The Red Cloud chief., 1896-01-10
VICTORY Is AT HAND.
CUBAN INDEPENDENCE AL.
MOST WON.
The I%nsurgcnt Army Approaching Havana
Cnchccked from Three Directions for the
t1nai Struggle koyaIist Troops Desert.
ing tho Crown.

HAVANA. idH. W MESS all lnulCi-
tons are misleading the end of tho
Cuban insurrcction is at hand, and the
result, IL would seem, must be in favor
ot the insurgents, whose armies, under
Maxine Gomez, Antonco Macco and
pnintin Enndcra are nearing the city
from three directions.
These facts, Be- frequently denied
in ohltial circles during the past two
weeks are now generally admitted.
even by Spanish officials. All sorts Of
lame explanations of the triumphant
advance OF the Cubans are put forth in
the hope of calming public excitement,
INT no amount of explanation will
alter the fact that the insurgent cav-
AIRY scouts have been sighted from
here this morning.
NrhRiSG TuE CAPITAL.
~ these advance bodies of the
tubans were at Tapastc, eighteen
miles from Guanabaco, practically "a
snburb OF this city, last night, it is by
no means Improbable that the report
that the Cuban scouts have been
sighted froIu The lines defending
i'aNulli II tDIIffL. IL IN nD lDll1rpf Il
cry OF q to Havana from the
'ubans. They are slowly but surely
surrounding this capital after a trl-
rmphant march from the eastern end
of Santiago tic Cuba to the capital Of
this island, in spite of all the best
troops at Spain could do to prevent
them. step by step General tampps
hnS been driven back before the ad.
vlnpf. nf tlts pistlriprg .Y, ,.,,I
mere preparations are being completed
on both sides for the final and decisive
struggle.
TAKING THEIR rosTs ron THE SIEGE.
General Bandcra and his column
campcd last night at san Jose dc las
Lakes, n short distance from Iapastc,
aud his forces arc nuw said To be NOV
ing on G~uanabacO, or its vicinity, in
order To take up the position assigned
To them Tor the siege of Havana.
Another report has II that the Ban
dcra will try To pass Mount Ecjuca TO
Rincon and from there to Santiago do
las Vegas, to cut or the railroads
leading to Havana. but in any case, IL
~ admitted that he will push onward
toward this city and his camp fires
may tonight he visible from the Span
ish outposts around this city. In fact,
II is claimed that Bandera will camp
this evening az the Ncnto farm, with
in rifle shot Of the outposts of the
SpauiardS.
The main body of the second insnr.
gent column under General Gomez
was reported this morning To be ut
Duran, moving in the direction Of
tliru Mclcna, at the bend OF the rail-
road leading from The province of
Iiuar del RIO into Havana. Other
portions OF Come column, by far the
strongest of the three and now said TO
number 5000 men, were sighted to-
day ut Guivican and san Felipe, uulv
slightly 10 the eastward and north
ward Of Guira Mclcna.
The third insurCcnt column. uadcr
General Macco, vas announced this
morning To have passed Celia, Mocha,
with Come, when last heard from.
and should now he in the vicinity 6r
San Antonio Vegas, or between there
and Nazarcno
All three columns have been c~ontin-
uing the work of destruction, burning
cane fields and pluudering the houses
of the Weather class as they pushed
onward. The plantations in the
Gnircs district, through which the IN
surgents have just passed, have been
completely wiped ont by lire.
CoNsTrEN ArIoS ~ HAVANA.
Here the utmost CONSERVATION pre-.
walls In government circles. There is
no denying that Havana is now to all
intcnts and purposes invested by the
insurgents. Their columns are press
ing unchecked around this city and the
military authorities seem To have
fallen into Il comprehensive of hclpleSs.
ness. Government officials are blam.
ing The different spanish generals for
the condition of liiair>, utterly regard.
less OF the fact that it was Cumpos's
plan of campaign, the wild scattering
OF his forces all over the
ISLAND, which is mainly To
blame for the crisis, although other
influences have had u great share in
the bitter humiliation OF the Span
iards. lncapacity has been supple.
mcutcd by sickness and treachery.
The Spanish soldiers, in spite OF all
dcnials, hav. deserted in considerable
numbers and have in many instances
shown sympathy with the insurgcnt
cause. Stories are atloat here oi q
"HulSsalV TtpuhI!can propaganda at
work among the soldiers from Spain
and il Is claimed that il will vet bear
astonishing fruit.
Wcll-to'do people from the districts
around Havana are tlocking INTO This
0ty. The price az provisions has
already begun tn go M alarminEly.
In the streets, the hustle and hustle of
the military is visible. Every man or
hoy who can be placed under arm, has
been called upon to shoulder "A ride
and the warships have landed every
man and gun available for the defense
of the city.
In the face OF those preparations To
rcpel the enemy from without, the
o vigorous plans have Dcru laid
ont 10 battle with an enemy within.
The authorities recognize the fact that
when the insnrgent guns are heard in
the distance they may be the signal
for n popular uprising which will di-
vert attention from the enemy aud
enable the latter To make a dash inc
Havana, which is expected To end tho
war ana enable Cuba Ia gam her inac.
pendencc.
Agents OF the insurgents arc known
90 have slipped into Havana recently
..,l f.,a, tla a.ltN., ...g