The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-02-04
VISIT TO GEN. GOMEZ.
he SPEAKS HIGHLY OF CAMPOS.
Qufntfn Banderas a Coai-Black Negro
On JAN go Gomez Was Going
East 10 Meet Reinforcements-

New York Times.
In the Field, near C2imlt0. Havana
Province. Cuta Jan Eft IS not more
than sixty niles from Cu8as capital 10
this point, ;he camping place for the past
four hours Of Gen- Gomez division OF the
rebel army. Ia another four hours the
army VII again be on the move, and b.
tn-s tine tomorrow night viii have aa-
yanced forty miles eastward.
Under ordinary circumstances. the reach
ing o. The rebel lines from Havana IS not
F. very difficult. Immediately after leaving
the city. you are halted oy the Spanish
OUTPOST and your military passport : ex-
am!ned. little further on. and you are
] FOR the second tine halted. And thus Z Is
until. perhaps. you have passed half doz-
ca lines. Each time you smagine you are
10 be shot FOR the sentry appears thorough
II frightened as he raises his piece 10 ms
shoulder and cPtes out after you have an
sxered "Vive EspanaF' for you 70 ad-
vance Stngly Even though you are upon
an open road, and with open fields about
ne commands YOU 10 come Up TO him alone,
and you wonder how. under the circan-
stances. you could do anything else.
Sometimes the sentry cannot Rad. and,
although ne thinks from the appearance OF
your papers vou are all right, he marches
YOU 10 the nearest officer in command OF
that district either a corporal or gen.
eraI and turns you over for cross-eNaTn-
nation Then II you are thirty miles from
Havana the soldiers become suspicious ana
demand your reasons Tor desiring 10 go
further 1t IL always Well IN such an
emergency 70 know the name OF some ON
Ger still beyond and inform your question
or that you are TO join his command
Should the man who endeavors 10 bar-No9f
progress then assert that you are gong "a
the w1ng direction 10 meet the genera
named The must always he general n
this easel. YOU on the other hand, INSIST
that YOU are possessed of inside inforHa-
ton as TO the whereabouts OF that certain
officer that cannot be questioned.
Bloody Grimes of the Piateados.
This clash OF opinion and assuiaed inIoF-
nation IS not very pleasant, especially 70
the soldier but the little blum WORKS Stiu
ven are allowed TO proceed. SoneLlfl's' bg
way OF encouragement you are ihtoi M
that the terror Of the Cuban peasantry ana
lonely travellers through the country, 'pia-
teados." are numerous in the section just
ahead
Yes. and Il is these same plateados VINO
make the going from enc army 10 another
a dangerous, If not difhcht' proei,i ~;
They are murierers and euttnfoats' anu
are esne eially numerous in havana prov
inee at the present time. \ great many o.
accompanied the rebel army from the
eastern end of the island and reachils
Matanzas or Havana, deserted iney re-
spect neither side, but Kill ana fe< II eFeis
opportunity. -...,,.,,, o,as
,,-e rnea nv a man who came out OF mousse
that a party of plateados was up the foau,
about mile away. He sald ne eNtiS~tSu
they would come and attack his mouse anu
Mi his alfe and i've daughters, VII 49,
In hiding In the cellar. Later Oh the ~
tsados appeared IN the thin cane ABOUT -
wards away \ victim had fallen INTO t.ieA
hands. and in plain sight OF the house my
fuea hin, To the ground with stones, M
ished his Ife with machetes, ana, roDpias
him of his clothes, departed.
II was not a sight tending to increase Inc
desire TO proceed further IN thal IN ee',o'',,
hut with the Information thai they haa
enc hack into the cane fields ana kno"i-
e3oe OF the fact that plateados carry 10
firearms while your correspondent was
well provided with the latter ana Ioue
good horse, the journey was continued. 70.
the next two leagues 10 the eastward EVUH
time was made -, -. -.,-, =,
,ha six miles. although there were IN mat
vicinity three or four large spanish COT
,r,us ReiucaI itself was attacked Q! 'Ale
rebels a few days before, ana the hsl0-
some church. used as a garrison nS N
enan,ar1s. was almost totally ruined. SUI
the reoels had gore again Ike tue "ihN'
and no one knew whittier.
u
About thirteen miles east from BeJucai
tbe sudden cry of "Quien va rang out
r,,,,s rebel outposts or rather the rear line
90 sktrnishers. was near. This Is reauliy
known By the difference in the CRIES, ne
spaniards asking who lives? ana me
rebels, "Who goest .,s
To answer ''Fspana' at this time would
mean death, providing you were unluchy
and the rebel picker were
Hftter marksman that MAORI
=, If his comrades. The op-
,,ortunifv is provided, and. being certain
vou are not in Spanish hands you d's
down into your riding boot ana produce
rebel passport that entities you 70 rue
nom one end Of the island almost TO the
other. and guarantees 10 you an escort
through the entire distance.
yor aupreciate the difference in value
between lhe two military papers you car
~ one given by the government OF
spain. saws YOU may go with the forces
IN operation." hut you are hindered and
watched in every movement YOU MAKE
TIE other issued in the name OF the re-
,,nblic OF Cuha wins for YOU friends at ev-
CIV turn and valuable assistance IN reach
ing any particular destination
shortly after passing the first rebel pick
cts a rebel party Of perhaps between a.
ara a. men was met. II was detachment
{ 80 the forces under the command If Gen.
&
| enc LEAGUE to the south. Here II was
1.orosf that Gomez was moving toward
! tbe csenaEe Zapata. or great Cuban
} everglades. Ia Southern NatanZas. He
49, orl,- twelve miles away. bat, as his
s-,,ra force was cavalry. Il would not do
1 ~ telav IL he was 20 be seen Al all
several small detachments of Banderag'
/ so-~as we're encountered in the next three
! ar four miles. 4 majority o. the soldiers
,,a~,. negroes strong. hardy fellows. who
/ v,-s-a apnsreutly enjoying life. even though
( So. marched barefooted through fields
- s-,,t,,,ifs care. or upon the sharp ridges
( ~ ,he hard clay road. Each detachment
( had q small number % wounded Those
es~f-,,st,. MANNED were carried i0 ham
I r,c.,ks attached 70 }Cng poles. the ends az
..bt>, rested on che shoulders NJ tw0 men.
( G. c+hsr men marched alongside. 20 30
/ -, as reliefs 10 the two carrying the
{ wounded
/ N-aa~lv All the men we've we.l clothed
/ r-h.,- v,-,-e immense straw hats. that in
other armies would seriously Interfere
/ xfth marching IN close order. but which
/ Afforded ample protection from tee RAYS
I ~ the sun. These hats are discarded be-
/ fore hattie. and a harehea4ea man need
/ ,,ot fear 70 receive a unachete cut even 81,
/ the most exciting hand-f0-han4 ene70rs
e~< on tire contrary. the Spanish an
/ stsrs always wea~ IN hatf.e fhefr White
/ zrr7avg hats and the Cuban brings s.,c-.,
1 h5s huge knife wherever Pc secs ere.
oufntin Bnndera- Sc Negro.
| The last detachment Uet ae TIRE -,st
/ ahaut a'ciacs g. ia. Nas 4H5.g command
/ ~ Gen BanaeTas himself f3- IS r,s~
| - splendid physical tpsld. rather -~ir b
/ Afz manner 81 nrst SIKH. ara a< SLACK So
| Re are Of spa isss HE wss rssr-e,,- 81.
/ -,en in attachments. he salf. -,ls+ 4, 49,
| 4 half aQzea large cEan.s, casl-a-s 49,.