Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-07-27
GARCIA is LICKED.
Made an UnWarranted Attack on
Spaniards Who We're Com
ing to Surrender

New York, July pa 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 Gen. Garcia's
army for the eastern department of Cuba,
were routed IN a fierce engagement 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. fortyone Cubans were killed, the
Cubans say, and many more were wound
ed. The Spanish loss was much smaller,
it is said
American Officers Surprised.
Nothing happening in this vicinity re-
Gently has taken the American officers
and troops sc completely by surprise as
this story of battle between the Cubans
and the Spaniards. Our troops had come
to look upon the insurgents as eaters
rather than as fighters and they scarcely
believed the reports that Garcia's men
had lain in ambuscade and had opened
the hight by attacking the Spanish troops.
1t is not known whether Gen. Garcia
was aware of the number of the enemy
he was attacking. If he thought he had
encountered small force of Spaniards
and could oyerpower them easily it was a
grave mistake, apparently. There We're
at least 5000 Spaniards in the body, ac
cOrd1ng to report, and they drove Garcia 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 HOlgun. about sixty miles
to the northwest of the city. If the Amer
leans would no allow them to wreak VEN
geance upon the Spaniards in Santiago,
the Cubans proposed to storm some other
n nl1 md fob nf1 -
on their own account.
Wanted to Take HoIguin.
1t was with this object in view that
Gen. Garcia withdrew his troops from the
American lines and refused longer to act
as an ally of Gen. Shaftel. He decided
to capture Holguin if possible, and to there
set up an lnsurgent government, making
that place the Cuban Headquarters for the
Eastern department.
1t is not stated how far to the north
west Of Santiago Gen. Garcia S army had
proceeded upon this mission when the
Spanish troops We're encountered. They
had been marching for many hours, how
ever, 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 proceeding to Santiago under
the terms of surrender agreed to by Gen.
TOral. They were seeking to carry out
III good faith the agreement made with
Gen. Shafter. They were not looking FOR
Il fight and were caught off their guard.
Gen. Garcia, it is said, ordered his men
to form so that they would be concealed
in the chapparal, hoping to annihilare the
first section of the Spanish troops His
but the Spaniards, quickly recovering
from the decentralization caused by the
opening shots, fought fiercely. and Gen.
Garcia's ambuscade was failure
Although unsuccessful in his plan to
trap the Spaniards, Gen. Garcia accord
ing to the Cubans who brought the story,
sent word to them demanding that they
surrender forthwith.
Wouldn't Surrender to Cubans.
To this demand the Spanish command
or returned an emphatic refusal. Gen.
Toral he notified Gen. Garcia, had sur
rendered to Gen. Shafter, not to the Gu
bans.
Despite information that the Spaniards
were a part of those included in Gen.
ToraIs surrender, Gen. Garcia is said to
have ordered his troops to prepare to
fight.
The Cubans quickly took the positions
to which they had been assigned and the
order to fire was passed along the line.
Gen. Garcia had decided, it is said, to
attempt to carry the Spanish position by
assault. and his troops pressed forward
when the word was given. Their prog
ress was firmly resisted at every point
by the Spaniards. who, after several
hours fighting. put the Cubans to rout,
with loss Of Al killed and many wound
ed. The Spanish suffered a smaller loss.
The story of the battle and its disas-
trous results has greatly excited the Gu
bans. They are demanding vengeance
and cannot understand why the Ameri-
az n iln+ TO fhni iS1 roTpIS-
Oners of war.