The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-07-23
ATTACKS
PRISONERS
As They Are Marching To-
ward Santiago.
DISPLEASED WITH FORCES.
Watson's Squadron Never
Intended to Sail For
SPANS Coast. 81

oral Shafter complaining of tho treatment
accorded the Cubans and advising General
Shafter of General Garcia's resignation
was prepared by a we'll known newspaper
correspondent named Arms, who has been
acting on the staff of General Castillo. 1t
is not clear that General Garcia ever saw
the letter.
Madrid, July 20. According to dis
patch from Hong Kong, tho insurgents
attacked Manila, but were repulsod with a
loss of 500, the Spaniards having fifty kill
oil and wounded. A second attack was
equally unsuccessful.
Santiago do Cuba, July ~, byi way of
Kingston, Jamaica, July 2a.-Great excite.
inent WIS caused in Santiago yesterday
by story brought In by Cubans that 1000
Cuban insurgents, composing General
Garcia's army for the eastern department
OF Cuba wore routed In u fiercs engage
msut with detachment of Spanish troops
bound for Santiago to surrender.
In this battle which took place at point
several miles to the north of this city, for
| ty-one Cubani we're killed, the Cubans
say, and many more wore wounded. The
Spanish loss. 1t is said. was much smaller.
II hos been impossible to learn as yet
whether General Garcia was aware Of the
number of he enemy he was attacking.
Il he thought he had encountered small
forcu Of Spaniards and could everpowsr
them easily. 1t was grave 'nistake APP
parently. There were at least 5000 Span
iards in the body. according to tho report.
and they drove Garcia's men into full re-
treat a few hours after the battle began.
When tho Cuban general withdrew his
troops to the mountains he resolved 10
move on to Holgun, about sixty miles to
the northwest OF this city. II the Amori-
cans would not allow them to wreak
vengeance on The Spaniards in Santiago,
tho Cubans proposed to storm another im-
portant place and take possession of 1t on
their own account.
1t was with isobject in view that Con.
eral Garcia withdrew his troops from
tho American lines and refused longer TO
act as an ally Of General Shafter. lilo decid'
cd to capture Holguin, II possible, and to
there set up an iDsurgent government,
making that place the Cuban headquarters
for the eastern department..
Nothing happening in 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 lock
upon the Insurgents as caters rather than
fighters, and thoy scarcely believed the re.
ports that Garcia's mon had lain in am
bush and had opened tho fight by attact.
ing the Spanish troops.
1t Is not stated how far to tho northwest
of Santiago General Gnrcia's army pro-
ceeded upon this mission when tho Span
ish tr oops were encountered They hive
enlmarching for many hours, however,
aad must have been we'll started ON their
journey.
The Spauiards, it is said, had been gath
cred from the fortified town. In the yicin-
ity, and were proceeding to Santiago under
the terms OF surrender agreed to by Gem
eral Toral. They were seeking to carry
out in good faith the agreement made with
General Shafter. They wers not looking
fora fight, and were caught off their
guard
General Garcia, It IL said, ordered his
mon to form so that they would be con-
cealed in the chaparal. hoping to nnnihi- |
late the first section OF th, Spanish troops.
His plans were promptly put into execu-
tion but the Spaniarhs quickly recover
Ing from the decentralization caused by tho
opening shots, fought florcoy and General
Garcia's ambuscadc was u failure.
Although unsuccessful in his plan to
trap tho Spaniards, General Garcia, &C
cording to tho Cubans who brought the
story, sent word to thom demanding that
they surrender forthwith.
To this demand tho Spanish commander
returned all emphatic refusal
"Goncral Toral," he notified General
Garcia, "has surrendered to tho American
army, not to the Cnbans."
Despite the information that these Span.
ish troops were part Of those included In
General Torals surrender. General Garcia
is said to have ordered his troops to pre-
pare to fight.
The Cubans quickly took the positions
to which they had been NJ signed, ana tho
order to fire was passed along the line.
General Garcia had decided, 1T Is said, 10
attempt to carry the Spanish position by
assault. and his troops pressed forward
when tho word was givsn, Their progress
was firmly resisted at ovory point by the
SpaDiards, who after several hours fight
Ing, put the CubanS to rout, With II loss If
forty-one killed anu many wounded. Tho
Spanish suffered small loss.
This story Of baltic and its disastrous
results has greatly excited the Cubans.
General Garcia, prior to this latest report
I'd exploit, had been a source of trouble to
General Shafter the American command.
81 having been met AZ every point by Gu
baus with claims for precedence. All of tho
Cubans violently opposed the terms upon
which General Toral surrendered to Con.
,rul Shaiter.
Those forms were dictated by General
Shaitcr. but tho Cubans, ever since tho
city formerly surrendered, last Sunday,
have dono everything In their power to
render the carrying out OF tho terms diff
,at or impossible This latest reported
exploit of Garcia In attacking detach-
nent OF American prisoners of was Is re-
yarded as characteristic.
1t Is In line with the course he has pur''
'ued ever since he discovered that he was
3owerless to interfere With General Shat.
er's plans about the government Of Santi-
'go and the treatment OF tho Spanish
,roops who had surrendered.
Washington, June 20, -The Madrid Gov
has officially recognized the pro-
posed return by the United States of the
Santiago prisoners to Spain.
This recognition came IN the form OF u
otter to General Shafter from General
roral commander of the Spanish traops
It San tiago.