Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-08-05
NuEvITAs STILL HOLDS OUT.
No Confirmation of Report That 1t
Has Been Evacuated.

Has Been Evacuated.
KEY WEST. FLA. August 4-No con-
frmation has been received here Of the
report that Nueyitas, the chief port Of
the Province OF Puerto Principe, has been
evacuated by the spaniards, after bonn
bardment by American warships.
The auxiliary cruiser Badger, which can
tured three prizes at Nuevitas on July
18th, and left with them that day for the
Tortugas, arrived here this morning. Cap
tain Snow said that. at the time OF mis-
departure all but about 1890 Spanish
troops had left the city. and general
evacuation was expected, but that to all
intents and purposes the place was still
held by the enemy, and there had been
nothing in the nature of an attack. The
large gunboat Pizarro and the armed
tugs Anita aud Yumuri were In the har-
Dor
The only intelligence of the reported as
sault and evacuation Of Nuevitas was
that furnished on July 26th by Lieutenant
Colonel Rojas, OF the insurgent forces, to
Commander Maynard. Of the gunboat
Nashville, at Gibara.
The Badger was covering the blockade
station at Nuevitas on July 18th, when
one of the Spanish boats slipped stern
foremost 10 the mouth Of the harbor and
took peep at her. The enormous hull OF
the American ship. bristling with Nor
denfeldt guns. scared her, and she sour
ried back to shelter.
CAPTURED THE THREE.
A little while later three vessels were
observed coming out in excellent forma-
ton, and Captain Snow thought good
fight was coming. He brought his ship
a
pared to give the Spaniards a warm greet
ing, when it was discovered that instead
OF gunboats the advancing ships were a
tug, a brigantne, and Q barge, the last
two in tow, all flying Spanish and Red
Cross flags A couple of shots from a g.
FOUNDER were fred I'm their direction, and
they promptly surrendered. The tug was
the Humberto Rodriguez, fine and new,
and worth about $4,000. The brigantine
was the Saf and the barge was the San
Fernando.
A party from the Badger boarded the
prizes. and found distributed over them
about 400 Spanish soldiers, who, 1t was
said. had been ordered to Habana by Gen
eral Salcido. The surgeon in charge as
serted that there were six cases OF yell
low-fever among the troops, but careful
examination by the Badgers doctor, and
showed there was no Infection among the
men. and that the Red-Cross flags were
used as a decoy.
TOOK DESERTERS ABOARD.
AT Nuevitas the Badger also took
aboard eight deserters from the Spanish
army. who are still on board the ship.
They are a sergeant and seven privates
of the Twenty-second Cadiz Battalion,
They were marching from the town OF
Puerto Principe TO Nuevitas, and when
near the latter place the sergeant report
ed four men missing, and asked for
detail of three men 10 find them. This
was granted but the detail also deserted,
and, with the other men, made their way
TO Martinilles Light. Here they took the
lightkeeper's boat and rowed out TO the
Badger, surrendering themselves with
their Mauser rifles and ammunition. They
said they did not want to serve under
Spanish rule. in Nuevtas, and, In fact,
throughout the entire province, they said,
the inhabitants are starving.
The Badger proceeded with her prizes
from Nueyitas TO Habana. Where she re-
ported TO Commodore Howell, who or
dered them TO Tortugas. At that place
Captain Snow communicated with the
Washington authorities, and was in
structed 10 send all the prisoners 10
Habana IL one ship could carry them: IL
not, 20 put some Of them on a second ship
and send them to New York. One Of the
prisoners in the mean while died Of dysen-
terry at the Tortugas.
In accordance with the departments In
structions Lieutenant Edward McC.
Peters, with two officers and two men.
was put in charge of the prizes, and left
with them for Habana. He will then pro-
ceed with a tug-load of the Spanish
prisoners 10 New York. The Badger IL
manned by New Jersey naval reserves.