Evening journal., 1897-02-16
BOMBhRDED BY GOMEZ.
Dynamite Bombs Thrown Into
the Town of Arroyo Blanco.
SPANISH soRTIEsARB UEAvAILINe


Gomez Orders That the Siege BE Ende,
by Assault to save innocent Lives TIA.
spaniards Forbid Departure OF wome,
aud Children.
NEW YORK, Feb l6. The Hcrads Gu
ban war corrC spondcnt sends the following
from the headquarters OF General Gomez
at Arroyo Blauco:
Gomez is besieeing the towns Of Array,
Blanco situated between sanctl Spiritul
and Siege de Avila.
On the morning OF Jan. 80, while cross
Ing the Rio Za2a. 40 the pass Of Las Da
mas, where General sanchez was killed
heard the dun report OF several explo
sions. The escort that accompanied m,
at once jumped TO the conclusion that thl
Spanish We're attacking Gomez arm,
with artillery and advised iue 20 wait an,
send scouts ahead Co ascertain the truth.
But the next duh report that reachec
our cars convinced me that the Cuban,
must bo using their pneumatic gun a,
the ound of dynamite explosion Is easily
distinguished from the roar OF an artillery
discharge
IIurrying my mon ahead found ou
on reaching .Jobosi that the Cuhans under
Gomez were besicging the town OF Arroy,
Blanco, which was still ten miles away
i arrived at Gomez camp the morning
the 30th. Although had left my crcden
tials in Havana, the chief received m,
warmly and sent an aid to introduce M,
70 President Cisneros.
Gomez has been In the province of La,
Villas since he crossed the trocha on th,
night OF Dec. 26. Tho cavalry regimen
of Camaguey and the president apd mem
bors Of the provisional government accom-
panied him. The passage was made TO tn,
north Of Moron, and little resistance wa
offered by the Spanish troops stationed
there to intercept and prevent his crossing
He was followed by Colonel Loynaz de
Castillo, who crossed two days afterwarc
at the head OF about 600 infantry Or
Jan. he met and fought the Spaniard
under General Luque on the Teresn ranch
The Defeat of the Spanish.
The meeting was accidental, as neither
command was aware OF the Others ap
proach The Spaniards were ignorant o.
the presence Of Gomez in the province un
til after this fight The result Of the en-
counter was that the Spanish column o.
1000 men made retreat to Siego d,
ANlldf anu diAuOhAu nhlhtA lde bttu nov
ering around the district ever since they
have not evinced any desire or disposition
to meet him.
On tho afternoon of Jan. % Gomez de
cided to lay siege to Arroyo Blanco The
active work was conflded 10 General Fran
cisco Carrillo, who, with the infantry regi
mcnt Of Remedies and the dynamite gun
directed by Mr.. Frederlcks, took up po
sition around tho town during the sam,
night
At ? O'Clock on the morning Of the 2Stl
work WAS commenced by building breast
work TO protect the gun, which was com
plcted and the gun placed In position
about coo yards from the forts before dawn
The garrison and inhabitants awoke tt
find themselves cut of from all communi
cation except by the heliograph tower
situated on the summit of a high hill &C.
the south of the town. The town is de
Tended by IA forts, gariisoned by about
e5O Spanish regulars, under Captain Es
cobar
The majority Of the inhabitants. mum
bering in all about 00O Oro families o.
Cubans who are at present with tho insur
gents. Two sisters and a niece Of the late
Cuban general, Serahn Sanchez, are alsC
residing there with their families
Before commencing the bonihardmeni
General Carrillo sont note 20 the mayor
advising him that he was about to oper
fire with the dynamite gun According tc
the rules of civilized warfare, he also sent
q permit FOR all the noncombatants, men
women and children to be allowed q safe
passage from the bcsieged town.
After waiting until @ o'clock a. m. oi
the 2Sth and not seeing any disposition on
81
swcr the note he ordered Mr.. Frederick
20 fire bomb as "a warming The pro
icctile fell near ono of the forts, wiihnnt
causing any material damage. After This
another note vas sent 10 Captain Escnlai
asking in the nam Of humanity that the
women and children should be allowed t.
leave the town.
Noncombatstants Forced to stay.
But this officer. hoping that ry refusing
this humane request the Cuhans would de
sist' in the bombardment absolutely pro
hlbited the exit OF noncombatants from
the town.
His answer 20 the note was that hc
would not allow soul TO leave the place.
and that the Cuhans could commence tho
/ bombardment when they pleased and that
/ II he was t1 die everybody must share the
same fate This attitude on his part might
be considered heroic If all the inhabitants
shared the same opinion but the majority
of them have pleaded in vain to be allow.
cd 60 be placed outside the lines.
| expect that the Spanish authorities
VIII attempt to deny this statement and
TO counteract any such movement | send
to The Herald the original documents that
passed between General Cnrrillo and his
chief touching this point They are both
signed and authorized by General Gomez
TO be published, who also asked me to dc.
lay my departure from his camp until he
could place them in my hands.
General Gomez Reported Wounded.
HAVANA, Feb. t6 Private adyices re
port engagements between the Spanish