The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-01-22
NEWS FROM !:!ll CUBA.
Town Where In,ursent Government Had
headquarters Captured by the Spanish
Forces-The Buildings Destroyed.

Town Where In,urgent Government Had
headquarters captnred by the Spanish
Forces-Tho Buildings Destroyed.
WASHINGTON. Jan. 2l.-The Span
ish minister has received the following
cablegram:
HAVANA, Jan. 2l.---General Castella-
no has taken possession of the village of
Esperanza, in the Sierra de Cubitas,
where the insurgent government had It's
headquarters. During the stubborn re-
sistance made BY the insurgents their
government officials escaped. The next
day continuing his operations. the same
general defeated body OF $500 insurg-
ents who were coming to the aid of the
government, scattering them in all di-
rec:ions and killing So. 3! Z :. S.a
(Signed) a & f;!".CONGOSTo.""
s. HAVANA, Jan. 21-According to in
formation from Spanish sources: Gem
eral Castellano being aware that the In
surgent government was established at
Esperanza in; buildings constructed by
the. insurgents, seventeen leagues from
Puerto Principe, at the extreme west
end OF the CubItas Ridge, proceeded in
that direction@with 1900 infantry, 400
cavalry and two field cannon. After a
three days trying march he forced diff
cult position on the fourth day and over
came the obstinate resistance Of 1000 in
surgents, pursuing them more than six
miles and destroying and burning the
houses at Esperanza, including the In
surgent. government buildings
On the. following day General Castella-
no engaged the reunited Insurgents $500
strong. near ,Esperanza. He routed
them after two hours combat. The In
surgent loss is believed to be numerous,
but owing to the density Of the woods, 1t
is difficult, according to the Spanish ac-
count to ascertainthe full extent OF the
defeat.
The insurgents left fifty-seven dead on
the. field. The Spanish lost five killed
and .thirty-one wounded, among the lat
ter being Lieutenant Colonel Perez Mon
to, The insurgents under leader Mon
teasudo enraged by the reports of the
surrender OF insurgent General Juan
Masso PARA, attacked the town of Es-
peranza, province of Santa Clara, Under
cover of the darkness they reached the
houses In the Rosario ward, but the gar
rison repelled. the attack and followed
the fleeing insurgents outside the town.
The latter left nine dead. A private DIS
patch from, Spanish sources says the
attackng insurgents had thirty wound
ed and that the garrison's loss was in
significant.
NEW YORK. Jan. e1.-Torlas Estra-
ia Palma, head OF the Cuban junta in
this city, when seen regarding the dis
patch yesterday from Havana stating
that General Juan Masso PARA had sur
rendered to the Spanish and accepted
autonomy, said: "AIasso PARA Is no
relative Of President Maeso, of Cuba, as
alleged In the Spanish official reports.
The former Cuban officer was courtmar-
tailed some time ago and was reduced to
the ranks. At the time of his surrender,
he was not In command of any forces
whatsoever am positive that the. par
ties mentioned in the Spanish official re-
ports were mere pacIilcos. who, .unarm-
ed, accompanied Masso PARA into town.
as was the case with the Cuervo
brothers. which, is quite parallel"