Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-03-15
SPANISH COLUMN HUNTS THE N
sURGENT CAPITAL.
FRUITLEss EXPEDITION.
sPANIARDs CONTINUALLY FIRED Up
on BY CUBANs.
All the Attacks RepuIsed, According
to the Official story-The spanish
Loss Reported ut Twenty
nine and the Insurgent.
ut FOrty-Sevcn.

Havana. March 1L-General JImenez
Casteilanos. owing TO persistent rumors
that the insurgent government had its
headquarters at San Geronilo. Puerto
Principe. decided to take the field on the
ith- Proceeding by Yeguas road at the
mead of strong column of regulars. he
began TO encounter groups of insurgents at
distance of about mile and a half from
the city of Puerto Principe On arriving at
the Los ClaveIes farm, a distance of about
hve kfiometers from the city. he engaged
the advance guard of the insurgents. and a
not night ensued. The insurgents were dis
persed but the troops. owing to the lack Of
water. were compelled TO fall back TO the
iarm Of La Union de Lanes. At daybreak
OF the 9Th the march was renewed in the
direction of the Aranajuez ranch
FROM the commencement of the march
thefe mad been frequent firing upon the
vanguard and fanks of the column and
TINS was Kent uD until it reached the San
JOS de Carba valley. where the insurgents
held . position in the edge of the forest.
The front and the right flank opened an
extensive and hot fire. and after an hours
ilShtins the insurgents were dispersed BY
the Tdragona battalion and other forces
which used artillery Tie insurgents re-
tired in two wings and were pursued until
they disappeared. This ended the combat.
The column continued the march TO Ar
anguez. the insurgents retiring on its ar
rival Finding the water supply complete
iy exhausted. General Castellauos pushed
on. camping on the banks of the Yaduis
river. During the fight he had several men
severely wounded and as IL was not con-
venient TO carry them he ordered the en-
S1neers to build fort. where the wounded
were left under an escort of forty men ON
the 6th and on the morning of the 9Th the
tort was attacked by the insurgents. but
u 81 N llks .1.Fa .Na.I
insurgents OF three killed. The insurgents
camped close to the fort on the night of
the Sth.
EurinS the advance of the column frcri
ihe feguas river it was fired on frequent
~ during the 9Th. but continued to San
Geroniilo with constant firing upon the
idTance guard and the flanks until Las
Larga was reached. Here the insurgents
We're in ambush in the woods while a con-
siderable party was in the valley. The
column dispersed them and renewed the
march towards San Geronimo where 1t
hnaiiy went into camp. as there Was no
water elsewhere.
lutely attacked the position. falling upon
the advance guard But the latter, bein.,
reinforced. repuised them. using the artiI-
lery- During the day. the camp was twice
attacked by considerable insurgeut forces,
who, believing that surprise was possi-
BILE. fought resolutely and We're only re-
believes these attacks were made by inde-
pendent bodies of insurgents. who retired
eafter the fight ended During the hight.
the insurgents attacked the camp for the
fourth time but were repulsed.
On the Ith, after reconnoitering for a long
distance the marshes surrounding San Ger
Cnimo without meeting the Insurgents the
Spanish column returned to the Yeguas II
had a Skfrpish IN the Carmel woods camp
ing thereSdurin9 the night The advance
guard was fired on On the Sth. the col
umn marched to Santa Cruz farm. after
Withdrawing the garrison that had been
left at the fort. Shortly afterward the
scouts were fired on. and when the column
reached PorcayO farm. the insurgents ap-
peared on the right flank. partly hidden
by the woods. They opened hot fire but
were repulsed after several hours hard
fighting. The march was then renewed.
When Santa Cruz farm was reached the
insurgents opened fire on the vanguard and
the right flank. They We're intrenched be-
hind natural embankment formed by Il
dried up stream. The Spanish artillery
and cavalry forces were used to seize the
stronghold, and the fight lasted more than
two hours The water supply at Santa
Cruz being exhausted. General Castellanos
was compelled to leave for Las Claveies.
from which point he pushed on to Puerto
Principe reaching the city about noon. He
lost one lieutenant killed. three lieutenants
wounded. six regulars killed and twenty
wounded. 1t is estimated that the insurgent
losses were forty-seven.