Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-01-06
SPANISH RETREAT.
Several Engagements Have Been
Fought Near the City of
ST. EStante.

Havana, Jan. Am engagement be-
tween the Spanish troops and insurgents
has taken place at Ell 4Estante, south
of Alfonso XII, and not far from the
frontier of the province of Havana. The
official announcement says that the
troops captured the insurgent positions,
but that the loss to the enemy is not
known. It is admitted that two Spanish
officers and four soldiers were killed
and nineteen were wounded. The insur-
gents, following their usual tactics. did
not accept a decisive engagement. but,
after the skirmish, proceeded westward,
devastating the country as they marched
onward. The authorities here, in an
announcing this skirmish, added the
significant statement that the troops
were moved closer to the province of Ha-
vana." which would seem to indicate that
the Spanish forces are once more in re-
treat.
spanish Believed to be in Retreat.
Later in the day it was announced
here that further fighting between the
Spaniards and the Cubans is taking
place in the vicinity of El Estante, and
this, with the announced movement Of
the Spanish troops ''closer to the frontier
of Havana" leads people here to believe
of the Spanish troops in that vicinity.
| The latter are commanded by COL Gal
| Wis, who was also in command of the
troops first engaged in the vicinity Of
El Estante. which seems to be Il con-
| firmation of the suDDosition that the
| SDaniards were worsted and that the
| Cubans are making for the frontier of
| the province of Havana in spite of all
| the statements to the contrary.
! In view of the fine work and rapid
| progress of the insurgent cavalry, Gen.
| Campos has ordered the Spanish officials
| in all the disturbed districts to seize all
| the horses they can lay hands on, in or
| der to prevent them from falling into the
| hands Of the enemy. But it is believed
| that the Cubans are already as well
mounted and supplied with horses as
| they need be. and there are people who
| claim that this order might have been
| issued with better advantages some
| months sooner.
Devastation by the Cubans.
The damage being done by the Cubans
is terrible They have burned the best
| fields of Perla, Rosario and Australia
| in that district. and in the Navarette
| district the plantations of Vinas, Men
| DEE, Garay Escalant and Haza have
| been destroyed by the torches of the
| Spaniards' enemies.
/
| burned many houses in the Cardenas dis
trict of the province of Matanzas and
have set fire to and destroyed many cane
| fields in the Union de Reyes, Buena
! Vista, Jaguey Grande and Macurijes
| districts.
! In addition, the village Of La Yagua,
| whose inhabitants did not receive the
1 insurgents as well as the latter would
| have liked, has been blOtted out by fire.
/ of To "a El1O1 q no CrIIQU
alone five railroad bridges and three Gull
verts have recently been destroyed by
! the insurgents.
But the insurgents are not paying at
! tention to the plantations exclusively.
| The houses of the weather. classes and
the, stores of the inha bitants of the in
| vaded districts generally are being sacked
unless ransomed by the payment Of mon
| ey in proportion to the value of the prop
1 erty. The friends of the insurgents here
| claim that this is perfectly fair, as the
| planters are the chief support of the
| Spanish government system here and
| that in lessening the revenue-contrib-
/ 1iting power of the planters they are only
! cutting off the sources Of supply of the
] SpaniardS.
! The government officials, however, in
| sist that the insurgents are robbing the
| poorest inha bita nts of anything they can
| lay hands on, even STOPPING to taking
their watches and any little money they
may find in their pockets.
Cable Connection with Trinidad.
Gable communication with Trinidad,
| Tunas de Zaza, Bucaro, Santa Cruz and
| Manzanillo, all towns on the southern
| coast of the island, was inaugurated to-
! day.
1t was announced this afternoon that
Felipe Rodriguez, the insllrgent leader
| has been killed in an engagement with
the Spanish troops.
hne b case b agan With ; Shy Fen
nandez Castro before the commencement
of the revolution, has been taken to the
| Supreme court.
! STORM IN THE CENTRAL STATES.
Railrnad TraAan In IlIinois nd India