Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-11-30
Haytiens Under Gen. Sim.
on Pushing Forward.
Port au Prince, Their Objective
Point, Is Being Fortified.
Government Defeated In First Bat
tle-..Another Big One Expected.

Port au Prince. Nov. 29.-The revolu
tionists, nndep. command of Gen. Anton
Simon. the former commander of the de.
partment of the south. following up thei,
victory over the government forces a
Anse Veau,, are pushing on to Port a,
Prince. They haze driven back the gov.
ernment troops many miles and hav
seized the towns of Mirogoan ard Peti
Goaye 1t is believed that Gen. Celeste1
Cyriaque. minister Of ar. who took ref
uge In the German consulate at the for.
mer town, is still there. but it is feare'
that there will be many defections o:
Haytians to the revolutionary army.
President Nord Alexis energetically re.
jected the suggestion which has beer
made to him that he give up the struggle
and the government is now actively en-
gagged in organizing it's forces for a
strong resistance. Three divisions of well
disciplined troops, under command Of
Gen. Andre. minister Of interior and po
lice, occupy q position about SIX miles
outside of the city. These troops are en-
trenched at the convergence of three
roads and they hold a commanding posi-
ton
The south approach to the city is being
fortified and the Fort Bizotcn and Mer-
credi mountain artillery commands the
roads. Just how long it will take the rev.
olutionists to traverse the road :lom Mi
rogoan, Which is about so miles from
Port all Prince IS matter of doubt but
since there are no government forces to
check them they are likely to reach this
city within AZ hours The engG Ggement
Will be serious and 1t is thought that
forces may be landed from the warships
now in the harbor for the preventing of
pillage and injury to the foreign resi-
dents. At present there is considerable
excitement in this city, for while there
have been many revolutions in Hayti
none have been so successful at the out
set as at the present. Gen. Simon. who
was commander Of the department of the
south for 20 years, is recognized as a
strong man and an exceedingly popular
one. He was ordered about a month age
by President Nord Alexis to come to this
city to confer with the President on po.
litical matters. but, fearing that il he dd
so his life would be in danger, he declin-
ed to obey the order and made ready to
repel any attack by the government. He
had a strong following at Aux Cages and
Wnen ne was declared reDel thousands
flocked to his banner in that town, the
towns Of Jeremie and Aquin. His sue
cess in forcing Gen. Laconte and his fol
lowers to flee from Aux Cages. having
been sent there by the President to over.
come the revclutionists, and his later sue.
cesses in routing the forces under Gen
Celectin at Anse a Veau have probably
brought many more Haytians to his com
mand.
Besides these the sea blockade of the
three ports instituted by the government
has proved failure. Steamers of the
regular lines are touching freely at these
ports and it Is blockade in name only.
The United States cruiser Tacoma and
the French training ship Duguay Trouer
are now in the harbor and the British
cruiser Scylla and the Italian cruiser
Fieramosta are expected to reach Port at
Prince within a few days.
It Is impossible to ascertain the casual
ties of the recent engagements at Anst
Veau. but it is understood that the
government forces lost many in killed
and wounded A large number OF the
wounded have been brought here by the
Haytien gunhoat Centaire, but the gov
ernment is using all endeavors to keep
all information regarding it's defeat from
the public.