The record-union., 1896-04-27

ldTS IOF the Qo1onSe OF the line. HeIe
are about 10000 regulars divided into
flying columns of 1,5O0 to 1000 men
each, operating aggressively against
MaceO just west of the trocha in Pinar
Gel Rio, and in all of the other prov
inces there are not more than 15,OOO
troops in the field against the enemy.
General Weyler made numerous at
temptS to surround and crush Maceo
and Gomez during his first month on
the island. He did not succeed. He
then resorted to the well-worn Spanish
device called a trocha, which had been
abandoned by Campos and Marin as
useless.
In order to make it a strong line he
has practically stopped aggressive OPP
erations in all the provinces except the
western one and concentrated ms
troops there. Gomez, Lacret, Jose Ma
Geo, Calixto Garcia and other insur-
sent leaders with large forces are un-
opposed. They move from one province
to another, constantly reviving and
spreading the flames of rebellion. They
are gaining accessions daily from the
better classes and their followers can
no longer be designated as ignorant
blacks. The number of insurgents under
arms is now fully $4,000. Cubans claim
anywhere from 10000 to 10000 but
they include unarmed camp followers
and men whose only weapon is the ma
chete. The number of insurgents under
arms is now fully $4,000.
tSpaniards say the Cubans will not
fight, but / have seen many tralnloads
of wounded Spanish troops brought
int i y "a A
lean planters upon whose estates en-
counters have taken place declare the
Cubans are absolutely reckless under
fire. They go into a fight with tWo or
three rounds of ammunition to the
man, knowing they must capture cart
ridges or they cannot fight on the NOR
row. When the last shot is gone they
charge upon a mule train with ma
chetes and generally obtain supplies
for the next day.
1T is true they avoid general en-
gagements. They have not the alrmu-
milton nor the artillery to operate as a
fully equipped army. They therefore
resort to guerrilla warfare and Spain
can make no progress against them.
There are many reasons for this. In
the first place Gomez and Maceo are
men of military genius. The rank and
file of the insurgents worship their
leaders and obey orders implicitly. On
the other side there are jealouSies, pO-
litical intrigues and personal ambi-
tons among all grades of Spanish Off
GERS. General Weyler says when an
officer obtains a rank above that of Col
onel in Cuba his usefulness is gone.
Twelve acknowledgements have been
sent back to Spain for incompetency
since General Weyler arrived.
THE Spanish troops themselves have
no heart in the fight. They are raw
conscripts from the peasant class Of
Spain. They are poorly fed and are
driven about like cattle. They obey or
ders faithfully, undergo hardships and
exposure in a climate to which they are
unused, and fall by the wayside or die
in hospitals the victims of a war in
which they have no interest. Their
condition is pitiable indeed. In a few
weeks the rainy season will set in and
yellow fever will cut wider swaths in
envy have yet done.
The entire interior of the island is
either in actual possession of the insur-
SfhlS VI 10 III ulpdllly Will lHtIli LII
every small town the Cubans are doiE G
what they can to aid the men in the
field.
THE office-holding class of Span
iards and the merchants who profit by
Spanish continuance in power still in
sist that Spain must win, even though
the island be laid in ashes and her soil
drenched with gore
THE rabid Spaniards are the ONES
who forced the recall of General Mar
tinez Campos. They have recently at
tackled General Weyler, accusing him
of being as lenient as Campos
Owners of plantations, foreigners
and Spaniards, as well as Cubans
state that the Government colurnns
sent out in pursuit of insurgent bands
in failing to force a fight or getting the
worst of one, fall upon the peaceable
unarmed employees in the fields or hid
ing in their houses and slaughter them
without mercy. This is followed by an
official report of a brilliant victory