The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-05-14

New York, May ia dispatch &c
ae Herald from Havana via hey
Test, Fla, says:
Apparently reliable news of the most
important insurgent success in months
has lust reached Havana. 1t appears
that General Calixto Garcia and Gen
eral Rabi fell on a Spanish force which
was carrying food and supplies from
ManzaniIlo to Bayamo early last week,
captured the convoy, routed General
Lono's column and pursued him so
vigorously that he fed to the coast
with the remnant of his brigade and
took a ship at Cabo de Cruz for Man
zanillo. 1t is said that so severe were
the losses and so thoroughly disorgan-
lied were his men that the Spanish
general did not dare attempt TO retrace
his steps to Manzanillo by land, fear
ing that he would be again attacked
and this time wiped out of existence.
This engagement, which is regarded
by Cubans here as more important
than any battle since Cacarijicara,
goes to show how helpless the Spanish
are in the country east of the trocha,
which is we'll called Cuba IIibre. What
. is known of the affair came in a pri
Vate letter to a Spanish officer here.
was due primarily to Weyler'S persist
ent course in attempting TO hold Bay
amo, which military critics say is
without strategic value and not worth
a tenth part of the sacrifices already
made in attempting to send arms and
provisions from Manzanillo, only ten
leagues away. Spain has lest 5000 men
and food and arms without end along
the road to BayamO, and now the
Spanish soldiers call it the road to
death"
General Lono 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
team ahead with a Scant escort intend
ing to flank the rebels or fall upon
their rear with his main infantry while
the escort held their fire. This force
is said to have been between 1,500 and
1000 men. General Garcia. with be-
tween 5000 and 1000 men, also waited
for the convoy three leagues from
Bayamo. He was told by his scouts
that there was a large Spanish force
following the poorly patrOlled mule
train, and suspecting a trick, he al
lowed the pack mules and small escort
to pass without molestation at the
time, and placed his men in an adj
vantageous position to await the COM
ing of General Lono.
The Spanish, eagerly awaiting the
sound of firing ahead. which would
tell the train had been attacked, !
marched straight into the trap. When
the column was within short range
the insurgents opened fire. The effect
was deadly. The Spanish returned the
fire, but with little result They re-
allied they had been ambushed and
saw by the gaps in their ranks that
the enemy was in force.
They advanced at the word, but an (
other volley from the insurgents |
caused some wavering.
Then arose the old cry "Al ma +
chetei" and before the ranks could be !
closed or a square formed Garcia's (
men were upon them. AS has been
generally the case. the Spanish in
fantTy, having been subjected to a
heavy fire, did not long oppose the
machete with the bayonet. In few
minutes the retreat was general
General Lono and his staff by des-
perate efforts succeeded in rallying a
few hundred men for another stand.
bus although they opposed the insur-
gent advance with a brisk fire. il 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 a rout. The insurgent
forces were then divided, one division
pursuing General LOnO and the other
going TO capture the arms and pro-
visions.
The last proved an easy task. The
Spanish commander with the retreat
ing main body was harrassed for ten
miles. The only way he saw to escape
with the remnant of his forces was to
make for the coast at a point MANY
miles from ManzanillO. He marched
nearly 40 miles, reached Cane Cruz
and sent word to Manzanillo. A pas
senger steamer was pressed into the
service and carried the respondent SOL
diers back to Manzanillo. So fierce
was the fighting and so swift their re-
treat that they were able to carry off
but few OF their wounded The details
are not yet learned. Indeed officially.
there IS as yet no report of any en-
sagement between Garcia and Lono.
but the news reached Havana never
Lheless.
There was some firing on the out ;
skirts of Havana at o'clock last Sat
lreay morning. About 90 shots were
fred by a sentry, who il is said.
had been no official explanation of the
iring and the censor would not permit
my mention OF the report that a party
# insurgents had made midnight dem !
'nstrations in that quarter. Every eff
ort was made 10 create the impress
ion that the affair was insignificant
tut that there was considerable firing, :
ollowed by a rapid movement of SOL
liers to the Jesus del Monte district,
where the firing occurred. there can
lot be the slightest doubt As the
ebels are very strong in Havana, the '
act that there was such firing caused l
considerable excitement. The next day I
Equiry was useless. {