The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-11-13
Insurgents Position Captured
BY Weyler.
THE TRUE PARTICULARS
The Insurgents Attack Town
and Destroy a Bridge.
SPAIN IS SEEKING SUPPORT
Against the United States in View OF
Trouble With This Country
Minister Taylor
Position.

Position.
Havana. Nov. 12.-The following de-
tails have ben received from the front of
the capture of the insurgent position in
the mountains of El Rubi, province of
Pinar del Rio, by the forces under the
command of Captain General Weyler,
exclusively announced by the Associated
Press last night.
The operations began ON Monday last.
The plan of the Captain General was to
advance on the insurgent positions with
his forces divided into three columns.
General Maunos, at the head of his bat
falions of all arms, entered the mountain
Gus district hy Manuelita. Gen Eehague,
with four hattaHons, from Artemisa, en-
tered the mountains by way of Caya-
jabo, while Col. Segura, with his column,
advanced from Soroa, on the enemy's
positions.
Captain General Weyler, with Reina,
Castillo, America, Barcelona and Puerto
Rico battalions, and six field pieces,
pushed forward from Mariel, in order to
attack the insurgent front, and to cover
the probable outlet from the mountains.
The insurgents believed they held strong
positions, and they undoubtedly occupied
the points most favorable for defense.
Gen. Echague, advancing from Arte-
misa towards Cayajabo, and thence into
the mountains, had the better read and
his troops we're the first to engage the
enemy. After sustaining sharp fire,
these troops captured the insurgent posi-
tions in the pass at the south entrance
of the mountains.
at daylight on Tuesday the troops OF
General Echague were reinforced by the
column commanded by General Aguila,
and the combined forces, at the point of
the bayenet, captured IN succession, all
the insurgent positions. The enemy de-
Tended his works with tenacity, but the
Snanisl troops succeeded in occupying
the heights of lei Rubi, the principal in
surgent defense in the vicinity of the
military line.
It is believed that the greater part of
the insurgents in the province Of Pinar
del Rie took part in this engagement.
The Spanish troops lost six men killed,
and General Echague. six officers of
minor rank and ffty-four soldiers
wounded. The insurgents left seven men
killed en- the field. Their actual loss is
not known General Echague was shot
in the thigh after the actual fighting
was ever.
During the engagement quite shower
OF bullets fell over General Weyler and
his staff, whereupon somebody expressed
anxiety as to the safety of the Captain
General. TO this the latter replied: '"Ihe
bullet which will kill me is not yet cast"
INSURGENTS USE DYNAMITE.
Havana, Nov. 1.-THE insurgents have
attacked the town of Cmarioca, in the
privince of Matanzas. After firing upon
the place for FIVE hours, the firing being
returned by the garrison, the enemy re-
treated, leaving four men killed on the
field, plandering the stores, burning sew
eral houses and wounding q woman.
"A dispatch from Matanzas to-day says
that ten persons who were imprisoned
there on political charges have been re-
leased
The insurgents have destroyed with use
OF dynamite the bridges at Carderon,
province of Matanzas, at about the time
a prisoner train was due to cross it.
THE SITUATION IN MADRID.
Madrid, Nov. 12-With regard to the
dispatches from Washington on the
subject of the possibility Of trouble be-
tween the United States and Spain, it
is semi-oficially denied that the Spanish
Premier, Senor Canovas del Castillo, has
communicated with the powers with the
view to seeking support against the
United States. 1t is explained that the
story is probably revival of the report
circulated in August last when Spain pre-
pared a memorandum on Cuban relations
with the United States, suggesting that
the powers assist Spain in bringing ami
cable pressure to bear on the United
States. On the occasion indicated, and
by the advice of the Ambassadors of the
powers, the Spanish Minister for Foreign
Affairs consulted with the United States
Minister at Madrid before sending
memorandum. 1t was the view of Min
lister Taylor that the dispatch of such
note directly after President Cleveland's
proclamation calling for observance of
the neutrality laws would be calculated
to seriously affect the relations between
Spain and the United States, and in de-
ference to that expression, the Spanish
Minister for Foreign Affairs assured Min
lister Taylor that the memorandum would
be Withheld. also stating that no offense
was intended to President Cleveland or
to the government of the United States,
and that Spain had only desired to sound
the powers with the view of contingencies
which naght arise out of the Presidential
election 1t is now added that the possi-
bility of war between the United States
and Spain is regarded as being most
remote, and it is pointed out that so
far as desiring to force trouble with the
United States, Spain remained perfectly
neutral during the Presidential election.