The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-02-27
HOTLY CONTESTED.

This last battle was very hotly con-
tested, and the battlefield extended to
another estate called La Reforma, ad-
Joining Juan Criollo on the west The
battle was fought six days ago, and the
utmost efforts of the Spanish author
tiles in Havana have been exerted' TO
suppress all news of the engagement,
bat now that private reports have
reached this city giving full details OF
the Spanish defeat, the usual official
report has been published claiming
victory.
From the very text of the official re-
port it is easy to see what disheart-
ening effect the news has had upon the
authorities. They confess that Generals
Gasco, Seguera and Ruiz, each at the
head Of a column, had to Join forces
for united action against. Gomez, and
they assert that the result of their al
legged victory is that Gomez is in
difficult position. being unable either
to force the trocha to the east or in
wade the province of Matanzas to the
west
A long cable dispatch from the Mar
quis OF Ahumada to. the Duke of Te-
tuan and General Azcarraga is said to
have described the situation as it act
ually exists The duke answered i'm
mediately, asking for details, and a
few hours later the well-known trick
of turning defeats into victories was
played in the form of enthusiastic con-
gratulations from the government to
Generals Gasco, Seguera and Ruiz,
and, in general, to the army.
THE FACTS.
The facts, derived from the best and
most reliable sources, are as follows:
General Gasco, at the head of 1900
men, met General Gomez about
O'Clock in the afternoon on the estate
of Juan Criollo. Gomez was marching
to the west with 5000 men. The fear
inspired by Gomez's name among the
Spaniards, and his numerical ad-
vantage, caused General Gasco to give
orders TO retire, while his rear guard
was instructed to keep up a show of
fighting to prevent the CubanS from
too rapidly pursuing But Gomez
spoiled this little plan by ordering his
cavalry to advance rapidly on the
fianks of the Spanish column and in
volve Gasco N a simultaneous attack
on both f1anks. AS soon as this move
ment was observed by Gasco, he or
dered his column TO form a square and
stand with fixed bayonets against the
Cuban cavalry.
Gomez cavalry and infantry then
began to fire on the compact body
presented by the Spanish square. The
advantage to the Cubans was tre-
mendous, as they had less mass to the
volleys of the Spaniards and as soon
as the latter sought to leave the square
and deploy themselves in guerrilla
order, the Cuban cavalry attacked
them, obliging them to take to their
former position. The fight had been
in progress two hours and Gasco had
already lost more than 100 men killed.
when General Seguera appeared with
a column of 1000 men from the direc-
ton of the estate La Reforma.
GOMEZ GOOD LUCK.
Fortunately for Gomez. the Spanish
came from the west,
and not from the east, or otherwise
he would have been himself caught
between two fires. Seguera advanced
against the right side of the
Cuban cavalry, obliging Gomez TO
withdraw the two lines with which he
was attacking Gasco. The Cuban
cavalry then formed in one body to
The left and the infantry faced the fire
Of Seguera's troops.
All this was in the main plain on
he estate of Juan Criollo and the odds |
ther to be against Gomez, |
who had begun the battle with 5000 !
men against 1.500. but was now facing !
),OUU lutll, VI WHOlu d
was composed of fresh soldiers just |
entering the field. But, Unexpectedly |
'or the Spaniards, the Cuban artillery
which Gomez had not yet called into
action, began to fire from the higher |
If the two prominent hills on the |
estate The dynamite gun, which in |
he earlier battle OF Juan Criollo. was |
lot very effective, now did splendid |
work. Three shells exploding in the |
'anks of Seguera'S forces, threw them |
nto confusion.
Gasco was then on La Reforma |
state, having taken advantage of the |
Engagement between Seguera and |
Iomez to retire to that place, severely |
larrassed by Gomez. Seeing that the /
orces of Seguera were also defeated, /
iasco sent messengers to the west |
lsking help.
VERY IMPORTANT
While both the Spanish columns
we're trying with all their might on
"a Reforma estate to get the better of |
fomez, General Ruiz came to their aid /
With 1.200 more men. At the approach |
# these further Spanish reinforce
nents, Gomez retired to the Juan
,riollo estate. Since the battle of
oeralejo was fought, when Maceo
outed Martinez Campos. no other bat
lie so important has occurred in the
,uban war.