The New York herald., 1872-12-19

suiicient quantity OF arms the majority OF those
who surrendered would promptly return r"res 70 sas
into this matter and feel confident that with our
prospects little brighter our army would increase
MAY inquire, Mr.. President, in what you stand
most in need Of Just nowf"
"Arms, sir; only arms" replied President Ces-
pedes very promptly. "0ur men you might sup
pose were poorly clad and badly iea. Iaas now, ,%
climate is not such where anything out the hentest
garments could be worn. Besides, most OF the
men here have been accustomed TO wear nothng
more than you see. They are used to It, Just as you
would be to an overcoat IN Winter IN the Norln."
s.Are your troops well provlsoned ~
..As for food" said President Cespedes smiling
.sthe Central Department, as we term IL, abounus
In wild cattle and we always have more s,nns .nan
plenty. On, sir, there Is no lack OF proVisions'
none whatever. l have never yet hearu q man aa
complain for want OF nourishing food, and then. as
Vans can be found everywhere in abundance, and
indeed every other vegetable 10 wnlcn .ne men
have been accustomed can be oDtalneu Wlthout
0iniculty. On the score Of food and clothing we
have nothing to complain
s.Mr President,u next inquired. lit Is said that
you are ever in want OF ammunition and that
sooner or later your supplies will be cut of, and
that in consequence the war must speedily come TO
an end IN favor OF your adversary ?"
'That is a mistake, sr-a great mistake" ne re-
epOnded, with apparent good nature; but, quickly
changing his cheerful look to that OF one who was
suddenly vexed, added, "Yes and doubtless one
o. s viii e T py e 20 e
stands. We were sadly in need OF ammunition
until wiblln a year ago. confess the situation
then was far from pleasant to contemplate. But
now, sir,n he continued, In a cheerful and conf
dent tone, 1--WE manufacture our own powder.
than ever we can use. Our supply of nitre, how
ever, was short and soon gave out You have
good saying in America that necessity is the
mother OF Invention, and, finding ourselves re-
duced to some extremity, we managed to extract
IL from the ordure OF bats that frequent the
only thing we depend upon outsiders for is full
minating powder, and when others fail to supply 1t
we have no difficulty in purchasing it from Spanish
officers"
s'Do understand you, Mr.. President inquired
with some SURPRISE ITO say that The officers OF the
Spanish army sell their powder to the Cuban IN
surgents when they fail to obtain 1t through other
not unmingled with contempt; "they sell their
powder and occasionally they get the benefit OF 1t.
Tor instance, that we use with the rfes are care.
fully picked up. everywhere and renlled with
our making purchases from the spaniards. Why,
Sir, we can buy almost anything from them ex-
ceptlng arms, and these officers and privates are
obliged to account for to their superiOrs. You see
this map, SIR" unrolling large map OF the rail-
road between Nuevitas and Puerto Principe upon
grades and curves, with the angles Of the latter;
s'this plan was purchased from Spanish engineer
for five ounces ESQ.,"
.'Are all your departments as well provisioned as
this. which you call the central ones"
~ may say they are, although vegetables are
time, as have said, no complaint has been made
by the men, either in respect to food or clothing"
AMERICAN SYMPATHY.
Up to this stage none OF the other officers had
said anything, though could see they were deeply
interested in everything tnat passed me quiet
impressed them, and now and then, as he eX-
planned matters. CLEAN OF satisfaction was visible
American sympathy with the Cuban cause might
not be alluded to again, lest hopes too brilliant
w no topic upon which they would rather CON
verse than this-the very dearest to their
sm naa hitherto %anansa ana
though recumbent on the bank, showed that
he fully appreciated the responsibilities OF
He seemed to think that the American govern
ment had acted harshly in frustrating the plans of
dwelt at some length on the object which the Gu
ban patriots had in view, and In a scmimOurnful
tone observed that the cause being worthy one
should have met with more substantial sympathy
from q free republic. advanced the idea that the
interference Of the government with the expe-
ditiOns to which he referred was account OF the
Alabama negotiations.
II believe that" said President Cespedes,
quietly; "and yet would you not think that we de.
who did 30 much to abolish slavery? The very
nrst act with us was to declare all slaves free-the
unity OF blacks and whites on terms OF eQuality.n
1t struck me, coming through the stacks Of rifles,
that whatever difference existed between the
that the professions OF the Cubans, far as the
slavery question was concerned, were very true.
u
could not have better friends They ate and drank
together, and the colored officers We're by no
means IN the minority. Even In our little group
i've or six blacks had congregated, and to all In
tents and purposes both races stood on equal
terms.
President Cespedes continued to state that while
he did not reproach the American government for
not aiding their cause IN substantial manner, he
the expeditions sent out to further the objects Of
the patriots.
Tie terms Of surrender General Fajardo had au-
th0rized me to offer the insurgents were then
referred to by, think, General Agramonte. All
present listened to my statement OF them atten-
lively, but treated them about as the General had
when had first spoken to HIM on the subject-that
is, with the most supreme contempt. President
Cespedes said:-
''f believe am but uttering the sentiment of all
Cubans when l say that II those exceptions were
stricken out, and promise given OF unconditional
g epefy man %o up IN tns
offer, would not give it one moments serious con-
sideration. AS long as live
1 WILL ACCEPT OF NO TERMS FROM THE SPANIARDS
but their recognition OF the independence OF
Cuba"
The President spoke with more warmth upon this
subject than upon any other we discussed. When
he ceased a general conversation ensued, and it
was the unanimously expressed determination or
all present never TO lay down their arms and desert
the cause Of 'Cuba llbre.'
THE MODE OF WARFARE.
After some allusiOn to the Alabama question,
with the settlement OF which all seemed so
well pleased, interrogated President Cespedes
on the mode of warfare carried on by the insur-
gent troops. lie smiled, and appeared an xous TO
Communicate everything OF interest on that SUBJ
jeCt.
sour mode OF warfare he went on to say, sis
not OF course very distinguished one, but as it
has SO lar succeeded beyond our expectations we
propose to continue It, 1t is simply guerilla
iare-in fact, the only kind OF hostility we could
possibly carry on. Our plan OF attack is the am
buscade. We
FIRE, KILL AND RETREAT.
sThe past shows what we have accomplished In
this way. Our resources are incxhaustibc. Every
man in the entire lnsurgent army Is thoroughly
familiar with the country. They know almost
every path, and never be at loss to get out OF
the way. they are all acclimated and rarely suffer
from disease. Our discipline is as perfect under
the circumstances as it possibly could be- The
movements of the enemy are never unknown to
us, and we watch our opportunity and seldom
miss our mark. For instance, the Spanish force
come along on the attack. We never repel, but
let them march ahead. without note of warning
they are met with a shower OF bullets, but where
greater loss. You have doubtless noticed
the denseuess of the woods which