The herald., 1896-03-06
Seems Very Steady in Spite of
Reported Defeats
HAVANA IS THREATENED
Maceo Is Almost at the Gates OF the
Capital
An Outbreak OF Smallpox Adds to the Horrors
Of the Cuban War-feeiing
IN Spain

Associated Prcss Special Wire
HAVANA. March 5. Captain-G General
Weyler visited the military hospitals today
and expressed himself as satisfied with the
manner in which the wounded and sick
are being cared for and at the condition of
the buildings.
Up 10 date the insurgents have burned
thirteen villages and towns in tho province
of Pinar del Rio. Among them are several
important places, including San Jaun de
Martinez. In addition they have burned
many tobacco houses and the extensive
sugar estate at Gu,camaya.
GARLIC and Rojas, the insurgent leaders,
at the head Of about 700 of their followers,
recently attacked q company of Scillia
battalion and the local guerrilla force of
San Andreas near Holguin, province Of
Santiago de Cuba.
The soldiers made brilliant defense
and repulsed the rebels with loss of
twenty-five killed. The enemy retired with
many wounded.
Captain-General Weyler has issued cir
cular prohibiting the sale of petroleum
and other inflammable articles of like de-
scription in the villages of Cuba and regu-
lating their importation.
Major Ferrera, in charge of detach-
ment of troops guarding a provision train
bound from Santa Spiritus to Pico P,,ero,
province of Santa Clara, has repulsed an
insurgent attack. Four insurgents were
kiIleI i and the troops lost six men.
The Spanish gunboat' Lines, conveying
provisions to Jihacoa, found the entrance
to the river closed by chain stretched
from bank to bank. The insurgents fred
upon the gunboat and the latter returned
the fire. The troops we're sent in pursuit
of the insurgents.
A detachment of insurgents belonging to
Maceo's forces have captured the fort at
Santa Cruz, a small place north of Jibacoa,
by unfair means, it is claimed. The in
surgents called upon tho little garrison to
surrender, and the Spanish in charge left
the fort for the purpose of conferring with
the insurgent leader. In the meantime the
insurgents surrounded the fort, entered
Tending it, also captured all their arms and
the supply Of ammunition. The volunteers
were later released, and the military gov.
ernor of Jibacoa sent q detachment of
troops in pursuit.
| Generals Prats and .Arolas are closely
pursuing Gomez, who is now on the limits
Of The border of the tprovince of Santa
Clara, according to tho official adyices.
| The situation in the province of Pinar del
Rio has greatly improved. It was recently
entirely lacking in tel rraphic communica'
ton and in garrsons and was at the mercy
| of the insurgents.
But order has been restored and matters
are now in their usual state, although com.
munication is maintained by the hello
| graphic system. The insurRent leader,
Calunga. who was reported to have been
killed, is still alive.
General Melguize has had an engage
ment at the plantation of Moraloc, near
CasaRuies, this province, with the bands of
the insurgents belonging to Maceo's COM
mand. The troops dislcdged the insur-
gents from the positions which they occu-
pied, and the Castillos squadron and the
Taretces volunteers, in pursr ng ther !.
killed eighteen of the enemy and wounded
many more. The troops had several
wounded.
Colonel Martin Ter had another en-
gaRement with the Insurgents at the zero
farm after crossing the River Tucio, not
far from Santa Cruz, in the province of
Puerto Principe, and the colonel after
wards dispersed the insurgents at Saboraco
and Picn Plea, where the insurgents had
again united their forces. Colonel Martins S
cavalry charged the insurgent front and
dislodged the enemy from the position oc-
cupied with loss.
The reopening of the teleeraphic com.
Rio brings the first detailed information of
affairs in that province for several weeks.
The condition of affairs disclosed is little
less than appalling. The rich Vuelta Abajo
district seems to have been put to the
torch, and is apparently reduced to q will.
derness. Whole towns have been oblit-
Grated and their inhabitants are wandering
helpless over the country, many of them
starving. The villages and towns of Ca
banas, Bethia Honda, San Diego de Lunez,
Santa Cruz de los Pinos, Los Palacios, Piso
Real de San Diego and San Diego de los
Banos are knowl to be reduced to ashes,
and reports of others will bring the number
destroyed UP to thirteen. All of these were
important centers of population and busi.
Eess. The last town which has succumoed
to the insurgents torch is San Juan Mar
tinez. The tobacco from this town ia fa-
nous the world over.
O.. When the first column of the Span
town they found only debris and
smoking ashes. A hundred desolate
families had taken refuge in poor huts out
side of what was once The town, and were
waiting helplessly for any assistance.
They were without clothes and without
food.
lNsCRGENT ACTIVITY
NEW YORK, March ga special to the
Herald from Havana says:
"Nobody has paid much attention to re.
ports from the field as to operations lately.
Washington and Madrid have been the sole
centers of interest. Yet, within few days,
Gomez and Maceo have achieved other
successes in the face of strong opposing
columns. which has made the world wonder
| how it can be done.
General Pando, in command in Santa
Clara, only awaited the arrival of these
troops to strike hard blows. But Gomez
and Maceo, having left in the everglades
hospitals all their wounded and ill, taken
east from their fights in the western prov
inces, strengthened their forces with new
troops fresh from Puerto Principe and San
Diego and then, while the Spanish battal-
ions were Ell route to catch them, they un-
eXpectedIy turned west again, slipping past
all distractions with only a few skirin-
ishes.
"Now Gomez is in the heart of MAINTAIN
zas, and Maceo is once more almost at the
gates of the capital Trains have been fired
on just beyond the city on the Mantanzas
road and Monday night there was o sharp
skirmisn only three miles beyond the sub
i urb of Jesus del Monte, little settlement
to which Havana horse cars and omnibuses
make regular trips. There was no official
report of the affair given out"
ADDED HORRORS
WARRINGTON. March 5-Smallpox has