The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-07-24
MORE OF THE SAME SORT.
Fishy Account of Battle Between
Cubans and Spaniards.

New York, July ga dispatch to the
Herald from Santiago via Port Antonio
says: Great excitement was caused at
Santiago today Thursday by a story
brought in by Cubans that 1000 Cuban
insurgents. composing General Garcia's
army for the eastern department OF Cuba,
were routed in fierce engagement with a
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, Cubans were killed, the Cubans
say, and many more were wounded. The
Spanish loss was much smaller, il Is said.
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 lad come
to look upon the Insurgents as eaters
rather than as fighters, and they scarcely
believed the reports that Garciais army
had 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 mistake
apparently. There were at least 5000
Spaniards in the body, according to re-
port, and they drove Garcia'S men into
full retreat a few hours after the battI>
began.
When the Cuban general withdrew his
troops to the mountains he resolved ~
move on to Holguin. about so 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 i'm
portant place and take possession of II
on their own account.
1t was with this object in view that
General Garcia withdrew his troops from
the American lines and refused longer to
act as an ally of General Shafter. He
decided TO capture Holguin if possible, and
to there set up an insurgent government,
making that place the Cuban head
quarters for the eastern department.
II is not stated how far to the north
west of Santiago General 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.
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 proceedin gto Santiago, under
the terms of surrender agreed TO by Cen
eral Toral. They We're seeking to carry
ing for q fight. and were caught off their
guard.
General Garcia, it is said. ordered his
men to form so that they would be con-
hilate the first section of the Spanish
troops. His plans were promptly put in
10 execution, but the Spaniards. quickly
recovering from the generalization cauS-
ed by the opening shots, fought fiercely,
and General Garcia's ambuscade was a
failure.
Although unsuccessful IN his plan to
trap the Spaniards, Garcia, according to
the Cubans who brought the story, sent
word to them demanding that they sur
render forthwith. To this demand the
Spanish commander returned On emphatic
refusal. General Toral, he notified Cen
eral Garcia, had surrendered TO General
Shafter. not to Cubans.
Despite information that the Spanish
We're d part of those included in ToralS
surrender. General Garcia is said to have
ordered his troops to prepare to fight. The
Cubans quickly took the positions 10
which they had been assigned and the or
der 20 fire was passed along the line. Cen
eral Garcia had decided to attempt to
carry the Spanish position by assault, and
his troops pressed forward when the word
was given. Their progress was firmly re-
sisted at every point by the Spaniards,
who. after several hours fighting, put
the Cubans to rout with loss of Il kill
ed and many wounded. The Spanish suf-
fered a small loss.
The story Of the battle and its disas-
trous results has greatly excited the Gu
pans They are demanding vengeance,
and cannot know why the Americans 90
not annihilate their Spanish prisoners of
war.