The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-05-14
GEN. GOMEz's OPERATIONS.
He Describes His Work In u Letter to
Delegate Palma VIEWERS Tactics.

He Describes His Work In n Letter TO
Delegate Palma VIEWERS Tactics.
Senor Toma, Estrada Palma received yes
terhay the follow ing letter from Gen. Gomez.
the Commander in Chief OF the Cuban army.
GENERAL Headquarters OF THE
CUBAN Army, lGuARA, April %, 1890.
To citizen TOmds Estrada Palma, Penipoten.tdrD
Delegate in Netc York.
DEAR FRIEND: Without any letter from
you to which | may refer. | take advantage of
an uneXuecttd rest to address you u few lines,
with the sole purpose Of telling you about the
recent doings of u big Spanish column. made
up of the three arms, which has undertaken
the task of preventing my march to the west. as
advised In my last letter. In order to make
this as short as possible, l will copy from my
diary:
April lion approaching the river Zaza,
by the ford Valdivia. narrow and dangerous,
both shores are occupied by a strong Spanish
column composed of infantry, cavalry, and
artillery. | suspend my march, and explore
the field.
April 49, detach some sharpshcoters so
rs to compel the enemy TO move. placing
myself, at the right and trying to leave the
SPA " ,hd n ~ the nje,, rear HrryoI dhe ro SnamiS dno 90 not
April l9.-i countermarch. always on my
plan. The enemy advances constantly under
my fire, and Is brought to IL difficult path
where his infantry can hardly move. Not more
than three miles could we advance during the
whole day, and when night comes we are face To
April 20. I continue advancing. with moth
ing to spoil my plans. The enemy moves with
the same, il not more. caution. ~ before. and
IN axes only slight II lvance. Night again stops
our m"nmuvreS. the Spnniards, seemingly.
my part having in mind the dcsirabllity OF
sptrinE, my men so n to get with all our
strength in other regions.
April u. Ii enemy advanced scarcely
half y league toward me. and. abandoning tho
pursuit, camps at Iguara, one of their perma-
nent entrenched forts. In our march we
have described n semi.circl. OF ut most ten
leagues in diameter. and that has taken us more
am told that the Spanish column is under
Col. Martin, and Notwithstanding the many
years of campaigning that have made mo ia
milinr with the Spanish cruelties and atrocities
in Cuba, | have felt greater disgust and horror
than ever before nj this columns WORK.
They have sacrificed numhcrleSs heads of
cattle, rot even sparing the, calves. To de
priyc us Of horses, they kill all that come with
In their reach, young and old, good and bad.
TO complete the cruel work II prociamation
was issued ordering the concentrnt on of the
peasants, thus forcing them to abandon their
homes and take refuge in the towns whether
they are provided for or no..
IL has now been ordered that their houses he
burned and their cattle killed. And all this.
with their customary, hypocrisy, they desc",he
us 10 take these savage measures, they go
themselves TO the horrible task and represent
There would be u rational explanation of
this on our part If we would recur 70 II: Dis,
posed NS we are 10 MOST our triumphant nag
upon the ruins of the colony. Ii Is not the
same with Spain, whose interest il To preserve
and protect everything IN cuba. and convince
one and all that there is no justification on our
side.
1t is very strange, hut at the same time 1t is
n clear and manifest proof Of SPANS WCnkneSs,
that she entcrtRins no other hope of success
than in the trrro' she inspires Ia the Innocent
and tn" di'urmcl. Al the same time he hours
to deprive the liberRttng army of all r'suurc"~,
| cannot i!na any other explanation tor the
measures which Gen. VIEWER has enforced in
this war, thus adding shame nnI misery To his
hated name,
AN fully confident of the success of our
summer UnmnIign and have no doubt TINT We
sbnll continue receiving your valuable support
both materially and InOrtllv Through your cf
forts near h" American Governments,
II = useless To sn" anything about the opera.
tioms in general. The rcnding OF the Spanish
press l. enough 10 show which OF the two
ARMIES leads the cnmiaiIn, aud which l. on
the offensive. f"ur tru" friend,
NJ. EnMEY-