San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-05-13
SPAN|ARDS ROUTED.
Put To Flight By The Willy
Band OF CubanS.
SET A TRAP FOR THE lNSUR-
GENTS AND SPRING IT
THEMSELVES.
In Attempting To Surprise The In
SurgentS They Received The
Surprise, Lost Their Am
munitiOn Train And Many
OF Their Soldiers


the Herald from Havana, via Key
West, Fla, says:
Apparently reliable news of the most
important success in months has just
reached Havana. 1t appears that Gen.
Calixto Garcia and Gen. Rabi fell on
a Spanish force which was carrying
food and supplies from Manzanillo to
Bayamo early last week, captured the
convoy, routed Gen. Lono's column
and pursued him so vigorously that he
fled to the coast with the remnant of
his brigade and took ship at Caboco-
ruz for Manzanillo. 1t is said that so
severe were the losses and so thor
oughly disorganized were his men that
the Spanish general did not dare at
tempt to retrace his steps to Manza-
milo by land, fearing that he would be
again attacked and wiped out of ex-
istence.
This engagement, which is regarded
by Cubans as more important than
any battle since Cacarijicara, goes to
show how helpless the Spanish are in
| the country east of the trocha, which
| is well called Cuba Libre." What 10
| known of the affair came in a private
| letter to a Spanish officer here. This
disaster to the army of Spain was due
primarily to Gen. Weyler's persistent
course in attempting to hold Bayamo
which military critics say is without
| strategic value and not worth tenth
| part of the sacrifices already made in
| attempting to send arms and provi-
| sions there from Manzanillo, only ten
| leagues away.
Spain has lost 5000 men, food and
arms without gaining a road to Bay
amo and now the Spanish soldiers call
| it the road to DEATH"
Gen. Lono laid a trap for the insur-
| gents. Believing that the convoy
| would be attacked, he sent his mule
| train ahead with a scant escort, in
| tending to flank the rebels or fall upon
the rear with his main infantry while
| the scort held their fire. This force is
| said to have been between 1900 and
1000 men. Gen. Garcia, with between
600 and 1000 men also waited for the
convoy three leagues from Bayamo.
He was told by his scouts that there
| was a large Spanish force following
the poorly protected mule train and
suspecting a trick. he allowed the
packs, mules and smaller escort to
pass without molestation at the time
and placed his men in an advantageous
position to await the coming Of Gen.
Lono. The Spanish, eagerly awaiting
the sound of firing ahead, which would
tell them the train had been attacked
and, hearing nothing, marched straight
into the trap.
When the column was within short
range the insurgents opened fire. The
| 10
turned the fire, but with little result.
| They realized that their army had been
| ambushed and saw by the gaps in their
ranks that their army was in for it.
They advanced at the word, but anoth-
er volley from the insurgents caused
some wavering. Then arose the old
cry Eel machette," and before the
ranks could be closed and a square
formed, Garcia's veterans were upon
them. AS has generally been the case
the Spanish infantry, having been
| subjected to heavy fire, did not long
oppose the machette and the bayonet.
In a few minutes the retreat was gen
eral.
Gen. Lono and his staff by desperate
efforts succeeded in rallying a few
hundred men for another stand, but
although they opposed the insurgents
advance with brisk fire, it was ev-
ident that the day was lost. Fearing
that a movement among the Cubans
meant an attempt to surround them,
the Spanish broke and ran. Thus the
feat became rout. The insurgent
forces were divided, one division pur-
suing Gen. Lono and the other to cap
ture the arms and provisions. This
last proved an easy task, as at the
sound of heavy firing, the small force
protecting the mule train foolishly
halted and attempted to strengthen its
position.
The Spanish commander, with the
retreating main body, was harrassed
for ten miles. He decided to abandon
the regular road back to Manzanillo,
fearing he would be interrupted as