The record-union., 1897-08-12
THE WAR IN THE
CUBAN ISLAND,
A Decisive Engagement in the Prov
inCe of Mdtanzas.
Spanish Troops Routed After a Hard Bat
tie and Heavy Losses.
General Belief That General Wey-
Ier Was in Command of the
Government Forces-The Span
ish Troops Compelled to Give
Way Before the Cubans, Leav-
ing Many Dead on the Field.

HAVANA, Aug. 11.-Oficia1 informa-
tion has reached Havana of decisive
battle between loyal troops and insur-
gent forces in Matanzas. According
to this information the Spanish troops
were routed after a hard battle with
heavy losses.
This news created a, veritable sensa-
tion in Havana, as it is generally
known that Captain-General Weyler is
now in Matanzas, and there is a belief
that the Spanish troops directly under
him were those which suffered defeat
at the hands of the rebels. However
if this is true, the Spanish officials here
are taking great pains to suppress the
fact. Then, too, the knowledge in some
quarters that General Gomez is due in
MatanZaS at about this time with q
| large body of insurgents added to the
interest of the battle. While there is no
good cause to believe that General Co
mez was in the battle in question, there
has for some time seemingly been a
we'll founded belief in Havana that
Generals Weyler and Gomez would
meet in Matanzas.
he Spanish troops were compelled to
give way before the rebels, leaving
many dead on the field.
There seems to be considerable con-
Germ in the palace here about the re-
suit of the battle. While the officials
viii not talk, it was learned that de-
taohments of Cuban cavalry have been
pouring into Matanzas from Santa
Clara province, and according to some
reports Major General Francisco Ca
rillo, commander of the Fourth Army
Corps, and Brigadier- Generals Rego
ana Monteagudo are among the lead
ere of the invading forces. A concen-
tralion upon the Santa Clara border of
ali the insurgent forces in Matanzas
was ordered some time ago by General
Aveline Rosas, the insurgent COM
mander of the province.
In view of the rebel activity and the
belief at the palace that General Co
mez or his lieutenant, Major General
Garlic, would attempt a demonstra-
ton against Havana City, large rein
forcements of Spanish troops have
been moved to the front from Havana
and Pinar del Rio provinces. General
Weyler intended to establish his head
quarters in Matanzas city and then in
Guines, Havana province, in case the
Cubans should succeed in pushing their
way through Matanzas into Havana
A rumor reached the city last night
that railroad traffic had been stopped
on almost all the lines running through
Matanzas province.
Excitement was added to by later
report that General Weyler had ordered
the Marquis de Ahumeda, the acting
GovernOr-G 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 province.
Additional artillery was shipped last
night to Guines.
The situation of General Weyler is a
similar one to that of Martinez Cam
pos when he tried, in December, 1895,
to check the famous rebel raid of Gomez
and Maceo and was compelled to fall
back successfully at Jovanellos and
Closeo and Colon before the Cubans.
Those in a position to know hint that
the chief source in the palace is in re-
ceipt of a dispatch from Matanzas The
names of Weyler and several other
Spanish Generals, as well as those of
Gomez and Garlic, are often repeated
in the course of the message.
The alleged information in the dis
patch, coupled with the demand for re-
Inducements at Guines and the ship
ment there of heavy artillery. leads
many to believe that the Spanish
troops vii make a further stand at
Guines.
Jose Guasp has been arrested for de-
manding money and threatening the
life of Senior Segra, a prominent Span
ish Millionaire in Havana.