Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-11
SPANISH TROOPS ROUTED
Decisive Battle Between Loyal Troops and
Insurgents Reported.
belief That Weyler ana Gomez Mot
hcinforcements Being Hurried
Forward by the Spanish.

~ special 10 the New York Herald from
havana says: Official information has
reached Havana of a decisive battle be-
tween loyal troops and insurgent forces
IA hatanzas. According to this Informal
ton. the Spanish troops were routed after
hard battle. with heavy LOSSES
This news caused a yeritabIe sensation an
havana, as IL is generally known that
Captain General Weyler is now I'm Ma
tanzas. and there is a belief that the Span-
ish troops directly under him We're those
which suffered defeat at the hands OF the
rebels. However. II this is true. the Span-
ism on1clals here are taking great pains to
suppress the fact.
Then, too, the knowledge i'm some quar-
tiers that General Gomez is due in Natan-
zas at about This time with a large body Of
insurgents added to the interest I'm the
paute. W lille there is good cause to
De!leVe mat General Gomez was in the
battle in question. there has for some time
been seemingly well founded belief in
Havana, as foretoid in the Herald's dis
patches, that Generals Weyler and Gomez
would meet in Matanzas
No Details of the battle.
While I have been unable thus far TO
learn any details of the battle / am in a
position to state that the Spanish loss I'm
troops and officers was probably greater
than In any recent battle. The Spanish
troops wage compelled TO give way before
the rebels, leaving many dead on the
field.
There seems to be considerable concern In
the palace here today about the result of
the battle. While the officials will not
talk, Il have learned that detachments OF
cuban cavalry have been pouring into
Matanzas from Santa Clara province. and,
according to some reports. Major General
Francisco GARLIC, commander OF the Attn
Army Corps. and Brigadier Generals Rego
and Monteagudo are among the leaders OF
the invading forces A concentration upon
the Santa Clara border of all the insur-
gent forces in Matanzas was ordered some
days ago by General Avelino RCsas the in
surgent commander of the province
In view of this rebel activity and the be-
lief at the palace that General Gomez or
his lieutenant. Major General Carrillo,
would attempt to make demonstration
against Havana city. large renforcements
OF Spanish troops have been moved to the
front from Havana ana Pirar del Rio
provinces. General Weyler intended to es-
tablish his headquarters first in Matan-
zas city and then In Guines Havana prov
ince, in case the Cubans should succeed
in pushing their way through Matanzas
into Havana.
Rumors Reach Havana.
A rumor reached this city last night that
railroad traffic had been stopped on al
most all the lines running through Matan-
Zas province.
Excitement was added o by later re-
port that General Weyier had ordered the
Marquis de Ahumada. the acting COVER
FOR general, to send as large a force of
troops as could be spared to the vicinity of
Guines. near the border of Havana and
Matanzas provinces. Additional artillery
was shipped last night 10 Gunes.
The present situation of General Weyler
is similar to that of Martinez Camp ps
when he tried in December of 1875 10 check
the famous raid of Gomez and Maceo. and
was compelled TO fall back successfully at
Colon, Jovellanos and Colseo before the
Cubans.
Those in position to know hint that the
chief source of concern in the palace is the
receipt of a cipher dispatch from Matan-
The names of weyler and several other
Spanish generals, well as those of
Gomez and Garlic, are often repeated
in the course of the message.
The alleged information in the cipher
dispatch. coupled with the demand for re-
Inducements at Guines and the shipment
there of heavy artillery, leads many to be-
lieve that the Spanish Will make a further
stand at Guines.
During a skirmish with the insurgents
near Baracoa, in Pinar del Rio province
the government troops captured Captain
Jorge 5. Newton, American. formerly
matchmaker in Havana. Captain New
ton. who was wounded. was taken in the
thick of the fight.
Jose Guasp has been arrested for de-
manding money and threatening the life
of Senior Sierra. prominent Spanish mil
lionaire in Havana.