The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-01-26
THE ARMIES OF CUBA.
Made Up Of Men Who Are Used
to Rough Life.
rue spANlARDs AFRAID OF THEM.
story Told by m EngIishman Who Wis.,
tied the Maceos-AIl the Cubans In
sympathy With the Revolt.

,ha actual state OF affairs in Cuba during
me present war. The greater part OF the
rexg published abroad is derived from
eoanish official notices or from some Span
d. source, and IS always untrusiworthy,
ans II unfavorable 10 Spain. ss deliberately
fxIssFed Other reports are made by the
agents appointed by the various newspa-
rers in the principal seaport towns OF
cuba and their dispatches necessarily con-
sIst FOR the most part OF resume OF the
ruuaors which are necessarily being c.rcu-
is,ed from mouth 10 mouth, ard which,
whether favorable to Spain or no. are
usually 20 distorted as to be beyond recog-
rItlon or entirely without foundation. In
Santiago IL was reported with more than
usual assurance that Gen. Antonio Maceo
had been heavily engaged, that he was
rrzyeIy wounded, and that he was either
dead or dying. I saw him afterward. as
he and his escort OF 20 horse rode UP at
fuu gaIiop 70 present themselves to the
newly elected president Of the Cuban re-
ruslic-z theatrical scene. where president
and general embraced and the troops
luted and cheered. He had been in many
actions but had suffered no wcund
throughout the present war.
So. too. shortly before I Joined the in
fargent forces. circumstantial accounts OF
an action were published In the American
newspapers, In which the Spaniards
Claimed 10 have completely defeated a
vastly superior number Of the insurgents
with a loss TO themselves of only some
dozen men I afterward CHANGED to ride
down the valley where this Spanish news
paper victory had been achieved; the road
led from the town OF Santiago 10 Guanta-
IAuso and on either side WAS thick forest.
Spanish column some 1900 or $3.50
strong had here been attacked by 400 or 80
Insurgents. who for two days had driven
tbs Spaniaris in disorder before them. The
road was deep in mud and almost irnpass-
able. dynamite lay In the way. and the In
sargents were all around. and yet invis-
i5le. Scattered here and there along the
road were the skeletons of the Spanish
dead; at one point where dynamite had
been used the bones were mixed and scat
tered abroad. and here alone some fifteen
or twenty men must have fallen.
False Reports OF spanish Victories.
II Is seldom that the insurgents I'm the
field can send dispatches giving their ver-
sion OF affairs. Every day the difficulty
OF forwarding reports through the Span
Ssh lines Is increasing. and the undertake
Ing becomes more hazardous Every one
passing through the lines is suspected
and Is liable to search. whether provided
with pass or no. Communication Is
kept UP with the towns. but the news.
when IL arrives at all. is usually very
much behind the time. and has been al
ready discredited by previous reports.
Inland the island is In the hands Of tha
and In the hands OF the Spaniards are the
means or reporting the progress Of a
campaign OF what would appear 10 be al
most unbroken success for themselves.
Spanish troops have been poured into the
island in thousands upon thousands.
and there lost sight Of kilograms
and reports In England and America
describe Spanish actions. and the numbers
engaged and killed on either side and al
ways there Is the same story from the
Spanish authorities-that the end IS very
near. and that Martinez Campos Is only
waiting for reinforcements 10 begin the
general advance which Is finally TO crush
out the rebellion. The general impression
is that the insurreetion IS being sustained
by bands or savage. undiscipllned, and
half-armed guerrfilas, outcasts OF Cuban
society, and negroes who. hunted from
place 10 place by the Spanish regulars. and
condemned by the better class OF cubans.
maintain themselves in the woods and
mountains and carry on a maraudlng war
fare OF rapine and murder. avoiding tho
Spanish forces, save when they are In vast
ly superior numbers.
The statements OF the victorious pro-
Eress 90 the Span.arls are false, ana the
reports are absolutely unreliable. II Is
true that Spain Is making every effort:
ships are bought and blockade the coast
yet arms ana ammunition are continually
being landed. and as vet no filIbuster has
pteN thkefl troops are sent from Spain,
but no change IN the situation takes place.
~ the end OF October the Spanfaris were
everywhere practically standing on the DE-
fensive: they held the towns. certain po-
titsons along the coast. and, after fash
Ton. the railroads. which usually run a
very short distance inland. The rest OF
The Island II Free Cuba" and IL IL In the
hands OF the insurgents. The Spanisrds
seldom venture inland IN any direction
away from their base. and never with a
force 81 less than 900 or 5000 men. and
even then the disorEsnization Of their com
nissariat ard the hostility OF the country
are such as to prevent them from keeping
the field for more than a very few days at
a time.
All the Cuban- Rebels at Heart.
Almost every Cuban on the island Is In
sympathy with the Instruction: nothing
Is more false than 20 suppose that only
those who have nothing 20 lose favor the
revolt. Rich and poor. educated and un-
educated. even the children born in the isl-
end Of Spanish parents-an are against
Spain.
So TOO. for the mos, part. the American
and English oolonists, owners or planta-
tons. and managers 81 mines. are the
friends Of the insurgents. ana wish them
well: and. passing freely as they DO from
the country 20 the towns. they dssist the
rebels IN hundred WAYS. and always at
great personal risk TO themselves.
The Spansarts know that the hand OF
every man Is against them. In the town %
Santiago every one is under suspicion. and
everywhere there are spies: for an Amcri-
can an unguardad word might mean han
.shment and for a Cuban transportation.
The news Of the morning was who had been
arrested during the night. and crowds OF
suspects were taking passage with every
shp leaving Cuba. no matter where Il was
hound FOR warned by some friend that they
had best leave quickly lest worse should BE-
fail them
remember speaking % the son OF a very
wealthy Spanard. He hSd much 70 say 90
the greatness OF Spain and OF their rfShte-
Gus cause but was interrupted by the news
taat a Spanish wa-ship had heen sunk with
81 hands by an irsCTgent bomb. The youth
farget that he was speaking 70 a stranger
snd al that re had said: he ciapped his
stss ara beloved with delight, an inds-
sretlcn which Re instantly regretted
- sEain. while 1 Was making my way ont
Into tbs country. fell In with an American
HIS business lay within the Spanish Iias$,
ara there wers Spanish troops all around
He spoke with violence OF the Insurgents.
an Together We larnentei their ways ani
Praised The au-pawerfsi Spania~i. i was
ealy Asterward that discovered that far
ana near IN Free Cuba" he was held IN
TIE greatest reverence: that he had helpef
te Insurgents IN every Kind e way, and
ths, Re was everywhere spoken OK as
Touuv.
- September " landed al Santa 80. ths
sfaC.Sh base OF operations Tor tse eastern
eaa e the .slama ] had come ~ sea from
New J ori. intending IN some way CT othsr
q tc.n the tnslrgenf forces. though how