The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-04-17
A Spanish Army Shows Great
Running Capacity.
SAVED BY A SPANISH euNsoAr.
The Troops We're Looking for Maeeo,
and He Found Them.
They Ran 50 Fast for Seven Hours That
The Destruction OF Property in the
Artenisa District OF Ptnar del Rio
Enormous.

Havana. April is-Fur:her dssaii. Of ths
nshtsng between The Alfonso Nil battalion
ard the Insurgents anasr NSceo al san
t4auGlo. Eear the northern extremity of
iAe nintAry line across the province og
f4aar cei Rio. shows tha. the Spanish
su1boat Aieria- whlcA 50 naportuasly
wen- 10 The aSslstSEcS Of the troops. found
that the latter had been compelled 10 re-
treat before an overwhelming force af
a.so Insurgents. Although the latter oas-
numbered The mer Of The Altoaso MIL
bAi;AisoE BY over ten 10 ere. ard In spite
OF the fact that the soldiers we're led IN
pursuing the resrsGiing vanguard Of ihs
enemy into a position which almost en-
ablea The insurgents 70 surround the NJ from
neigh5oring heights. the spanish retreaied
IN good order, fighting StGhAarnly as they
DID so. Daring the retreat The government
troops inflicted heavy loss upon Maeeo'S
forces. and Succeeded IN maintaining a
correct formation uvti after a seven
hours fight the har'3ar II san Claudio
was reached and tbs rec7s barricaaei
themselves In the sasy tslsst.ons possAsis.
Aad determined g. ght % the last. Dur
ins This long ana harassiEg retreat the
Alfonso XIII. battalion lost Only enc o.
fieer and four men killed. ard had ouiy
thirteen wouHied. The fire OF the ,Toops
was well 1ellyere6. and the movement OF
she battalion so sifieIsr; that the 5.seo Gu
bars were unable 70 achieve any advantage
further than compelling the greatly over
matched body OF Spanish infantry TO re-
1reaf IN good order. Beside. II is claimed.
even this retreat would not have been nee
esssry had Il not been for the supinersss
Of Gen. Echeyarris. who was IN conmand
Of much stronger Spanish column operate
ing In conjunction with the column OF Col
Devos. the Alfonso Kill battalion. and IN
the iatter's immediate neighborhood.
Gems. Eehevarrsa. Susrez ard Inc,an LEFT
Mar.ei. north OF the line. with the Alfonso
XIII. battalion. on Monday. by different
routes. In an attempt TO engage Maeeo's
forces The Alfonso MIL battalion be-
Games engaged, as already detailed, and
should have been promptly supported BY
the nearest Spanish column. that Of Erhe-
yarraa. but the latter not only failed TO
support Col Devos as promptly as he
should have done. but ne seems to have
delayed notifying Gems Ssarex and fncian
of the location OF Naceors forces when
che latter had attacked the Alfonso XIII.
battalion in force. otherwise a combined
f,ank movement OF che Spanish troops
might have resulted in crushing Maceos
army and possibly exiinguisalay the re-
beilion al the same time.
The Aierfa heard the firing while crais-
ing of the coast and headed for San
fonso Kill battalion hastily bsrriead.ng
In houses, warehouses, etc. In and about
the little port. Col. Devos. while deter
mined 10 hold San Claudio to the hast. was
caring for his wounded 20 the utmost,
and under the fire OF the enemy he sue
ceeded In ernharking the thirteen injured
soldiers into small boats, from which they
were transferred 10 small schooner which
was at anchor near, she landing place when
the battalion entered the rface.
When the gunboat got within range OF
the insurgents. whowerc sxarminz n large
numbers over the hills IN the vicinity. .
hot fire from her guns and rifiemen was
opened on the enemy's ranks. causing
much disorder. Their. when the troops TN
der Gen. Inclan arrived and opened fire on
the insurgents. the latter beat a hasty
retreat over the hills and finally disap-
pearei. whereas, II the Spanish columns
had acted well IN concert. The resui; might
have been a most disastrous defeat for
MaceO