The record-union., 1898-07-24
GARCIA
ATTACKS
SPAN|ARDS.
They Were Coming Down
to Surrender.
He Ambushed and Opened Fire
on Them.
But They Beat Him Off With Con-
siderable Loss.
His First Attempt to Operate by Hims elf
Without Skaters Aid Was
Not a Pronounced
Success.

the Herald" from Santiago, via Port
Antonio, says:
Great excitement was caused at
Santiago to-day Thursday by story
brought in by Cubans that 900 Cuban
insurgents, composing General Garcia's
army for the Eastern Department of
Cuba, were routed in a fierce engage
ment with a 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, forty-one Cubans were killed,
the Cubans say, and many more
wounded. The Spanish loss was much
smaller, it is said
Nothing happening in this vicinity
recently has taken the American Off
GERS and the troops so completely by
surprise as this story of the battle be-
tween the Cubans and the Spaniards
Our troops had come to look upon the
insurgents as eaters rather than as
fighters, and they scracely believed the
reports that Garcia g men and lain in
ambuscade, and had opened the fight
by attacking the Spanish troops
1t is not known whether General
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 over
power them easily it was grave mis-
take, apparently. There were at
least nfAEl r1 IN,
cording to report, and they drove Gar
cia's men into full retreat a few hours
after the battle began
When the Cuban General withdrew
his troops TO the mountains he resolved
to move on to Holguin, about seventy
miles to the north of this city. If
the Americans would not allow them
to wreak vengeance upon the Spaniards
in Santiago, the Cubans proposed to
storm some other important place and
take possession of it on their own ac-
count.
1t was with this object in view that
General Garcia withdrew his trops from
the American lines and refused further
TO act as an ally of General Shafter.
He decided TO capture Holguin, if pos
sible and to there set up an insurgent
government, making that place the Gu
ban headquarters for the eastern sec
ton.
1t is not stated how far to the north
west of Santiago General Garcia's army
had proceeded upon this mission when
They had been marching for many
hours, however, and must have been
we'll started on their journey.
The Cubans and Spaniards met on
the road between Santiago and Holguin.
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 General Toral. They We're
seeking to carry out in good faith the
agreement made with General Shafter.
They We're not looking for fight, and
were caught off their guard.
General 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
Spanish troops. His plans were prompt
ly put INTO eNecutloH, Out the Span
iards. quickly recovering from the de-
moralization caused by the opening
shots. fought fiercely, and General Car
cia's ambuscade was a failure.
Although unsuccessful in his plan to
tran the Spaniards. General 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 commander
returned an emphatic refusal. Gen
oral Toral had notified General Garcia
that he had surrendered to General
Shafter. not TO Cubans.
DESPITE information that the Span
iards were a part OF those included in
the surrendered, General Garcia is SAID
70 have ordered his troops 10 prepare
TO fight. The Cubans quickly took the
positions to which they had been as
signed and the order to fire was passed
along the line General Garcia then
attempted to carry the Spanish posi-
ton by assault and his troops presseo
forward when the word was given. Ihe
assault was gallantly resisted at eV-
cry point by the Spaniards VINO ai'ei
several hours fighting put the Cuoahs
70 rout with loss of forty-one Killed
and many wounded. The Spanish SUI
fered a small loss.
The story of the battle and its dis-
astrous results has greatly excited the
Cubans. They are demanding venge-
ance and cannot understand why the