The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-06-09

| dez, while Maceo passed his flank anC
made for the boundary line between
| Puerto Principe and Santa Clara. After
this fight the infantry and cavalry under
Maceo separated Quintin Bandera, with
1000 infantry, was sent into the valley OF
the Trinidad for recruits. He knew the
country thoroughly. Within ten weeks
ne rejoined Maceo's columns near Havana
with 1000 well drilled and fairly armed
patriots.
On December 3 Maceo's column crossed
the Jatibonfco and entered Santa Clara
Gomez led the advance. He was am
pushed by a Spanish column of 500 men
under Colonel Segura- Maceo. hearing the
firing. charged the Spaniards in the rear.
fighting hand to hand over bush and fallen
logs. Segura was routed and the Cubzans
captured many arms and much ammuni-
ton.
By this time Havana began to exhibit
some anxiety. Campos treasured its citi-
zens by saying that he had planted a rat
trap for Maceo He wanted the Cuban
column 20 enter a triangle marked by
the cities Of Sagua, Colon and Cienfuegos,
when he would surely annihilate it. These
cities were crowded with troops and the
intervening country cobwebbed with rail-
roads. Maceo dashed into the rat trap
with their usual fury, swerving north
and south, and making mysterious curves
and zigzags. At Nal Tempo on Decem-
Der Is the 1000 Cubans struck large body
of Spaniards in an immense gueva plan
tation. The Spaniards were commanded
by Colonel Molina, now military governor
OF Mantanzas. Maceo and Gomez prompt
ly charged them. swinging down into a rail
road cut and hacking down a wire fence.
Molina three times formed a hollow
square, but each time the square was
broken by the Cuban cavalry and the
Spanfards scattered among the guava
bushes and sugar cane, losing their
regimental colors, 40 rifles and 10000 cart
ridges. Two hours later Maceo charged
a strong Spanish column coming to the re-
lief Of Molina This was promptly
smashed, and had no sooner gone TO pieces
than a third columnwas encountered.
This was dispersed with ease, the Span
iards flying in all directions. Over 5000
Spanish troops were in these three
columns
Havana was only $50 miles away. But
between it and the Cubans were $4,000
The most of these were infantry. The
Spanish cavalry was worthless, and Cam
pos had more field artillery than he could
use. The Cuban general, Lacret, made
dash into the heart of Mantanzas. cult
ing railways and burning stations. Gomez
and Maceo moved into the sugar planta-
"A rixy n n
MaJtanzas. On December 81 they came
upon Suarez Valdez like thunder clap.
He fed precipitately. At midnight Maceo !
camped at Santa Elena In the gray of |
the morn he discovered a Spanish column |
IN a grove of palms near by and quickly |
routed it.
Then came the most brilliant days in /
the history of Cuba Gomez and MaceO |
we're well within the triangle. Campos /
ried to spring his rat-trap. He had /
"a thered his troops at Colon to strike d
decisive blow, but Maceo moved like
daceo camped within two miles of Colon,
Ind Campos was sure of trapping him in
he morning, but the Cuban column faded
With the stars Campos was fooled as
Washington fooled CORVALLIS at Trenton.
Iigzag was again brought into play.
Carefully and stealthily Maceo threaded
lis way through the sugar fields in the
usk of the morn until the main road was
cached when the column once more spur
ed to the west. Campos was dumfounded
ut acted with surprising energy. The
Iavana and Mantanzas set his whole
rmy in motion by rail. His 1000 troops
= !
There he again lay en- perdu, awaiting
'uba's matchless chieftain. Then a new
nd portentous feature of the war sent
cold chill through his spinal marrow.
pillar of smoke arose in the south;
nd then another in the east and third
l the west, and a fourth in the north,
eavens. The sugar plantations were
pom Rogue and while Maceo dashed for
oliseo. At Rogue Gomez tapped the tele-
raph, which disclosed the concentration
I the Spanish troops and laid bare the
ans OF Campos. The wires were cut and
le rails were displaced, and the concen-
alton of 10000 troops was paralyzed.
he trap remained unsprung.
Campos sweated with agony. but still {
stained his presence of mind. MaceO
as advancing in five parallel columns. 5
he middle column was ambuscaded by l
ampos in a sugar plantation. The gen. ,
ais were not 300 feet apart. The mulatto
ltriot deployed TO the right and left and
lswered the Spanish fire. Two great
ings of 10000 men were enveloping him. a
is matches genius arose TO the situation.
e dispatched aids to his thanking coli \
ms with orders that spoke for them O
Ives Within twenty-five minutes the
.y of Coliseo was in flames and the vii n
,e OF Sumidero was ablaze. One was TO $
g east and the other TO the west Of
smpos. Meantime Maceo himself set G
g cane on fire in the immediate front Of c
e captain general COmpos became hope Il
ssly involved between three lines OF
mes. He sounded a retreat and put n
= Mantanzas, fancying that It was :.
aceo's intention 10 capture that city. \
le victorious Cubans swept west ward
e avenging spirits, while clouds OF ,,
loke arising from a hundred burning q
antations bewildered the Spaniards and
Z Campos himself dazed and apparently r,
conscious Of what had struck MIN. +
Then Maceo appeared at the gates OF
-vana. Il was Christmas week. He in
d been nine weeks in the saddle. He G.
Iintained his position in front OF Ha- T
IA four months while the whole west
! end OF the island was wrapped in \ Y
Il OF smoke, and 100000 in property m
ut TO ashes. Campos never recovered
footing and was recalled TO Spain. q.
NEWS BOTTLED UP :.