The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1897-12-31

The Battle Fought at Yacta Ford
on the Cauto.
A Crushing Defeat for the Spanish Whoss
Onieers were Outg.neraied and Forced
to Retreat, with Heavy Losscs.
by Their Weaker Foe.

at lacta ford. on the Nduto riNef' "h
December IA last. The details were
received through the mails by capt.
Alfredo Rodriguez, a Cuban insurgent
officer, who is invaded in this city.
Ii tells of u crushing defeat inflicted
upon the Spanish general, Pando.
Capt. Roderiguez's correspondent says
IA rnrt Of Gen. Calixto Garcias
force, under Lieut. Col. Salvador Rios,
was holding the lacta ford OF the
Cauto river. It was important Tor
Pandos force to reopen the river IN
order that reinforcenents might be
sent to the city OF Bayamo, besieged by
Gen. Roloff Gen. Calixto Garcia's
main force was little further up the
river. protecting ford threatened
by Gen. Pando. Gen. Aldave. IN COM
mand of 1900 Spanish infantry ''regu-
lars" squadron Of cavalry and 5000
guerilla volunteers, % cannon and six
light gunboats. attacked Rios.
Disposing his artillery on the hills
commanding the lacta ford, Aldave
opened hot fire on the insurgent
works on the opposite side OF the river.
Rios and his 800 Cubans retired into
the cover of the woods and the ford
was open for the Spaniards passage.
"Aldave advanced a column of in
fantry across the ford, holding their
rifles and ammunition belts above their
heads, the men being protected by
continued artillery tire.
Rios seeing that he could not hold
his position without help, sent vol
unteer courier, Lieut. Charles HEX
man. an American, to Gen. Calixto
Garcia, up the river. Hickman had TO
ride directly through the enemy's fire,
but made the passage safely.
Meanwhile Gen. Aldave landed |, 500
more men on the farther side, and Gen.
Pando, with large force, at this time
made feint upon the upper ford. Gen.
Garcia, deceived by Pando's movement,
decided that he could spare only
small reinforcement TO Col. Rios, and
sent Col. Carlos Garcia with only zoe
mounted men down the river. This
reinforcement, small as it was, re-
newed the hopes of the defenders OF
the Yacta, and they charged the Span
ish with the bayonet.
he 1uDdus, HONtfcts VIZ ~
heavily outnum bered that the. were
forced to give way. Carlos Garcia's
horse was shot under him, and Col.
Rios was wounded slightly in the leg.
Col Garcia's escort renewed the charge.
with machetes this time, and held the
Spanish forces in check for short
while.
BY this time Gen. Calixto Garcia had
seen through Gen. Pando's feints on
the upper ford and dispatched Gen.
Jesus Rabi with 1000 cavalry to their
relief These arrived just as the Span
ish were recovering from the machet to
charge. and fell suddenly upon their
rear, throwing the troops who had
crossed the ford into confusion. The
Spanish had to give ground aud be-
came exposed to the fire from their
own artillery in the hills and from the
six gunboats which had joined in the
bombardment of Rios men.
Gen. Aldave ordered this destructive
fire To cease, reformed his attacking
party. and dispatched a ines sage tc
Gen. Pando for assistance IN carrying
the Cuban position.
But it was too late. The Cutans
reforming. raised their battle shout
of "a rnachcte; Cuba libre." and fel
upon the spanish ranks with terribl,
effect. A body Of 1000 guefillas was
cut off from Aldaves force and threw
down their arms.
Gen. Rabi. knowing the half
hearted loyalty of these volunteers
told them that they must fight thei
own comrades or be cut to pieces. an,
they obeyed, and really fought desper
ately on the Cuban side.
Gen. Aldave. seeing that his mel
would be annlhlated, withdrew then
across the ford, again projected by tn
artillery fire. Gen. Pando. with al
escort. rode down from the upper for
and directed the Spanish retreat
The Cuban loss in this engagement
was l06 killed and about 500 wounded
Gen. Rabrs men found 200 SPANS
dead. and Gen. Aldave, in his RI
port to Havana, said his wound
ed numbered 200. The Cnbans be
lieve they inflicted much more dam
age; that the Spanish troop
carried away many of their dead an
mnimized the number or wounded
reporting only one-fourth. Among til
Cubans killed was Maj Lelada an
Capt. Garcia, son of rich plante
The Spanish left on the field. Lieut.
Col. Clave, two captains aud an assist
ant surgeon and the standard OF arm
of the battalion Llanaro's
Gen. Garcia promoted Hickman. tn
daring courier, to captain on the fielc
"Pando has reported to Gen. Blanc
that 100, 900 men are needed to brea
the backbone of the insurgent oppos
ton in the east, and that it is 4
longer practicable to continue the car
paign to relieve Bayamo.
This city Gen. Garcia expects to ca
ture early in January, beng now alb
to detach troops from his command
send to Roloff's aid"