The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-06-20
GREAT VICTORY FOR GOMEZ.
SPANISH Loss AT NAJASA PUr At
1000 BY THE REBELS.

Included in the EStimate-Gomez'S
Force Estimated at 500 Men and
That OF Gen. CaStcIIanos at $500.
The Arrival of $500 Reinforce
ments All That Saved the Spanish
Force From AnnihiIation.
Havana. June II. via Tampa. Fla. June
1s.-The event Of the week has been Co.
mez' splendid victory at Najasa, Puerto
Principe. The Cubans have reasons for
being proud of their leader, as he has
again demonstrated his great capacity
not as a simple "guerrerillo," as the
Spanish give him credit for being, but
military tactician in the full sense CT
the word. This last achievement Of his
in routing the Spanish forces, greatly su-
perior in number, in open field. led by one
of their Oldest generals, Is sufficient to
prove that the "old Chinaman," as the
Cubans fondly nickname him, is a match
for the Spanish on any occasion, and that
he can Out-general them whenever he
pleases. The details received so far
are meager, the best reports received
here up to the present being Varelas
correspondence, published in La Discus
sion, the best informed independent pa
per in Havana.
left Puerto Principe on the sth with 2,1l4
men, 342 horses, five mounted pieces OF
artillery and a section for the same. On
the 9Th they encamped at a cattle ranch
named Saratoga, after exchanging ram
dom shots with rebel skirmishers. About
4 o'clock p. m, the attack commenced by
q charge of 900 rebel cavalrymen, with
machetes, which the Spaniards admit
was made with great decision. From that
moment until the morning of the uth
the insurgents continued harassing the
troops, killing and wounding many.
The story of Gen. CastelanOs, who COM
manded the Spanards, is that the Cuban
charges were repelled either by artillery
fire or by forming the famous hollow
squares, which the Spaniards consider
unbreakable. Still Gen. Castellanos con-
fesses that there We're moments of great
danger, and only by displaying the great
est Valor could the Spaniards succeed in
repelling the attacks of the enemy. He
also admits the number of wounded Span
ish troops Obliged him to erect his camp
hospital in a farm house of the ranch,
brick and tiled roof structure, which was
so riddled with bullets that some Of the
wounded men were struck after Delhg
placed inside.
Gen. Castellanos likewise acknowledges
that Gen. GodOye's arrival was very op-
perfume since the forty-tWo hours fight
ing had exhausted the troops. In view
of the loss inflicted on the troops Gems.
Godoye and Castellanos decided 10 return
10 the city without pursuing the enemy,
who had already inaugurated the retreat
on Godoye's approach.
troops fired $1,000 dges.-and.-t d.-tflintyn.
shells, and the rebels 25,0OO shots. Nat
urally he figures the rebel losses from 400
10 500, and the Spaniards at thirty-fve, of
which only four were killed and the rest
wounded, more or less, including two Of
fcers, but he candidly confesses he has
not been able to obtain information Of
the number of horses or pack mules kill
ed or wounded.
He concludes his story by simply an
nouncing the arrival of both columns in
Puerto Principe without stating in what
condition they entered the city, whether
all their commanding officers of high or
low rank, returned, or who were missing.
Now this is the Spanish side of the
fight, which has been accepted by the
government as true, since the official re-
port published tells the same story. 1t
can be said that the original document
has never been made public.
From other reliable sources-althoug
incomplete and lacking complete details-~
it is known that Gomez had only 1,SOO men,
1t was known in the city that Gomez was
encamped at Najasa with that number of
men. In the first charge the Spaniards ad-
Spaniards Increased it to 5000. Gen. Cas-
tellanos' forces amounted to $500 men, ac-
cording to this version, which is about ac-
curate-for no Spanish general, even less
Castellanos, who is an old warrior and
knows Gomez way of hghung-would
march at the head of 1,5OO men TO attack
such a formidable opponent. Gomez hay
ing knowledge of his rivals approach,
placed his men in convenient positions,
dividing his forces in small groups OF 800
men each. AS soon as the SpanlardS were
comfortably encamped in the rancn, pre-
pairing for the next day S attack on Gomez
stronghold at Najasa, the Cuban chief
suddenly made his appearance, attacking
their positions simultaneously on all SldeS.
Taken unaWares and completely surround
ed, all they could do was to defend them
selves from the continued charges Whlcn,
with marvellous military precision, were
kept up night and day without auOfdlng
the Spanards moments rest 1nahkS ks
TO Gen, Godoyes timely arrival with $500
men Gen. CastellanOS was saved from
complete disaster, as undoubtedly he could
never have extricated himself from the
tran in which Gomez had him. 1t is SAID
that if Gen. Godoye had delayed his march
six hours longer Gen. Castellanos would
have surrendered, as ne was alreauy loo
weak to stand fighting much longer.
OF course, Gomez could not sustain tne
battle after Godoye's arrival with Iresh
Te-inforcements, therefore he allowed them
10 effect their retreat to Puerto Princlpe;
but still he managed TO harass them all
the way, oblging them TO form squares up
TO the very gates of the city.
been ascertained yet. II is only known tnat
the spaniards brought with na tnem 9 Szq
whether they left any Dehmd Is not
known Report has it that the total span
ssh loss in killed, wounded and missing
VIZ # is also Stated that Calixto Garcia, and
s,resuna blv Rabi, took part in the en-
gagement, but this has not been conilrm-
ed and MANY believe it impossible, since
both are still reported on the other side
of the Cauto river, forming the limit OF
Camaguey and Santiago de CUBA pro
V.nces.
Another event which caused a great
sensation in the city, was the dynamite
explosion under two bridges separating
the main body of the city from the two m
portant suburbs of Jesus del Monte and
Cerro. Although the damage done was
not great, since only a water main was de-
strOyed under one, and Few Drlcks torn
from the other, nevertheless taken in
connection with the former explosion at
the captain generals palace, II shows
that there is an organized conspiracy in
the city and that if for the present they
have done little injury, they may cause
considerable harm some day That is
what everybody fears, the government
iucluded. for every effort is being made to
discover the perpetrators, but up to the
present It has failed. Two Spaniards have
been arrested on suspicion, but nothing
mas been proven against them:
The sanitary condition Of the island is
getting worse every day Reports are
coming in from every town and city. tell
ing about the ravages caused by yellow
4 raff II N.g