Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-07-24
DESPERATE BATTLE REPORTED
1T Is SAID THAT FORTY-ONE Gu
BANS WERE KILLED.
Garcia's Forces, According to the
Story, Attacked a Spanish Army
Marching to Santiago to
Surrender and Were
Badly Whipped.


Herald from Santiago says:
Great excitement was caused at Santa
go to-day Thursday by a story brought
in by Cubans that 900 Cuban insurgents.
composing General Garcia's army for the
Eastern department of Cuba, were routed
in 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, for
ty-one Cubans were killed. the Cubans say,
and many mere We're wounded. The Span
fish loss was much smaller. 1t is said.
Nothing happening in this vicinity re-
Gently has taken the American officers and
troops so completely by surprise as this
story of battle between the Cubaus 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 am
buscade and had opened the fight by at
tacking the Spanish troops.
'.It is not known whether General Garcia
| was aware of the number of the enemy he
was attacking. If he thought he had en-
countered a small force Of Spaniards and
could overpower them easily, it was a
grave mistake apparently. There were at
least 5,001 Spaniards in the body, accord
| ing to report and they drove Garcia's men
INTO luIl retreat q lew NOuts dlteI TIE pdl-
| tie began.
When the Cuban general withdrew his
! troops to the mountains, he resolved to
move on to Holguin, about sixty 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 account. 1t was with this object in
view that General Garcia withdrew his
| troops from the American lines and refused
| longer to act as an ally of General Shafter.
He decided to capture Holguin if possible
and there to set up an insurgent govern
| ment, making that place the Cuban head
| quarters for the Eastern department.
TT is not stated how far TO the north
| west of Santiago General Garcia's army
had proceeded upon this mission when the
| Spanish troops We're encountered. They
| bad. been marching for many hours. how
Fever, and must have been well started on
4 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 General
| Toral. They were, seeking to carry out in
| SuOu idltH Tie detccHeHt iHduc "ieh oCA-
| eral Shafter. They were not looking for a
fight and were caught Off their guard.
| General Garcia, it is said, ordered his
men to form so that they would be con-
cealed in the chaparral, hoping to annihi-
| late the first section of the Spanish troops.
| His plans were promptly put into execu-
| ton. but the Spaniards. quickly recovering
from the decentralization caused by the
opening shots fought fiercely. and General
| Garcia's ambuscade was a failure.
Although unsuccessful i'll his plan to
trap the Spaniards. General Garcia. ac-
cording to the Cubans who brought the
story sent word to them demanding that
they surrender forthwith. To this demand
the Spanish commander returned an en-
phatic refusal. General Toral, he notified
General Garcia. had surrendered to Gen
eral Shafter. not to Cubans.
Despite information that the Spaniards
| were a part of those included in General
Torars surrender, General Garcia is said
to have ordered his troops to prepare te
fight.
THE Cubans quickly took the positions
to which they had been assigned, and the
order to fire was passed along the line.
General Garcia had decided, 1t is said
to attempt to carry the Spanish position
by assault. and his troops pressed for
ward when the word was given. Then
| progress was firmly resisted at every poin
by the Spaniards. who, after several hours
fighting. put the Cubans to rout, with {
loss cf forty-one killed and many wounded
The Spanish suffered small loss"
The story of the battle and its disas
trous results has greatly excited th
Cubans. They are demanding vengeance
| and canno, understand why the American
| do not annihilate their Spanish prisoner
| of war
WASHINGTON, July 23.-No word ha
reached the department from any ofticia
source relative TO the reported attack b.
Garcia's Cubans upon the body Of Spanisl
soldiers who were marching into Santias
, to surrender 10 Shafter. In the absence O
a reliable report on this occurrence, which
, II true, may be fraught with the graves
Consequences and affect the attitude of tn
UEited States government toward the In
| surgents. there is q decided disposition t
refuse TO discuss the matter at the wa
u