The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-02-21
CUBANS SHORT OF POWDER
COMPELLED TO USE MACHETES
AGAINST A wELL-ARMED ENEMY.
Gen. Gomez Unoficially Reported to
= Have BceKa WOunded-Weyler Pre-
pairing ~ "RestOre Order"


four prisoners and destroyed a number of
houses by fire, but were repulsed by the
when trying to capture Jarruco
itself. Colonel Hernandez. at the head of
one thousand Spanish cavalry, arrived at
Jarruco at sunrise yesterday and soon aft
erwards attacked the insurgents. The enc
my left twelve dead on the field and retired
with many wounded. Only three soldiers
were wounded. When the insurgents had re-
treated before the advance Of the Spanish
cavalry they divided into Small bands as
usual and scattered right and left, making
it almost impossible to pursue them
General Aldecoa reports that he has been
engaged with q force of insurgents under
Gomez at the Morales plantation. A skirmish
was followed by the retreat Of the in
surgents. who suffered some loss not enum-
Grated in the report. This body of insur-
gents, it appears. was later met by General
Linares, at Zenia, where. it is asserted.
Gomez and Maceo had arranged to unite
their forces. When this information was
obtained General Linares sent a mounted
messenger TO General Aldecoa in order that
the latter might support him in case of
an emergency. The Linares column then
took up the best positions possible under
lUt circumstances anu LAC Re1AAAS IL ~ -
from neighboring high ground, opened fire
on the insurgents and the latter retreated.
A later report says that General AL
decoa pushed forward and met the insur-
gents under Gomez some time after they
had retreated before the Linares column.
This last engagement is described as hav-
ing taken place at Otaria. But the insur-
gents once mere retreated and finally made
-. 49, -.
body is believed to have occupied strong
positions. The troops pushed onward, how
ever, and when within about fifty yards of
the insurgent lines the enemy charged with
machetes. The Spanish cavalry had in the
meanwhile been dismounted and pushed for
ward as skirmishers. keeping up a warm
fire on the insurgent position. When the
Insurgents charged the skirmishers were
called in and they formed a square around
their horses. The movement was admirably
executed and, with two sides of the square
firing. the enemy beat a hasty retreat. leav-
ing many killed and wounded on the field
1t is rumored that Gomez was among the
wounded. but the report has not been Off
.cially confirmed.
PURSUED BY THE SPANIARDS.
The retreat OF the insurgents was the sig
llCl " llC NANdhs ~ Y 0H0 f1Dt
for ward. The insurgents by this time had
abandoned their positions and. dividing up
into small parties, began retreating in all
direction, They were followed until night
fall by the Spanish cavalry. who killed many
more of them and made a number of prison.
erc. Colonel Segura is continuing the pur-
suit OF the insurgents.
At a point near San Jose de las Lajas
$500 80 tbraa bupdraI inS1rOanf cavalry
was met and dispersed by a squadron o.
Spanish cavalry.
The official reports confirm the news re-
ceived here concerning these skirmishes and
say that tee insurgent loss in the engage
ment of Tuesday was eighty killed. General
Serrano Altomira has been engaged with
the Insurgents under Manuel Suarez in the
province o. Santa Clara. The insurgents
The insurgent leader, Serafn Sanchez, is
returning to Santi Spirit1s, province OF
Santa Clara, taking with him a convoy
of seventy-two wounded. Among the lat
ter. IL is understood, are some of those who
recently landed in Cuba from the United
States as members of the various expedi-
tions fitted out TO assist the insurgent
cause. In addition, the wounded bound
for the SAINT Spiritus district, where an
hospital is understood TO be To-
Gated. include Rosenda. Garcia, Augustin
Sanchez. Ruperto Pin and Haneato Cruz,
all well-known leaders Of the insurgents.
Friends of the insurgents, however. deny
that these men are wounded. They claim
that they are going into the Santi Spiritus
district for good cause and in the interests
of the insurgent army. The latter version
of the affair would seem TO be borne out
by the fact that a number of men, all of
whom are ~ell-know insurgent chiefs. re-
Gently arrived at Santi Spiritus from Pa
redes. province Of Santiago de Cuba and
part of the island. Carrillo Aguirre, with
a force of insurgents, has passed through
Reina. province of Santa Clara, going
The immigration from the province of
Santiago de Cuba. which is one of the
results of the Instruction, continues. Quite
recently a party Of one hundred persons
left that province for Santo Domingo.
WILL PROBABLY BE SHOT.
The authorities of Cobre have arrested
and imprisoned a man named Rodolfo
Soils. who was engaged in carrying dis
patches from headquarters to different
Spanish commanders. He had been sus-
pected for some time. and bogus messages
were placed in his pouch. 1t was after
ward found that these dispatches had been
opened and acted OF by the insurgents.
thus proving conclusively the prisoners
guilt. He has also been the bearer of mail
matter, and understood to have made the
best use possible of il 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 a great deal toward controlling
order in that district of Santa Clara. 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 kain. and are
disposing of their grain and other products
without interference.
The captain general is completing his
plans for the extensive operations against
the insurgents which, ii is understood, he
will conduct in person. with the view of
order as quickly as possible.
Very little accurate news has been re-
ceived recently concerning the movements
and doings of the insurgents The Span
iards, however, claim that the forces of
Gomez and Maceo are short of ammuni-
ton, and they continue pointing 10 the
fact that, although they have been in the
field for about a year past. not a town of
any Importance has fallen into their hands.
and they have not obtained possession OF
the smallest kind of a seaport On this
ground the Spanish authorities assert that
the insurrection will shortly be suppressed,
that Ii has never amounted to any
thing more than wholesale raidfng on the
part of undisciplined guerrillas. who nave
never yet bad organization or courage
enough 10 face the Spanish troops in a
regular engagement. When these points
sure 10 reply that If this is the case, how
Is IL that the Spanish commanders. with a
force estimated to amount, including vol
unteers and guerrillas, TO about 150, GOO men,
have been unable to uppress the so-called
rebel bands" and that they are success
fully operating within a few miles of Ha-
yana In spite of the advent OF General