The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-03-04
With AMERICAN GUNS
The Cuban Army Wins Another
Splendid Victory.
sPANIARDs LOSE ABOUT 1000 MEN.

Fighting Continued Desperately for Five
Days, at the End of which Time General
Linsres' Army, Thoroughly Beaten and
Discouraged Was withdrawn-The Bat
tie Occurred sr Holguin, In the Province
OF Santiago do Cuba
New York, March 3.-Reports of the
recent battle at Holguin. province OF
Santiago de Cuba. have been received
In New York. Instead Of the battle be-
Ing Spanish victory. as represented
from Havana, 1t was a disastrous de-
feat. followed by a retreat on the part
OF the Spanish forces. This informa-
ton comes through Cuban sources and
Is the cause for q great amount of re-
1oicing In Cuban circles, because the
guns and ammunition shipped from
Long island less than a month ago
were used in the fight. Major Miranda,
who landed the expedition. reports the
victory without many details. but from
other letters which come out by the
same mail the story is told.
The Spanish forces were commanded
by General Linares, who for some time
has been at Holguin making prepara-
lions to march to the city of Santiago
de Cuba. His army included cavalry
and artillery.
Flower Of the Spanish Army.
Previous to his starting to march he
boosted that he would make the coast
"a distance Of sixty miles in a direct
line-in four days. BY the road to be
followed the distance was twenty miles
more, owing to the condition of the
country. His troops were the most val
liable in the Spanish army, many OF
them having been on the island for
three years. A week before the start
ing of the march the Long island ex-
petition had been landed. To protect
the expedition a force under General
Garcia had been sent to the southern
coast. In case a demonstration was
made. Colonel Manuel Rodriguez was
left with a vanguard of 900 men to
worry Linares II he should try to leave
Holguin. While the expedition, one Of
the largest ever landed there, was be-
ing protected from attack, the Spanish
general marched out from Holguin. Ten
miles from Holguin the roads become
hilly and the rocks afford protection
equal to any modern fertilization.
Regular Death Trap.
Colonel Rodriguez men took their
stand in this natural fertilization near
the town Of San Francisco. Owing to
the character of the country less than
1000 of the Spanish troops could be
brought into action when the Cubans
opened fire. The road. winding one,
was a regular death-trap. Linares used
his artillery as much as possible, but
the Cuban force Of less than a thou
sand men could not be dislodged. Fail
ing to make progress Linares marched
a portion Of his command five miles
east to move by the road which runs
to Jiguana, expecting to follow the rail-
road leading to Santiago de Cuba. This
command was intercepted by a portion
Of the Cubans and harassed so that
IL was unable to reach the Cauto river.
For two days 1t was held in check un-
til General Garcia and his command
could reach the place.
Burial of the Spanish Dead.
Every day Spanish dead were buried
and the wounded sent back to Holguin.
General Garcia's command did not
reach it's full strength until the fifth
day after the fighting began. On this
day the Spanish columns retreated in
confusion. carrying the wounded to
Holguin and leaving 200 dead on the
field The Cubans' loss in the five days
fighting was less than fifty killed. The
real Spanish loss will never be known.
as the dead and wounded were taken
from the field at night. 1t is estimated
that nearly 1000 were killed and wound
ed. From word received from Holguin
il was learned that there were several
companies almost annihilated by the
Cuban fire. Other letters from the Gu
ban army report it in good condition,
and one from ex-President Cisneros
stated that the whole eastern portion
Of the island is safe in control Of the
Cuban civil gOXernment