The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-10-10
Insurgents Only Half Armed and BE-
vember VIII End the Trouble.
THE USE OF EXPLOSIVES
1T HAS NOT CAUSED GREAT TERROR
AMONG HIS SOLDIERS.
London Times Correspondent De.
scribcs a Sad Condition Of Things
on the Island.

right cable from Santa Clara, Oct. 8. via
Key West. Ria, tomorrow will say: Cap
tain General Martinez De Campos con-
versed with me two hours to-day at the
general headquarters of the Spanish army
in this city. The statement which follows
is what General Campos said In response
to a series of questions / addressed to him
verbally as the special correspondent of
the World:
AT present the military situation in
Cuba is satisfactory The rebellion in
Cuba has attained greater scope than /
anticipated when L embarked from Spain.
At present there are numerous small
bands of insurgents scattered about the
country in the provinces of Santiago. Ca
maquez and Lavillas. In Matanzas there
are only a very few rebels against author
and their supply of ammunition is de-
ticient in some districts. There Is con-
siderable number of Spanish troops on the
island, though it is not as large as the
conditions warrant.
II have given orders that prisoners shall
not be cruelty treated. and that wounded in n
the troops shall be well cared for. do not
kill prisoners The war will be conducted
on different lines from the last one. have
definite policy in my operations. The
country paths are generally too bad at the
present time for persistent campaign.
Again, / do not wish to arouse the soldiers
continuously until the season is improved.
"In November there may be looked for as
active and as aggressive campaign as can
make: NY present plan t Is 10 & n1V,ue n,a. tne
of each column varying according to- cir
cumstances. Were 1 to send out column
Of say five thousand men, they would have
the march for their pains. They would see
no enemy. The insurgents would melt away
in the dense and difficult country. where
ie icygn1ilitary Id poicyHfor their side Of the
case, for they know that they could not
withstand the attacks of regular soldiers.
~ ~H 30 Icr iii 40
the soldiers into detachments OF two or
three hundred men. II the enemy We're to
suddenly assail one of these small bodies
in greatly superior numbers they might do
mischief. but there generally would be. an
other detachment somewhere and could go
to the relief Of their friends
THE REBELS POLICY.
"In the Remedies district and in Santos
Esperitu the columns are larger-600 or 200
men--as the rebels especially in the former
district, are in great numbers and better
armed. In Santiago the largest column of
all, say 1000 to 1900 men, is required.
"As an example of the futility of large
columns at present, / refer to the expedi-
ton led by Gen. Suarez Valdez, who left
this city a few days ago, going first to
Maniguaragua in the direction of the Trini-
dad mountains with a provision train. Gen.
Valdez took 1,5OO soldiers. The insurgents
expected only three hundred soldiers, and
were assembled to the number of over two
thousand. They hoped to capture the train.
When the size of General Valdez's force
became known to them the insurgents
melted away like the dew under the sun.
General Valdez divided his force into four
different detachments, when he had placed
the supply train, and is now nearer the
Seguanea valley. AS soon as he divided his
men the rebels reappeared and skirminsh-
ing has gone on since.
I'm Puerto Principe, General Mella was
sent out with strong column TO look for
Maxine Gomez. He could not find any of
the opposing force, and after long marches
divided his army into four smaller columns.
He did not succeed in having an engage
ment.
II did not understand Gomez's course.
think highly Of his military capacity, but
he does nothing. Perhaps he is restricted
by the orders of the Junta in New York,
which is, / am informed to pursue a
FABIAN policy, or he may be very short of
ammunition. An army cannot fight with
"Canella did good work on that day. His
men came on the torpedoes Maceo had
sowed in the road. The explosion Killed
abandoned their camp without resistance.
1t was out of the question for Canella TO
follow the rebels to the the hills; The S thickets
sive for him to attack with less than, five
hundred men.
seek a fight. 1t rather avoids one. But
when compelled to fight the Spaniard be-
comes hero. The regular troops have an
in. They are disciplined troops. The in
surgents without discipline and they
rarely are aggressive fighters; Drive a
Cuban into corner with his back to the
wall and he will fight like hungry wolf.
Witness the action of Amador Guerra and
twenty men when they were forced to
fight sixty Spanish soldiers near Manzan-
lilo. Guerra showed his Spanish blood and
he met his death like brave man.
'If our soldiers became so much scat
the insurgents they would be in danger.
for the insurgents know every point suit
able for an ambush, I they rds know W the ne paths; @
difficult countries in the world. During the
last war the Spanish troops were at times
they did not find the best river fords.
LIKE INDIAN WARFARE
This war makes me think of the Indian
wars in the Western United States. The
Indians used to fight when a good oppor-
tunfty occurred and ran away when pressed.
There are more insurgents than Indians,
and there Is vast extent of territory to
cover with troops, mountains, deep ravines,
impenetrable virgin forests and deep jun
giles. In conducting war under European
conditions, 1000 soldiers will do as much
as 500 here. The lack of arms and am
mun1tlOn mas always Deen a QTdWD3c 10
the insurgents. They usually have nearly
as many unarmed men as armed ones.
When there is an engagement the unarmed
men carry off the dead and wounded, TAX
ing care to secure the fallen mems arms
first. The wounded are a clog on the Span
ism columns during an expedition; they
have to be carried.
II have been satisfied with the sanitary
condition of ,tlae army during the past sum-
mer. Until September there was less sick
ness than expected. Yellow fever has not
been epidemic the present year, except In
a few localities, and the losses from that
cause have been comparatively small.
Some Of the newly-arrived battalions,
which landed towards the end of the month,
have had the vomit yellow fever.) AT
the present time there is fever in the
Orient and in Camaguey. Havana has
caDed an epidemic. and in MatanzaS and
Las Villas there has been only a little
fever comparatively. The soldiers hav-
ing alugial malariaD fevers now. and are
likely TO have them during the next two
mon tbs.
"The insurgents have used bombs
charged with dynamite against the troops
They have been buried i'm roadways and
at river fords. At the engagement OF Sac
Del Indio, soldiers were killed and wounded
By the explosion Of hidden torpedoes. / do
not as yet observe anything that causes
me to believe that dynamite will be a
factor in future European land war ex-
cept in destroying bridges. railways and
fortifications. The insurgent torpedoes are
very rudely constructed and not as ef-
fective as they might be made do not