Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-07-28
CUBANS FIGHT SPAN|ARDS
Four Thousand Insurgents Under
Gen. Garcia Routed by Large
Body of Spaniards.
GREAT EXCITEMENT CAUSED At SANTIAGO
The Spaniards, 1t Was said, Were Gathered
from the Fortified Towns In the Vicinity
and Were Proceeding to Santiago I'm
der the Terms OF Surrender Agreed to
by Gen. Torai.

DER the Terms OF SURRENDER ABESc0 "
by Gen. ToraI
New York, July GA dispatch to
the Herald from San tiago via Port An
tonic, says: Great excitement was
caused at Santiago by story brought
in by Cubans that 1000 Cuban insur-
gents, composing Gen. Garcia's army
for the eastern department of Cuba,
were routed in a fierce engagement
with 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,
fl Cubans were killed, the Cubans say,
and many more wounded. The Span
ish loss was much smaller, it is said.
Nothing happening in this vicinity
recently has taken the American Off
GERS and troops so completely by sur
prise, as this story of battle betwe en-
the Cubans and the Spaniards. Our
troops had come to look upon the in
surgents as eaters rather than as fight
ers, and they scarcely believed the re-
ports that Garcia's men had lain in
ambuscade and had opened the fight
by attacking SPANS troops. 1t is not
known whether Gen. Garcia was aware
Of the number of the enemy he was at
lacking. If he thought he had en-
countered a small force of Spaniards
and could overpower them easily it
was grave mistake apparently.
There were at least 5000 Spaniards in
the body, according to the report, and
they drove Garcia's men into full re-
treat a few hours after the battle be-
gan.
When the Cuban general withdrew
g 49, I, h.
to 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 important place and
take possession of it on their own ac-
count. It was with this object in view
that Garcia withdrew his troops from
the Americans lines and refused to
longer act as an ally of Gen. Shafter.
He decided to capture Holguin, if pos
sible. and there to set up an insurgent
government, making that place the
Cuban headquarters for the eastern
department. 1t is not stated how far
to the northwest of Santiago Gen.
Garcia's army had proceeded upon this
mission when the Spanish troops were
encountered. They had been march
ing for many hours, however, and
must have been we'll started on their
journey.
The Cubans and Spaniards met on
the road between Santiago and Hol-
gum. 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 in good faith the
agreement made with Gen. Shafter.
They were not looking for 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 chaparral, hoping to annihilate
the first section of the Spanish troops.
His plans were promptly put into
execution, but the Spaniards.
quickly recovered from the de-
moralization caused by the open
ing shots, fought fercely and Gen.
Garcia's ambuscade was a failure.
Although unsuccessful in his plan to
trap the Spaniards, Gen. Garcia, ac-
cording to the Cubans, who brought
the story, sent word to them demand
ing that they surrender forthwith. To
this demand the Spanish commander
returned an emphatic refusal. Gen.
Toral, he notified Gen. Garcia, had sur
rendered to Gen. Shafter not to Cubans.
Despite information that the Spaniards
were part of those included in Gen.
Tora's 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 as
signed and the order to fire was passed
along the line.
Gen. Garcia had decided, it is said.
to attempt to carry the Spanish posi-
ton by assault and his troops pressed
forward when the word was given.
Their progress was firmly resisted at
every point by the Spaniards, who
after several hours fighting put the
CubanS to rout.