The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-05-14
SPANIARDS DEFEATED.
Signal Victory Won by Genera
Calixto Garcia.
TRAP LAID FOR THE INSURGENTS.

General Lonos Plans "A Cuban Rout, but
Meets Defeat Himself-G Garcia and Rabi
Learn of the Trick, Fall Upon the span
iards, and Almost Completely Annihil-
ate Them-The Disaster Due tn Weyler's
Persistency Concerning BayamO.
New York. Mey IA dispatch from
Havana. Cuba, via Key West says:
Apparently reliable news of the most
important insurgent success in months
has just reached Havana. Ii appears
that General CalXto Garcia and Gener-
al Rabi fell on a Spanish force which
was carrying food and supplies from
Manzanillo TO Bayamo early last week.
captured the convoy. routed General
Lonos' columns. and pursued him so
vigorously that he fled to the coast with
the remnant Of his brigade and took
ship at Cabocoruz for Manzanillo 1t is
said that so severe were the losses and
so thoroughly disorganzed were his
men that the Spanish general did not
dare attempt to retrace his steps TO
Manzanillo by land, fearing that he
would again be attacked and this time
wiped out of existence. This engage
ment which is regarded by Cubans here
as more important than any battle since
| Cacarijicara goes to show how help
less the Spanish are i'm the country east
Of the trocha, which is well called Gu
| ba Libre.
Not Worth the Sacrifices.
This disaster to the arms of Spain
was due primarily to Weyler's persist
ent course in attempting to hold Bay
amo, which military critics say is with
out strategic value and not worth a
tenth part of the sacrifices already made
in attempting TO send arms and provi-
sions there from Manzanillo, only ten
| leagues away Spain has lost 5000 men
and food and arms without end along
the road TO Bayamo, and now the Span
ish soldiers call it 1.-The road to death" ."
| General Lonos laid a trap for the in
surgents and was hoist with his own
petard. Believing that the convoy would
be attacked, he sent his mule train
ahead with a scant escort, intending to
flank the rebels or fall upon their rear
with his main infantry while the escort
| held their fire. This force is said I'd
have been between / 500 and 1000 men.
! General Garcia, with between 600 and
1000 men, also waited for the convoy
! three leagues from Bayamo He was
told by his scouts there was a large
Spanish force following the poorly pro-
} tected mule train. and suspecting a
J trick, he followed the pack mules and
! small escort to pass without molestation
at the time and placed his men in an
advantageous position to wait the COM
ing c. General Lcu1s.
Strainght into the Trap.
The Spanish, eagerly awaiting the
sound of firing ahead which would tell
them the train had been attacked,
marched straight into the trap. When
the column was within a short range
( the insurgents opened fire. The effect
was readily seen. The Spanish re-
: turned the fire. but with little result.
! They realized they had been anlbushed,
and saw by the gaps in their ranks
that the enemy was in force. They ad-
| vanced at the word, but another Volley
from the insurgents caused some wav-
| ering. Then arose the old cry al
machete" and before the ranks could
be closed or a square formed Garcia 5
veterans were upon them. AS he's gen
orally been the case, the Spanish in
| fantry, having been subjected to a
heavy fire. did not long oppose the
machete with the bayonet. In a few
1
eral Lonos and his staff by desperate ef-
forts succeeded in rallying a few hun
dred men for another stand, but al
though they opposed the insurgents adj
vance with a brisk fire, 1t was evident
that the day was lost. Fearing that a
movement among the Cubans meant an
! attempt to surround them, the Spanish
broke and ran. Thus the defeat became
rout.
| Proved AN Easy Task.
The insurgent forces were tnen di-
vided. one division pursuing General
Lonos and the other going to capture
the arms and provisions. This last
proved an easy task, as at the sound OF
heavy firing the small force protecting
the mule train had foolishly hailed and
attempted to strengthen its position
The Spanish commander with the re-
treating main body was harrassed foI
ten miles He decided to abandon the
regular road back to Manzanillo. fear
ing he would be interrupted as General
Ray had been few days before. The
victorious Cubans were in the road tC
Bayamo, his provisions were lost and
his men were practically without food
The only way he saw to save the REM
nant of his forces was TO make for the
coast at a point many miles from Man
zanillo He marched nearly forty miles
reached Cape Cruz and sent word tc
Manzanillo. A passenger steamer was
pressed into the service and carried tn,
Respondent soldiers back to Manzanillo
So fierce was the lighting and so swift
their retreat that they were able tc
garry off few of their wounded.
Nr.o.;,m ,,f Ehf.fs of poIi.e
Pittsburg, May H.-When the thirc
session of the National Association OF