The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-12-22


iag the insureent -Forces = spaDiard
Caught Between Two Fires and sIaugh
cred by Hundreds Thousand Guerriila'
Captured and Fight Bravely for the
Cobaa Cause.
New York, Dec N-Following is the
Cuban version of the battle fought at the
Yacta Ford on the Cauto river, on De-
cember II. The details were received
through the mails by Captain Alfredo
Rodriguez, a Cuban insurgent officer
VINO is invalided in this city. 1t tells OF
a crushing defeat inflicted upon the Span
,sh general, Pando. Captain Rodriguez S
correspondent says:
"A part Of General CaliXto Garcia 5
force, under Lieutenant-Colonel Salvador
Rios, was holding the Yacta ford of the
Cauto river 1t was important for Pan
COS forces TO reopen the river, in order
that reinforcements might be sent to the
city OF Bayanlo, besieged by General Ro-
ioff General CaliXto Garcia's main
force was a little further up the river,
protecting ford threatened by General
Pando. General AldaVe. in command of
1000 Spanish infantry regulars squad
>on of cavalry and 5000 guerilla volun-
:eers, twenty-five cannon and six light
gunboats, attacked Rios.
''Disposing of his artillery on the hills
commanding the Yacta ford, Aldave
opened a hot fire on the insurgent works
on the opposite side of the river. Rios
int fTl 81.
of the woods and the ford was open for
The Spaniards' passage.
"Aldave advanced column OF infant
~ across the road holding their rifles and
ammunition belts above their heads, the
1nen being protected by a continual ar
.illery fire. Rios, seeing that he could
hot hold his position without help, sent
= volunteer courier, Lieutenant Charles
Hickman, an American, to General Ca
lxto Garcia, up the river Hickman had
20 ride directly through the enemy's fire,
i;ut made the passage safely.
Meanwhile General Aldave landed
7.500 more men on the further side, and
General Pando, with a large force, at
chis time made a feint upon the upper
ford General Garcia, deceived by Pan
Sio's movement, decided that ne could
spare only small reinforcement 10 Col
,onel Rios and sent Colonel Carlos Gar
cia with only 200 mounted men down the
river. This Reinforcement, small as it
was. renewed the hopes of the defenders
of the Yacta and they charged the Span
ish with the bayonet
1.-The Cubans, however, were so heav-
r. \,
20 give way. Colonel Garieia's horse was
shot from under him. and Colonel Rios
was wounded slightly in the leg. Colo
nel Garcia's escort renewed the charge
with machetes this time and held the
Spanish forces in check for short time.
by then General Calixto Garcia had
seen through General Pando'e feints on
the upper ford and dispatched General
Rabi with 1000 cavalry to their relief
These arrived just as the Spanish were
recovering from the machete charge and
fell suddenly upon their rear, throwing
the troops who had crossed the ford into
confusion. The Spanish had TO give
ground, and became 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
eral Aldave ordered this destructive fire
to cease, reformed his attacking party
and dispatched a messenger 10 General
Pando for assistance in carrying the Gu
Dan position.
But ii was too late. The Cubans. re-
forming, raised their battle shout of a
IMacheter Cuba librer and fell upon
p0dy OF 1000 guerilas. was cut off from
Aldave's force and threw down their
arms.
General Rabi, knowing the half-heart
ed loyalty Of these volunteers, told them
they must fight their own comrades or
De cut 10 pieces, and they obeyed and
really fought desperately on the Cuban
side.
General Aldave. seeing that his men
would be annihilated. withdrew them
across the ford, again protected by the
artillery fire. General Pando, with an
eseord rode down from the upper ford
and directed the Spanish to retreat
''The Cuban loss in this engagement
was 1OS killed aud 300 wounded. General
RabTs men found 200 Spanish dead and
General Aldave in mis- report 10 Havana,
said that his wounded numbered 200.
The Cubans believe they have inflicted
much more damage; that the Spanish
troops carried away many of their
dead and minimized the number of the |
wounded. reporting only one-fourth !
among the Cubans killed were Major LIE
lada and Captain Garcia, son Of a rich
PLANTER. The Spanish left on the field
Lieu6enan Colonel Have, two captains |
and an assistant surgeon and the stand |
ard Of arms Of the battalion Ilsnaros.
General Garcia promoted Hickman. |
the daring courier, 10 captain, on the |
field.
S'Pan6o has reported TO General Blanco |
That 100000 men are needed 70 break the |
backbone Of the insurgent opposition in |
The east. and that il IS no longer practi- |
able - continue the campaign to relieve |
Bayamo.
This city General Garcia expects 10 |
capture early in January. being now able |
;o de.ach troops from his command 10 /
send 70 Rohoff's aid.
Captain Rodriguez has also received /
news that General Maxine Gomez has |
"AN'So1 lie JAHoilHu river AT Clcso de !
A'Tla, and has continued on this march /
20 effecs a junction with General Rod
riguez"
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