The record-union., 1898-06-16
CUbANS AID
AMERICAN
FORCES.
Five Hundred Well Armed
Insurgents
Reinforce the Little Band Of
Marines at Guantanamo.
n,,hona ll.dn. no~~nnd oS nnnnral
Cubans Under Command Of General
Rabi Occupy Acceradoros,
Only Eight Miles From Santiago, and
Practically a Suburb of That Spanish
Stronghold Garcia Cooperating
With the Americans.


relief of the beleaguered at Lucknow
came the welcome news to the Navy
Department this afternoon that the
little band of marines who had planted
the flag on Crest Hill and We're defend
ing it night and day against heavy
odds were not only safe, but were
strongly reinforced by 500 Cubans
from the commands of Garcia and
Rabi, and were now strong enough to
more than hold their own. 1t was dis
closed in a dispatch from Admiral
Sampson, and brought much relief to
naval officials. The early reports had
indicated that the marines We're sur
rounded, and it was feared that they
might be compelled to return to the
ships before General Skaters invading
army reached there on Friday.
The coming of the Cuban forces
seems to have been in the nick of time.
and naval officers give the fullest
credit TO the timeliness OF this Cuban
cooperation. The Admirals dispatch
stated that the condition of the ma
rines was entirely satisfactory" which
assurance. although brief, was enough
TO relieve officials here of the fears
they had entertained.
But probably the most significant
feature of the Admiral's dispatch was
that the Cuban General Rabi had oc-
cupied Acceradoros, only eight miles
from Santiago, and practically a sub
urb of that Spanish stronghold. 1t was
the execution of plan arranged in
Washington some weeks ago, when two
of the staff officers of General Garcia
came here to confer with General
Ac<s. At that time Garcia and Rabi
We're at Bayamo. in the western part
of Santiago Province, and more than
100 miles northwest of Santiago de
Cuba
Admiral SIMPSONS dispatch shows
that Rabi and his force have made a
complete circuit of Santiago de Cuba,
and, coming up TO the south of ii, have
occupied Acceradoros. This is looked
upon as fine military stroke, for Ac-
ceradoros is the port whose wharf will
afford facilities for unloading the
Skaters invading expedition The
news also indicated to the authorities
here that the Spanish garrison at San
tiago has practically retreated inside
the city proper. giving up the outlying
towns
Admiral Sampson also states that
General Garcia is cooperating with
means that Garcia has himself arrived
from Bayamo is not quite clear bat If
he has, the joint forces of Garcia and
Rabi will make 5000 to 5000 seasoned
Cubans, recently armed with Spring.
field rifles. as a bushwhacking guer-
rilla force to aid the American troops
From sources other than the dispatch
from Admiral Sampson. the Navy De-
partment has been informed that 500
Cubans We're rendering efficient aid to
the marines at Crest Hill. Now that
Rabi and Garcia are on the scene, this
500 will be swelled to thousands.
The news of the routing with severe
losses of the Spanish guerrillas and the
capture of their water supply by the
marines and Cubans had not been re-
ceived up 20 the close of the depart
ment, but it is felt here that it will
make the Spaniards very cautious, and
enable our forces to get a much needed
rest
In making his march Rabi has crossed
the line of communication between tbs
Spanish commander, General Pando,
at Holguin, and the Spanish forces at
Santiago de Cuba This fact makes it
clear that Santiago is not likely to
get reinforcements from General Pando
In circiing around Santiago to reach
Acceradoros, Rabi, IT is believed here.
has also established it as a fact that
the lines of communication and relief
to Santiago are interrupted and prac-
tically cut off in al directions.
Secretary Alger this afternoon denied
positively that the Government was
considering the advisabilty of making
another call for volunteer troops. On
the contrary, the War Department is
now entirely occupied with the task
OF completing the equipment of the
large number of organizations still
without accoItermel.ts, and has rot
yet even taken up in earnest the pro-