The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-12-27

tinez de CampoB from MhtAn1hs He has
been in conference with leading mill
tary and naval officials, the civil dig
nitaries and the leaders of the different
political parties. They assembled at
the palace lastnlght, and in the course
OF a number of patriotic speeches
pledged their unconditional support TO
the government in It's efforts to sup
press the lnsurrection ana PROMISED 70
do everything possible In the way OF
moral and actual assistance,
Scnor GaIyez. president OF tho
AutonomIst party, during the course OF
n speech which was warmly applAuded,
advised the captain general not TO eN-
nose himself TO the fire OF the insur-
gents, who, the speaker claimed, mace
war against the lives and property OF
civilians and who never got on stand
long enough TO cause an engagement
between the troops, and adopted all
methods OF savage warfare. senior
Gnlyez also stated that In spite or tho
supreme effort mtde by the insurgents
army, they had not heard OF the cap
ture OF any towns, the mischief OF the
enemy bolng confined TO small villages
and the plantations of the island. lie
compared the army OF Gomez ana Ma.
Geo TO wandering hordes OF Tnrtars'
and expressed the opinion that the
raid OF the cubans into the province OF
Matanzas, where they had done 30
much injury to crops, would turn OUT
to be the worst thing for them IN the
long run, as the fields, cleared OF the
standing cane, were now much better
suited for military operations.
News from the front seems to be IN
terrupted both by rail and telegraph
md no information was obtalnable
concerning the movements OF the IN
Rurgents. The captain general. upon
his arrival here, announced that the
Spanish, troops in MatanZas occupied
advantageous positions and that the
Cubans would either be compelled to
fight a pitched battle in that province
or surrender. II lB not generally be-
lieyed, however, that the march OF Go
meg and Maceo upon Havana has really
been stopped and that they are In re-
treat.
Campos Not Believed.
In support OF this It is said that II
Gomez and Maceo were retreating the
government would not be slow in max
ing public every item obtaInable con-
cerning this'teatune of the hitherto tri-
umphant march.of the insurgents from
the province OF Puerto Principe
through the province OF Santa cara
and the province of 'MntanSas. ana 10
the vicinity OF the borders OF the prov
ince Of Havana, in spite OF the numer-
Gus columns Of Spanish troops IN the
territory traversed.
The last news OF the movements OF
the Spanish columns was that they
were heading for Guannbana, the head
quarters recently evacuated by Cam
pos, situated not far from Matanzas.
Therehave been so many announce
ments of the defeat and retreat OF the
Insurgents that II will require strong
con6rmation OF make anybody here be-
IIeye that such Is an actual fact When
the Insurgents first entered the province
of Santa Clara II was announced that
they had been defeated with great loss
and had retreated across the border.
But the next news received from the
front was that the Cuban army wns
threatening PlaoentaS more than half
way between the border and the clpi-
tai, santR Clara, and since then they
have apparently pushed onward with
little or no Interruption.
Tho absence OF news OF the move
ments OF the insurgents Is causing
some anxiety among their friends, but
they claim Gomez and Mnceo are in
possession OF the railroad and the tele-
craph lines and that II was with difll-
Guilty that Campos succeeded In rench-
ing Havana last night. BE that as II
may, the only news obtainable Ia that
furnished by rumor, and " the authorl-
ties nre in possession OF any additional
facts, nll such matter Is carefully sup
pressed.
In the meanwhile active preparations
are being made here for the defense
und forwarding TO the general NIL the
troops which can be spared. II is under
stood that the Spanish columns In the
rear OF the insurgent army have been
ordered 10 concentrate ps quickly rs
possible to the frontier OF Mntlnzas,
and that every efTort Is TO be made TO
prevent tho retreat of tho Cubnns into
Santa Clhrn.
Preparing for Siege.
While these preparations nrc being
mado to upparently,stop the insurgents
from escaping back into Santa Clara,
the land fortlflcatlons OF Havana are
receiving attention night and day. a
number OF additional onrthworks have
been thrown up during the last month
MISC, and these nro being hastily COM
pieted and supplied with guns as rap
Idly Ms possible The magazines hrc
being plcntlfully supplied with nmmu-
milton and the uutpOstH OF the Spanish
troops around Havana nrc being
strengthened and more securely fortl-
fed
Throughout the hlght and all day
there was an era of hurry and anxiety
nt tho dlffctenh headquarters here
which does not seem 10 Indicate that
Tho supreme authorItlcH are In amy way
antlatod that the insurgents ntc ~.
treating. and II military activity goes
for anything. the most determined ef-
fortn are being mnde TO prevent aur-
prise. a..
There liz considerable speculation
here M to the actual number ut men
under the command of Mncou ana Go
mcE. 'fhO highest CBtlmntOa have II
that the Cuhuns number i2,0OO mun,
while the lowest number Of fOllowcrH
the lnsurRont leaders urc credited With
hnvlng Under tholr command ia 5000
n II to bc presumed, however that Oo-
mrg nhd Nlnceo may have 10000 men
with them. M they are known ~ have
been Joined hy large numbers of ndhc.
rents Rlncc they entered the province pf
MninnGna. The .lnHutgentH have also
been piCnilfully supplied With ninnlh-
milton, said to have hcCNi stored for
their upc ut different points and hccu.
mulnlod nnd hidden for months past
~. -. II. IL .tH "a