The times., 1897-09-12

| Havana, Sept. 6, via Key West, Sept
| IL The captare of Victoria de las Tunas
| was made last Sunday by Gen. CaIixto
| Garcia, after bombarding the town for
two days with five pieces Of artillery
the six forts which defended the town
were utterly destroyed by the dynamite
| shells, and the others greatly damaged.
Before opening fire, Gen. Garcia wrote
10 the Spanish commander, inviting him
! ID surrender.
81 have" said Garcia, 900 men and
| artillery enough TO sflaJter the whole town
| of Las Tunas. l give you three hours to
surrender, and 1 Will respect your life
and that of your men,
| No answer came, and the fire was
| opened on Friday, September 3, at
| o'clock ~ tie afternoon. 1t was quickly
answered with heavy vulleys from tue fort.
| The Spanish had three cannon, two Of them
twelve Founders and their first yolleys did
| some damage To the Cuban ranks but as
| sooa ss the dynamiter ent into action
victory was assured to the Cubans. On
| Sunday at nooG white flag was displa yed
at tie top Of the principal fort and the
| Cuban immedia tel ceased firing 4 Span
! isn efficei advanced then to the insurgent
lnes and psp0rted the desire Of the mill
| tary commander to surrender on honorable
terms. The Spanish commander desired
| that the lives of the garrison should be
| respected and their liberty granted in case
! the SqaniaTds should ask fof an exchange
! of prisoners.
| Gen. Garcia agreed to these terms, and
the forts We're delivered 70 him.
The Spanish commander, Lieut.. Col.
| Mol aizsqui, said that since August 3 he
| had been calling for re-enforceIients and
| sending heliogr aphic dispatches 10 the
! Spanish stations along the CaHto River,
! without receiving any answer. He had
| had word Of a formidable advance of In
| sHrgeDt troops from Sabanila, CaiInito
| and other places IN the neighborhooa OF
the Canto.
| Hereceived news that Caaxto Garcia was
| concentrating his forces To move west
ward and attack the JuUaro- Moron tr0cifa
| in continuation with Gen Gomez, who was
! reported 10 he at the west side OF that
nilit9ry line, in the province Of Puerto
Principe He was informed also that the
cavalry forces Of Gen. Jesus Rabl had
Joi,Ied Garcia, and that the Cuban army
IN the neighborhood numbered 8 900 men
Fearing an attack on Victoria de las Tunas
| ne asked tor help, and " as much discour
aged at receiving no answer.
The failure to reenforce him is ex.
| planned 10y the fact that since August
the Spanish have been Completely driven
way from the CanIo and hemmed in at
| ManZanilla The important towns Of Eul-
gum, Guigani and Bayamo are expected
10 fall Into the hands Of the Cubans also
| in shtrt time. Their garrisOns are help
! less and isolated.
Gen. i.ugue has exchanged some OF the
prisoners with Gen. Garcia, among them
Lieut.. Col Moriazequi, and some Officers.
| Gen. Lugue is al the head Of a column OF
5000 men, but dares not attack Gen.
Garcia, and maintains defensive atti
tlds.
As tie military commander Of .as Tunas
tries 10 defend himself by throwing the
I responsibility on Gen. Lugue. bec4use he
did not help him 80 Gen. I.urue's friends
here throw the responsibility on Gen Wey.
ler The truth IL that some months ago
Lugue refused to accept the command Of
tie Spanish forces in Santiago de Cuba un
less Gen. WeyIer would declare Officially
tie true state OF weakness Of the Spanish
forces in the east.
Gen. Weyler has long had a grudge
against Gen. Lugue. lie replied TO the lat
ter's refusal by saying to the friends Of
Lugue that 1t was not becoming In a nil
itary man to excuse him self for PIT 20
ing TO ii place OF danger. Then Lugue ac.
cepted and Went to the field Day after
ddy he reported the situation to Wey-
Ter and the captain general started TO
Santiago de Cuba In July last with forty
h9ttalions, TO crush the revolution bv
himself as ne boastfulIy declared But
in less than two weeks he and his forty
battalions returned TO the west and Wey-
Ter took refuge again in his palace at Ha-
vana, leaving LuGue alone to meet the tri-
umpiIant forces of CaIixto Garcia, Pequito
Perez and Jcsus Rabi
Among the friends Of Lugue IL is said
now that Weyler abandon ed him puruoselv.
BE that as it may, the brilliant victory
Of Gen. Garcia VIII probably cost him his
office.
To queil the revolution IN the provinces
Of Santiago de Cuba and Puerto Principe
Gen. Arolos has said that pain needs 200.
ooa more soldiers and 2oo, 100000 more
dollars. Whether Spain can or VIII ford
both is now the question.