Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-05-26
THE CUBAN BALAKLAVA.
Colonel Frederick Funston,s Graphic
Description Of the Battle
Of Desmaya.


For twelve days in the autumn Of
1896, says Col. Frederick Funston in
Harper's Weekly, the Cuban insurg-
ents had been laying seige to the lit
tie town of Cascorra, fifty miles east
of the city of Puerto Principe; but
although the three forts had been
rendered untenable by artillery fire,
the heroic little garrison, scarcely
l5O men. of Tarragma regiment,
still made stubborn defense from
the trenches, and sent defiant replies
to all of Comets communication de-
manding their surrender. The aged
and peppery-tempered rebel chieftain
fretted and fumed, and paced up and
down before his tent for many ar
hour, but could not bring himself to
throw his new recruited infantry
against that maze of barb-wire
fences, exposing them to the fire OF
$50 Mauser rifles in the hands of men
who, it was evident, meant to fight to
the death.
Gomez had about 900 cavalry, 300
infantry and small squad OF artil-
lerymen with two Hotchkiss guns, al
though Spanish accounts Of the en-
gagement credit him with more than
5000 men--a most ridiculous asser-
ton.
On the 9Th of October the expected
happened, and insurgent scouts
guarding the roads to the westward
of the beleaguered town announced
the approach of a Spanish force of
$500 men coming TO the relief. Co.
mez hastily withdrew his forces from
about Cascorra, and taking posi-
ton at the potrero ia Machuca,
three miles to the westward, calmly
awaited the arriva, of Gen. Casttel-
lano's column of $500. The engage
ment, which began at A o'clock in the
afternoon. lasted scarcely an hour,
the Cubans making no attempt to
force the fighting, and before night
fall the heroic garrison Of Cascorra
was cheering the advance guard OF
the relieving column. Gomez camped
on the battlefield, and the next day
kept his tireless scouts watching the
Spaniards in Cascorra.
Our two guns that had been used
in beseiging the town and in the en-
gagement at Ia Machuca were sent
away to n perfectura to remain until
the arrival of more ammunition for
them, while we artillerymen asked
and received permission from Gen.
Gomez to incorporate ourselves for
the time being with his cavalry
escort.
At 3 o'clock on the morning Of the
18th a scout dashed furiously into
camp. Gomez was awakened and
gave few sharp orders and in ten
seconds the blare of the bugle had
tumbled the men out of their ham
mocks, and in a surprisingly short
time another blast sent them CROP
ing through the darkness to find
their picketed horses.
The whole camp was a scene Of
confusion. A DRILLING rain was fall
ing, and the darkness was intense.
The only light was a candle that
Gomez's orderly was holding while
the old man dressed himself.
The cause Of all this uproar was
that Gen. Castellano was trying to
steal a march on us by evacuating the
town in the darkness. while the Gu
ban chief was determined to bring
him TO another and better fight than
La Machuca. Despite the confusion.
our force was on the march in half
an hour after the first alarm, and
picked it's way through the drenched
grass to the canine real, or main
road, half mile to the north. where
we remained until the break of day.
The patter OF shots could now be
heard. as the insurgent scouts were
annoying the enemy's advance. After
half an hour Of this desultory skirm-
ishing scouts brought the informa-
ton that the enemy had left the
main road and turned to the north
ward, evidently intending to strike
the railroad at Las Minas. instead Of
at Puerto Principe. They had two
hours start: but Gomez. instead Of
falling in behind and giving direct
ohase, spent the entire day trying to