.
Charles Michaelson, the correspond
ent of the New York Journal" who
was arrested here this morning, has
been placed in Moro Castle
Consul General Williams has visited
Captain General Weyler in his behalf,
stating that the case is one of mistaken
identity. The prisoners taken at Qua
tao and Punta Bravo Saturday have
also been placed in Moro Castle
The rebels have resumed the burning
of cane in the province of Matanzas.
Three hundred thousand arrobas have
been burned on FL Triondo estate at
Cabazas. Cane has also been burned
on the Ell Combate estate at San Fran
cisco de Colonia in the same locality,
and at the Dolores estate at Santa Do
mingo in Santa Clara
J. FRANK CLARKE.