The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-12-23
REBELS IN CAvITE A FAiL-
URE.
SHIPS SHELLS FELL SHORT.
HOT FIRE OF THE FNsUR-
GENTS.
OFFICIAL ACCOUNTS DISPUTED.
According to the Reports Given Out
at Madrid the Government Was
Victorious

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 22.-Private
advices from Manic, Philippine islands,
reached here today and are verified by
an account that appears in the Hong
Kong press received per Belgic this
morning. The news contained in the
communication deals with the attack
by the Spanish on the Noveleta 18th
mus and the attempts of the Spanish to
dislodge the insurgents in Cavite and
WHO. At the end of the campaign,
which lasted until Nov. IA, the Spanish
authorities sent out dispatches report
ing that the attack had been success
full and that the rebel loss was very
heavy. The Spanish claimed to have
lost about thfrty-five killed and 100
wounded. 1t is now learned that the
great victory that the Castilians pre-
dicted ended in ignominious defeat. The
rebels held Noveleta against warships
and troops. The Spaniards retired after
suffering heavy loss q
The Spanish forces under Gen. Rios
were divided into two brigades Of 1000
men each, supported by the Spanish
gunboats in the bay The insurgents
numbered about 10000 but they were
strongly entrenched in Cavfte and
Noveleta. Rios attacked the first line
Of redoubts at Noveleta, and the rebels
Tell back to the main line of DononZe.
mile in the rear of the picket line
The Spanish had their plans we'll ar
ranged. They placed the cruiser Cas-
tilla close in shore, and their guns COW
cred the attacks Of the royal troops.
The fight started at o'clock on Sun
day, Nov s, and by 1 o'clock in the
afternoon the insurgents outer works
had been evacuated, Then a general
attack followed, Rios throwing the
main body of his first brigade against
the rebel entertainments. The gunboats
opened fire on the enemy, but owing
to bad gunnery failed to cause any
damage to the defenses. The Cardelia,
the closest to Cavite, was fully six
miles from the town, and all Of her
shells fell short, owing to the extreme
elevation given the ships cannon
When Rios men reached the insur-
gents works, terrific fire was opened
on them. They marched forward reso-
lutely until rifle pits commenced to
belch forth fire, moving down the front
ranks. The column faHered, then re-
treated slowly under heavy fire The
Spanish troops were in the open and
subjected to the full effect of the fire
Had the rebels gunnery been good,
Rios could have been slaughtered. The
morning of Nov. 9, the Spanish were
back in their camp again, and had
repaired the remnants of the first brig
ade. The second brigade had suffered
very little. The steamers Isabella, I.
and a small transport were used to
fetch the wounded to port from the
peninsula. At least so wounded were
brought from the battlefield
Wednesday, Nov. IL, Rios prepared
and headed a second attack on Noyele-
ia. He threw his entire army against
the redoubts and was routed with heavy
loss in the first attack. The gunboats
failed to aid the troops to any extent,
their shot falling short. The Spanish
did not attempt to renew the action,
but, waited until the morning Of Nov.
"A, when a weak effort was made to
flank the rebels, the failure OF which
ended the fighting for the time being.
| London, Dec. pa Madrid dispatch
to the Daily Mail, says: In order to
insure the success of the next loan,
the government is Straining every
nerve to conceal the true situation in
the Philippines. The whole colony is