Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1896-06-24
AT NAJAZA.
Gen. Gomez Said to Have Scored
a Splendid Victory.
Over One Thousand Insurgent Cavalry
Attack $500 Spanish Soldiers.
They Harrnssed the Troops for az Hours
Killing and Wounding Many-The Ar
rival OF Gen. Godoy's with 1900
Men Saved Complete Defeat.

HAVANA. June II. via Tampa, Fla,
June 2O.-Ihc event of the week has
been Comes splendid victory at Ma.
ja&a. Puerto Principe. The details
thus far are meager, the best report
received here up TO the present time
being from the correspondent La
Discussion, which is regarded as the
best informed independent paper in
Havana. He says that Gen. Jiminez
Castellanos left Puerto Principe on the
sth inst with lila men. 342 horses and
five mounted pieces of artillery. On
the 9Th they camped at "a cattle ranch
called Saratoga. where about four
o'clock p. IN. the attack commenced by
n charge of 1000 rebel cavalrymen with
machetes. From that moment until
the morning of the 18th the insurgents
continued harassing the troops, killing
and wounding many.
The story of Gen. Castellanos. who
commanded the Spaniards, is that the
Cuban charges were repealed either by
artillery fire or by forming hollow
squares, which the Spaniards consider
unbreakable. Still, Castellanos CON
fesses, there were moments of great
danger and only by displaying the
greatest valor could the Spaniards sue
coed in repelling the attacks of the
enemy. He admits that the number of
wounded Spanish troops obliged him
to erect his camp hospital in the farm
house of the ranch, "A brick structure.
which was so riddled with bullets that
some of the wounded men were struck
after being placed inside. Castellanos
also acknowledges that Gen. Godovs
arrival was very opportune, since the
~ hours had exhausted his troops In
view of the loss inflicted on the forces.
Gems. Godoy and Castellanos decided
to return to the city without pursuing
the enemy, who had already inaugu-
ated their retreat on Godoy's approach.
Narela, the La Discussions cores
pondent, says that the Spanish troops
fired 90, 900 cartridges and three shells
and the rebels %, 600 shots. He figures
the rebel losses from 400 to 500. and
the Spaniards at So, of whom ONLY
four were killed and the rest
wounded, including two officesrs.
lie 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. This is the Spanish side
of the fight, which is borne out by the
official report.
From other sources incomplete and
lacking important details, il is shown
that Gomez had only 1,SOO men. Gen.
Castellanos forces amounted to $500
men. He, knowing of his rivals ap.
proach. placed the men in convenient
positions, dividing his forces in
small groups of 800 men each.
As soon as the Spaniards were
comfortably encamped in the ranch.
preparing for the next DAYS attack ON
Gomez's stronghold at Naiaza. the Gu.
ban chief suddenly made his appear.
ance, attacking their position simulta-
neously on all sides. Taken unawares
and completely surrounded. all they
could do was to defend themselves
from the continued charges. which.
with marvellous to military precision.
were kept up night and day. without
ahording the Spaniard's a moments
rest. Thanks to Gen. Godoy's timely
arrival with $500 men. Castellanos was
saved from complete defeat 1t is said
that If GodOy had delayed his march
SIX hours longer, Castellanos would
have surrendered, as he was already
too weak to stand fighting much
longer.
he actual losses on both sides have
not been ascertained yet. 1t is only
known that the Spaniards brought with
them 800 wounded from the field of ac-
ton, and if any We're left behind it is
not known. Report has it that the
total Spanish loss in killed. wound
ed and missing was over one thousand.