Omaha daily bee., 1896-02-21
INSURGENTS DRIVEN BACK
Report Of Severe Engagement with Band
Under Gomez.
LEADERS STARTING FOR SANTA CLARA
Reported the Rebels Are short oi
Ammunitiop-spnnis Arrest a
Spy who WINS Carrying
Dispatches.

Tuesday sent a force of troops to Jarruco
this province, on the report that Gomez and
Maceo we're attacking the town. The insur-
gents burned the jail, liberated thirty-four
prisoners and destroyed a number OF huts
by fire. but were repulsed by the garrison
when trying to capture Jarruco itself. Cen
eral Hernandez, at the head of 1000 Spanish
cavalry arrived at Jarruco at sunrise yester-
day and soon afterwards attacked the in
snrgents. The enemy left twelve dead on the
held and retired with many wounded. Only
three soldiers were wounded. When the in
surgents retired before the advance of the
Spanish cavalry they divided into small bands
as usual and scattered right and left, max
ing 1t almost impossible to pursue them.
General Aldecoa reports that he has been
engaged with force of insurgents under
Gomez at the Mora plantation. skirmish
was followed by the retreat of the insur-
gents, who suffered some loss not enume-
rated in the report. This body of in
surgents, it appears, was later met by Gen
eral Linares at Zena, where It was asserted
Gomez and Maceo had arranged to unite
their forces. When this information was
obtained, General Linares sent mounted
messenger to General Aldecoa in order that
the latter might support him in case of an
emergency. The Lnares column then took
up the best positions possible under the
circumstances and the Spanish artillery from
ne'ghboring high ground, opened fire upon
the insurgents, and the latter retreated
later report says that General Aldecoa
pushed forward and met the insurgents under
Comes, who had retreated before the Linares
column. The last engagement is described
as having taken place at Otari, but the
insurgents once more retreated and finally
made stand at San Marcos where their
main body is believed to have occupied strong
positions. The troops pushed forward how
ever and when within fifty yards of the
1nsurgent lines, the enemy charged with
machetes. The Spanish cavalry had. in the
meantime, been dsmounted and pushed for
ward as skirmishers, keeping up warm
fire on the insurgent position. When the
insurgents charged, the skirmishers were
called in and formed a square around their
horses. The movement admirably en-
ecuted, and with two sides of the square
firing the enemy beat a hasty retreat leaving
many killed and wounded on the field.
GOMEZ REPORTED WOUNDED
1t is rumored that Gomez was among the
wounded, but the report has not been Of
hcally confirmed. The retreat of the in
suigents was the signal for the cavalry to
remount and push forward The insurgents
by this time had abandoned their positions
and, dividing up into small parties began
retreating in all directions. They were fol-
lowed until nightfall by the Spanish cavalry.
who killed many more of them and made a
number of prisoners.
Colonel Segura is continuing the pursuit
or the insurgents. AT point near San Jose
de Las Lajas, a force of 300 insurgent
cavalry was met and dispersed by squadron
OF Spanish cavalry.
he official reports confirm the news re-
celVed here concerning these skirmishes. and
says that the insurgents loss in the engage
ment or Tuesday was eighty killed
General Seranno Altemiro has engaged the
insurgents under Manuel Suarez in the prov
ince OF Santa Clara The insurgents lost
eighteen killed
The insurgent leader Sanchez is returning
to Sanctl Spirtus province of Santa Clara
taking with him convoy of seventy-two
wounded. Among the latter, 1t is under
stood are some of those who recently landed
in Cuba from the United States as mem
bers OF the various expeditions fitted out
to assist the insurgents cause. In addition
the wounded bound for the Sancti Spititus
district, where an insurgent hospital is under
stood to be located, include Rosenda Garcia,
Augustin Sanchez, Ruperto Pima and Han
cato Cruz, all well known leaders of the
insurgents. Friends of the insurgents how
ever, deny that these men are wounded
Ihey claim that they are going into the
Sancti Spiritus district for good cause and
In the interest of the insurgent army The
latter version of the affair would seem to
be borne out by the fact that a number OF
men, eleven of whom are well known insur-
gent chiefs, recently arrived at Sancti Spir-
itus from Paredes, province of Santiago de
Cuba, and others are expected there from
the eastern part of the island.
Garlic Aguire. with force of insurgents
has passed through Reina, province OF Santa
Clara, going westward.
The immigration from the province of San
tago de Cuba, which is one of the results
of the insurrection, continues. Quite re-
Gently party of 100 persons left the PROV
ince of Santo Domingo.
ARRESTED A SPY.
The authorities of Cobre have arrested
and imprisoned man named Rodofo Soils
who was engaged in carrying dispatches
from headquarters to different Spanish conf
manders. He had been suspected for some
time and bogus messages were placed in
his pouch. 1t was afterward found that
these DISPATCHES had been opened and acted
upon by the insurgents, thus proving con-
clusively the prisoners guilt. He has also
been the bearer OF mail matter and is un-
derstood TO have made the best use of it
possible in the cause of the enemy. He will
be tried by court martial and If his guilt
is established beyond any reasonable doubt
the prisoner will most likely be shot.
General Pando is at Santo Domingo and
has done great deal toward restoring order
in that district OF Santa Clara province In
fact, in the district of Sagua La Grande,
through which the insurgents have so fire.
quently passed on their way westward, the
planters have gone to work again and are
disposing of their grain and other products
without interference.
The captain general is completing his plans
for the extensive operations against the in
surgents which, ii is understood, he will
conduct In person with the view of restoring
order as quickly as possible, Very little
accurate news has been received recently
concerning the movements and doings OF the
Spanards The Spaniards however, claim
that the forces OF Gomez and Maceo are short
of ammunition and they continue pointing
to the fact that although the enemy has
been in the field for about a year past not
town OF any Importance has fallen into
their hands and they have not obtained pos
session OF the smallest kind OF seaport.
KILLED MACEO AGAIN.
Today's rumors that Gomez had been
wounded has been followed tonight by the
startling rumor that Antonio Maceo has been
killed. This like former rumor, has moi
been confirmed.
Colonel Melena met the insurgents under
Maceo today near San Nicolas and the fight
is said to have resulted in very great loss
10 the insurgents, besides the reported death
Of Maceo
A report reaches here from the island of
San Domingo that a vessel in the hands Of
flibusterS In those waters has made an at
tempt TO capture a Spanish merchant vessel.
The attemDt WAS. however frustrated