The herald., 1896-01-12

AOnut III LILO AclQ ddQ La CuO gaps
caused by yellow fever and the casual
ties of campaign distinguished for
the absence of battles. The streets
we're hung with banners and the colors
of Spain were everywhere displayed.
In the park banquet was spread for
the soldiers.
"Welcome to the Defenders of
SPAIN"
"Glory to the Army of Patriots"
''Fhe Army Forever"
"Cienfuegos Greets You, Heroes"
"Viva Espania."
These we're the sentiments displayed
on bunting on the principal buildings.
The air was full of rockets, this bells
were ringing apd the cheers of the
people continued all night. The
march of the soldiers was a continu-
GUS ovation.
The sky to the northward answered
the fare of the rockets. There was
dull glow on the horizon above the
hills. Less than twenty miles from
Cienfuegos there was a vaster, more
costly Illumination The Parque Alto
plantation, belonging to an English
corporation, with its thousands of
acres of sugar bursting with ripeness
and ready to grind, was sacrificed as
answer to the ostensible anthuaiasm of
welcome to the Spanis b soldiers. Nine
cane colonies went up in smoke while
the soldiers were being received at
Cienfuegos, and the governor, the
captain-general and several generals of
the army were holding brilliant re-
ception in the palace at Havana.
DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY
Over 1000 acres of sugar-15,0 100000
pounds of sugar that would have
yielded-was burned yesterday after
noon in the district around Cienfuegos
alone, and the destruction is not con-
fined to this section by any means.
This destruction was caused by one of
the smaller bands of insurgents, pre-
sumed to be under Pancho Perez. Of
course, the troops focked to the burn
ing country, but as we'll might they
have sought the hawks that carried off
the superintendent's pigeons. One
man can set fire in dry cane field
that 5000 cannot stop fifteen minutes
later. AS to why this property WAS
burned there appears to be no reason
beyond the order of Maxine Gomez,
the insurgent chief.
The cane was ripe for grinding. There
were indications that the work might
begin, and that would mean revenue
for Spain. Out to the eastward, ridic-
ulously near-a horse would easily
make the distance in half day-are
1000 Cubans under arms. Rego's men,
they are called, and they have kept the
torch of revolution ablaze in the south,
while the larger insurgent armies, un-
der Gomez, Ruloff and Maceo, have
Iaaneuvered about the ig Spanish
armies, now in Santa Clara, now in
Puere Principe.
Rego has fought no battles. A raid
here, demonstration there, charge
on an exposed outpost, descent on
an unprotected plantation suspected
of intending to operate-these have
been Rego's tactics. Somewhere in the
Siguenea mountains he is watching
with his 1000 men. and in the country
around are Spanish soldiers enough to
utterly crush him if it came to forth
right fight.
But there seems no chance of that.
Attacked by a stronger force, Rego's
band scatters into three, four, half
dozen divisions and every division
takes off through different opening
in the jungle. If the enemy pursues
one of the flying columns it scatters
like flock of quail until, if need be, it
is every man for himself, and one man
who knows the jungle is safe from pur-
suit by an army.
WHAT THE WAR MEANS
That is war in Cuba, and nearly ev-
cry battle, SO called, has melted just
that way. "The Spaniards hold the
ground they stand on" the Cubans
are fond of saying, and there is good
deal of truth in it. The insurgents
after forage, horses or information ap-
pear on a plantation in the morning.
Word reaches the nearest Spanish gar
rison, and by afternoon column of
cavalry is there, but the insurgents
have vanished and the report of the
captains tells this story day after day.
It is not the fault of the Spanish SOL
diers that the rising has not been
crushed. They seem like steady, en-
during men, and they take their Or
ders without question-and that is
one of the points of good soldering,
surely.
And their opponents? You do not
see them IN solid column, bevOnacklng
about forts or on the march in thou
sands. Sometimes, if you ride outside
Of tie cities, cloud of dark, dusty
men, with machettes by their sides and
gums in their hands, will be all about
you, though moment before you
were all alone. "Who are your" "Wha
are you here for?' II you can answer
these questions satisfactorily. we'll and
good; you are left alone in another
instant. Otherwise, particularly if you
are riding horse that looks as if it
would stand hard work. you will very
likely find yourself afoot. This is an
other of the conditions of war in Cuba
The railroad trains are all guarded,
much as they we're in the western
states during the strike. Every town
seems to have it's resident garrison,
and in exposed places little forts made
Of heavy timber enable half dozen
men to guard a community. The |
1ightest of artillery would knock most
Of these into match wood, but they are
r. perfect protection against the insur-
Seents' rifles. Then there are travelling !
1Gars-csrs like an ordinary freight |
nar, but lined with boiler iron and sup
md with salts, through which the !