The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-22
HART FIGHTING In CUBA.
A GREAT VICTORY FOR THE Pa
TRIOTs IN PUERTO PRINCIPE.

After n Series OF Fights, Continuing several
Days, Col. RtSo's Defeated Army Gets Back
to Puerto Principe spain
inrds Were KILLED by victorious Cubnns.
HAVANA, via Key West, April 21.-Tho corre-
s~pondcnt OF THE Sun at Puerto Principe city
sends news Of severe fighting, which lasted ten
days, between the Spanish columns Of Coils. RHO
and Cruz Gonzalez and several bands Of insur.
gdits numbering about 1000 men.
On the morning OF April . Col. RHO. at the ca.
tates Las Dolicias and Corral dc ltojas, near
Puerto Principe, met n strong force OF insur.
gents, which fired several vollcys on his column.
lilo ordered n detachment OF his cavalry to make
a flank movement on the west sido OF Las De-
llcias, with tho design Of surrounding the on.
envy; but the detachment was suddenly checked
by another Cuban force ambushcd on tho Dor
dors OF that estate, and IL was forced TO retire.
again Joining tho main body of the Spanlnrds.
The Spanish commander thcn marched to a
ncighboring estate called FL Siloncio. and there,
in n better position, he withstood the FIRE of tho
insurgents NIL day, answering their volleys with
the Spanish new improved rifics. At night the
firing ended, and tho insurgents retired to Los
Caciques, n small village u half mile from FL
Silencio.
On April 8 at noon the Spanish reached Los
Caciques, and after two hours of constant firing
on both sides the insurgents retired again, this
time to the estate In Esperanxa, which is about
six miles from Puerto Principe.
Encouraged by his success. Col. RHO marched
on La Esperanza also. reaching 1t about 5 =. NJ,
and opening n sharp fire on the Cubans. But
there he met with dire defeat.
The further he advanced into the estate the
more numerous he found the Cubans. who were
firing on his column from all sides. He attempt.
ed to dislodgc one OF their detachments from a
hill by a bayonet charge. but his infantry was
rcpulscd with heavy loss. To escape utter de-
struction the Spaniards formed a square, seeing
that the cavalry force Of the insurgents had
bcon considerably reinforced.
In this position the Cubans surrounded the
Spaninrds. who answered the Cuban fire on all
sides. Night came on and neither army could
see the other, but the fight did not stop. On the
contrary, the insurgents increased their vollcys.
The distance between the front lines of each
force was only fifty PAGES. All night they kept
exchanging verbal abuse, While at the same
time bullets were flying.
AT dawn on April 1 Col. RHO succeeded in
breaking the Cuban lines and escaping to the
estate of Los Cocos. The Cubans followed him
through that estate and the estates of Corral de
Hojas, Las Delicias. and Guayabo. The Spanish
rear guard answered the Cuban fire until the
Guayabo estate was reached. but there it was
dispersed and the main body of the column had
to face about to resist a new attack.
The Spaniards were then very tired. and they
had lost 300 men. Until the evening of April z.
Notwithstanding their exhaustion. they fought
bravely in Guayabo. but then their ammunition
was exhausted, and, harassed on all sides, they
broke and fed TO the estate Los Botones, where.
fortunately for them. they met n fresh column
commanded by Col. Cruz Gonzalez.
or the column of Col. RHO. which numbered
1900 men when 1t started from Puerto Principe,
only 1000 soldiers. panic.strickcn and cx-
hausted. entered Los Botoncs. The column of
Col. Cruz Gonzalez numbered 1000 men. in
Guiding 500 cavalry. The Cubans continued the
attack and then the Spaniards took the road TO
Puerto Principe. Col. Cruz Gonzalez at the rear
protecting the troops OF Col. Rio. The march
was slow. and nearly every hour tue Spaniards
had to stop to defend themselves in hand to
hand fights. At last they entered Puerto
Principe on April -. totally defeated, after
leaving 500 killed along their route.