Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-07-26
ATTACKED FROM AMBUSH
Garcia, with His Cubans, Makes a
Vicious Onslaught on Col
umn of Spaniards.
CUBAN ARMY ROUTED With GREAT LOSS
Marching to Santiago to Lay Down
Their Arms-CG:,ans Were on Their
Way to Take HolEuin-Wanted
Vengeance Oh The Spaniards.

New York, July ga dispatch to
the Herald from Santiago via Port An
tonic, says: Great excitement was
caused ut Santiago to-day Thursday
by story brought in by Cubans that
1000 Cuban insurgents, composing
Gen. Garcia's army for the eastern de-
partment of Cuba, were routed in a
fierce engagement with detachment
of Spanish troops bound for Santiago
to surrender.
In this battle, which took place at a
point several miles to the north of this
city, II Cubans were killed, the Cubans
say, and many more were wounded.
The Spanish loss was much smaller, it
is said.
News Surprises American Troops.
Nothing happeningin this vicinity re-
Gently has taken the American officers
and troops SO completely by surprise
as this story of battle between the
Cubans and the Spaniards. Our troops
had come to look upon the insurgents
as eaters rather than as fighters, and
they scarcely believed the reports that
Garcia's men had lain in ambuscade
and had opened the fight by attacking
the Spanish troops,
1t is not known whether Gen. Garcia
was aware of the number of the enemy
he was attacking. If he thought he
had encountered a small force of
Spaniards and could overpower them
easily 1t was grave mistake appar-
emily There were at least 5000 Span
iards in the body, according to report,
and they drove Garcia's men into full
retreat few hours after the battle
began.
.Cubnns Were Moving to Holruin.
When the Cuban general withdrew
his troops to the mountains he re-
solved to move on to Holguin, about
so miles to the northwest of this city.
II the Americans would not allow
them to wreak vengeance upon the
Spaniprds in Santiago, the Cubans pro-
posed to storm some other important
place and take possession of 1t on
their own account.
1t was with this object in view that
Gen. Garcia withdrew his troops from
the American lines and refused longer
to act as an ally of Gen. Shafter. He
decided to capture Holguin if posi-
BILE, and to there set up an insurgent
government, making that place the
Cuban headquarters for the eastern
department.
It is not stated how far to the north
west of Santiago Gen. Garcia's army
had proceeded upon this mission when
the Spanish troops were encountered.
They had been marching for many
hours, however, and must have been
well started on their journey.
Cuban and Spanish Forces Meet.
The Cubans and Spaniards met on
the road between Santiago and Hol-
gum. The Spaniards, it is said, had
been gathered from the fortified towns
in the vicinity and were proceeding to
Santiago under the terms of surrender
agreed to by Gen. Toral. They were
seeking to carry out in good faith the
agreement made with Gen. Shafter.
They were not looking for fight and
were caught off their guard.
Gen. Garcia, it is said, ordered his
men to form so that they would be
concealed in the chaparral, hoping to
annihilate the first section of the Span
ish troops. His plans were promptly
put into execution, hut the Spaniards,
quickly recovering from the demon
alization caused by the opening shots,
fought fiercely and Gen. Garcia's am
buscade was failure.
Spanish Refuse to Surrender
Although unsuccessful in his plan to
trap the Spapiards, Gen. Garcia, ac-
cording to the Cubans who brought
the story, sent word to them demand
ing that they surrender forthwith.
To this demand the Spanish COM
mander returned an emphatic refusal.
Gen. Toral, he notified Gen. Garcia,
had surrendered to Gen. Shafter, not to
the Cubans.
Despite information that the Span
iards were a part of those included in
Gen. Toral's surrender, Gen. Garcia is
said to have ordered his troops to pre-
pare to fight.
The Cubans quickly took the posi-
tions to which they had been assigned,
and the order to fire was passed along
the line.
Cuban Assault u Failure.
Gen. Garcia had decided, it is said,
to attempt to carry the Spanish posi-
ton by assault, and his troops
pressed forward when the word was
given. Their progress was firmly re-
sisted at every point by the Span
iards, who, after several hours fight
ing, put the Cubans to rout, with a
loss of Al killed and many wounded.
The Spanish suffered smaller loss
Cubans Want Vengeance.
The story Of the battle and It's dis.
astrous results has greatly excited the
Cubans. They are demanding ven
geance and cannot understand why
the Americans do not annihilate their
Spanish prisoners of war.
Hoped to Prove It,