Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1897-12-22
ZIG bI'I1E IN CUBA,
Spanish Gen. Pando Whipped
IN a Hot Contest.
A HEROIC AMERICAN OFFICER.
Lieutenant Hickman Bravod Spanish
Fire aud Secured Reinforcements.
ish Volunteers Captured.
A HEROIC AMERICAN OFFICER.


ish Volunteers Captured.
NEwYoRE, Dec. Following is
the Cuban version of the battle fought
at Yacta ford, on the Cauto river, on
Dec. IA last. received through the mails
by Captain Alfredo Rodriguez, q Cuban
insurgent officer, who is invalided in
this city. 1t tells of crushing defeat
inflicted upon the Spanish general,
Pando. Captain Rodriguez correspond.
ent says:
IA part OF General Calixto Garcia's
force, under Lieutenant Colonel Saliva
dor Rios, was holding the Yacta ford of
the Cauto river. It was important for
Pando's force to reopen the river in or
der that reinforr ements might be sent
TO the city OF Bayamo, besieged by Gen
eral RolofT General Calixto Garcia's
main force was little further up the
river, protecting o ford threatened -
General Pando. General Aldave, IL
command of 1900 Spanish infantry
(reguars), squadron of cavalry ana
5000 guerrilla volunteers, 20 cannon
and six light gunboats, attacked Rioa
''Disposing his artillery on the hills
commanding the Yacta ford Aldave
opened q hot fire on the insurgent
works on the opposite side of the river.
Rios and his 300 Cubans retired into
the cover of the woods and the ford
was open for the Spaniards' passage.
"Aldave advanced column of in
fantry across the ford, holding their
rifles and ammunition belts above their
heads, the men being protected by a
continued artillery fire. Rios, seeing
that he could not hold his position
without help. sent volunteer courier
Lieutenant Charles Hickman, an Amer
lean, to General Calixto Garcia, up the
river. Hickman had to ride directly
through the enemy's fire, but made the
passage safely.
Meanwhile General Aldave landed
1000 more men on the farther side and
General Pando, with a large force, at
this time made feint upon the upper
ford General Garcia, deceived by
Pando's movement, decided that he
could spare only a small reinforcement
to Colonel Rios, and sent Colonel Carlos
Garcia. 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 Spanish with the bayonet
The Cubans, however, were SO
heavily outnumbered that they were
forced to give way. Carlos Garcia 5
horse was shot under him, and Colonel
Rios was wounded slightly in the leg.
General Garcia's escort renewed tine
charged w tn machetes this time, and
held the Spanish forces in check, for a
short while.
"By then General Calixto Garcia had
81. Do, l13u Fo3,
the upper ford and dispatched Gene raj
Jesus Rabi with 1000 cavalry to their
relief. These arrived just as the Span
ish were recovering ground from the
machete charge and fell suddenly upon
their rear throwing the troops who had
crossed the ford into confusion.
1.-The Spanish had to give ground and
became expo, ed to the fire from their
own artillery in the hills and from the
six gunboats which had joined in the
bombardment of Rios men. General
Aldave ordered this destructive fire to
cease, reformed his attacking party and
dispatched a message to General Pando
for assistance III carrying the Cuban po-
sition.
But it was too late The Cubans,
reforming, r@sed their battle shout of
"Al maChete suba Llbre,' and fell
upon the spanish ranks with terrible
effect. a kody of 1000 guerrillas was
cut off from Aldayes force and threw
down their arms
General Rabi, kno wing the half
hearted loyalty of these volunteers,
told them that they must fight their
own comrades or be cut to pieces and
they obeyed and really fought desper-
ately on the Cuban side.
.s(TaOernl ldava seeing that his M an
would be annihilated, w! ! .N-u them
across the ford again prot, - the
artillery fire. General Panc1 gith an
escort. rode down from the upper ford
and dire cd the Spanish retreat
1.-The Cuban loss IN this engagement
was 100 killed and about 800 wounded.
General Rabi's men found 200 Spanish
dead. and General Aldave, in his re-
port to Havana said his wounded num.
bered 200. The Cabans think they IL
flicted much more damage; that the
Spanish troops carried away many of
their head and minimized the number
of wounded. reporting one-fourth
Among the Cubans killed was Major
Llenada and Captain Garcia, son of
rich planter. The Spanish left on the
field Lieutenant Colonel Lave, two
captains and an assistant surgeon and
the standard of arms of the Battalion
Llanaros.
General Garcia promoted Hickman,
the daring courier, to the rank of cap
tain on the field.
'Pando has reported to General
Blanco that 10000 men are needed to
break the backbone of the insurgent
opp sltion IN the east and that it is no
longer practicable to continue the cam