The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1896-05-21


Gems. Maceo and Gomez the
majority of those in arms were
colored men; but Immediately
after, the proportion of whites
began toincrease, and although
in the province of Santiago the
colored element preponderated
in the rank and file, the great
majority Of the officers were
whites, while in Camaguey, on
the contrary, the army under
Gomez from the beginning was
composed almost exclusively
of whites. On the 25th of July
the expedition commanded by
Roloff, Sanchez, and Rodriguez
landed in the province of Santa
Clara, not far from Trinidad.
They numbered about $50 men,
with tolerably good supply of
arms and ammunition, and
found the people of that section
of the country ready to join
them.
From this moment the sue
cess of the revolution was en-
tirely assured. Maxine Gomez
established his headquarters
not far from the city of Puerto
Principe, and devoted himself
with great energy to the organ
ization of the army, and to de-
vising general plan of
campaign. The first encounter
between the Spanish army and
the Cuban forces took place in
the province of Santiago altos
Negroes. The Cubans were
lead by Jesus Rabi, now Briga-
dier-General, and although the
Cubans were very poorly armed,
the Spanish forces were routed.
The second encounter was at
Ell Guanabano, the Spaniards
commanded by Santocildes and
the Cubans by Gen. Maso.
The Spaniards were again
routed, having lost 2O6 men.
The Cuban loss was thirty-five.
The next important move made
by the Cubans was the stimuli
taneous attack on the villages
Ell Cristo and Ell Caney, and a
railroad train carrying arms
and ammunition. Both vii
lagos were captured by the
Cubans and the barracks des-
troyed. The train was also
captured with 200 rifles and 49,
600 cartridges. These opera
tons were directed by Gen.
Maceo. Next came the attack
and capture of the fort of Ra-
mon de las Yagnas, where the
Cubans took possession of $50
rifles and 10000 cartridges.
Shortly after they attacked and
captured the fort of Campechu-
ella, which they held for two or
three days. Another import
ant encounter was that of Yura-
gnanas, where the Spaniards
were routed, leaving on the
field II dead, arms, ammunition,
and baggage. After some other
miner encounters, about the
middle of July the important
battle of Peratejo was fought.
The Spaniards were command
ed by Gen. Campos himself and
the Cubans by Gen. Maceo.
The former was utterly routed,
losing over 400 men, among
them one of their Generals, Fl
del Santocildes, and Martinez
campos himself came very near
falling into the hands of the
Cubans. Next came the cap
ture of Baire by the Cubans.
Afterward came the battle of
Descanso del Muerto, where the
Spaniards suffered heavy losses
and abandoned arms, ammuni-
ton, and baggage.
"The increase in numbers
during August and September
of the army nnder Gomez in
camaguey, and in the army in
Santa clara commanded by Ro-
loft, Sanchez, and Rodriguez,
encouraged Gen. Gomez to pre-
pare an important movement
toward the West, and he an
nounced that by christmas he
would be with his army near
Matanzas and Havana. At the
same time he issued an order
to all the planters of Santa clara
Matanzas, and Havana forbid
ding the grinding of sugar cane
this year. Gen. Martinez cam
pos then answered that the
sugar crop would certainly be
gathered this year, and he
would see to it, promising that
by the last of December there
would not be single rebel left
in Santa clara province. About