The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-18
GREAT VICTORY
FOR GENERAL GOMEZ
One of the Most Brilliant Successes of
the War in Cuba.
THE BRAVERY OF GENERAL ARIZONA
The Famous Leader Sets II Trap for
the Enemy, who Falls Into it--The
Spaniards Become u Mob and Are
Killed with Wuchctes--Gen. Gomez
in the Thick oft.


From the Sun.
Havana, Feb. 9.-Trusted Cuban news
has been received giving further de-
tails of the battle at Juan Criollo, in
Las Villas, reported on last Friday by
cable to the Sun. The first Spanish ac-
count of the battle claimed q victory,
as usual, but with painful paucity of
details. The second report, which was
communicated by the press censor to
the American correspondents here, said
that Colonel Arizona made a brilliant
combined bayonet charge and cavalry
attack upon the insurgents, dislodging
them from their positions after two
hours of hand-to-hand fighting. In
neither of these reports was the name
Of General Gomez mentioned, nor did
his name appear in La Lucha and the
Diario de la Marina in the accounts
of the battle which the press censor per-
mtted them to print.
have been away from Havana and
have collected all the reports of the bat
tie, as described by the Cubans. con-
firlning the reports received here. All
the information proves that the action
at Juan Criollo adds another page of
glory to the history of Gomezs mill
tary career
The battle decided the campaign in
Las Villas in favor of the Cubans, and
frightened General Weyler so far that,
as is already known to the Suns read
ers. he telegraphed to Havana for re-
Inducements, declaring himself unable
to Withstand General Gomez unless he
had more troops under his command.
The battle was fought on Feb. l and
lasted flom to 6 o'clock in the after
noon. Ii began after General Gomez
had raised the siege of Arroyo Blanco,
upon the arrival there of the column of
Colonel Arizona, who came from Clego
de AVila in aid of the besieged garrison
of Arroyo Blanco. When the first shots
of Arjona's vanguard We're heard a
few minutes after p. m, General Go
mez ordered his troops to abandon the
siege and concentrate on the estate OF
Juan Criollo, between two hills and
with several prominent positions dom
mating the plain in which Arroyo
Blanco is situated. Gomez took pos
session of those stragetc points.
The arrival of the column of Arizona
and the apparent withdrawal of Cen
eral Gomez aroused frantic joy among
the Spaniards. When Arizona entered
the town the Cuban vanguard, com
manded by General Francisco Car
rillo could hear the wild cries of en-
thusiasm of the garrison welcoming
the column and giving cheers for Ar
jona. But Carrillo ordered one of his
guerrillas to approach and fire upor
the forts, so as to let the SpaniardS
know that the war was not over anC
then Arizona started again from Ar
royo Blanco, as he declared, "in pur.
suit of the enemy"
Arizona was in command of $500 men
to which he added some 600 more, gath.
cred on his way from Ciego de Avita
He had two cannon, one of twelve ant
the other of six pounds. His force in,
cluded 500 Cavalrymen. Gomez haC
only $500 well armed men, though il
the second official report published il
La LuCha it is said that the insurgents
numbered 5000. Gomez had also {
pneumatic dynamite gun, but it was
not very effective. The projectiles eX
plode on percussion by means of a full
inmate of mercury cap, and either or
account of the moist climate of Cuba
which damages the illuminate, or oW
ing to some other unknown cause three
out of four bombs did not explode. The
same complaint was made about a can.
non of that kind used some months
ago in the jurisdiction of Sancti-Spir
titus by the late Cuban General Serafl
Sanchez. However, two or three bombs
exploded at Juan Criollo in the Span
ish ranks when the fighting began
producing terrible confusion.
EFFORTS OF SPANIARDS.
With the intelligent and courageou!
aid of General Carrillo, Gomez succeed
ed in driving the Spaniards to the cen
tire of the estate Juan Criollo, where
terrible fight began. Ali .he efforts o
the Spandrds We're directed to captur
ing the cuban cannon, and this erro
leu them TO their ruin and defeat, be
cause the nearer they approached tn,
cannon the more they involved them
selves in the trap prepared by Genera
Gomez.
AT last the Spaniards, heavily chas
tised by the combined fire of Carill,
on one side and Gomez on the Other
became panic stricken, and the Cuban
had before them merely a mob of men
Just at this juncture the Spanish major
Posada, fell dead, his chest pierced b.
bullet. The confusion of the Span
iards now became greater than ever
Tor Posada was struck down nearly il
the centre of their forces. The Span
ish surgeon, DR.. Cenicero Went to assis
Posada but when he lifted him fror
the ground 10 see his wound anothe
Folley OF the Cubans killed him also.
The order al machete" given b
General Gomez decided the action. TIL
Cuoans charged from all sides, and the
hand-to-hand fight began. In tn
first moments the Cuban Colonel Rem
1910 Lopez was killed by a bayone
thrust. The Spanish Lieutenants DO
Longino Martinez and Don Frederic
Pena fell dead, Martinez from a bio,
by macheta which cut his head of
Eighty Spanish soldiers were killed wit
the machetes, and more than 100 wer
severely wounded and left helpless o
the field Before the hand hand figl
began the Spanish losses We're alread
more than 100 men.
The greatest DISADVANTAGE of th
Spaniards was the fact that in the plai
which they had entered in their desir
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