Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-01-12

Chronicle will publish tomorrow the
following private letter from Cuba:
"Cardenas. Cuba, January 3. 1896.
III you see the papers with Cuban news
you must be worried, for really the island
is in a very terrible state. You would
be aghast to know the rapid strides the
insurgents are making. You know Maxi
mo Gomez gave orders that no cane
should be cut or ground; but these fool
hardy people must always try to be too
smart. Some prepared to grind; some
put troops on their estates; some talked
very grandly Of what they Intended to do,
and the consequence Is ruin. terror, and
devastation. The heavens in the day are
obscured by darkest clouds Of smoke, and
at night are aglow with the reflection Of
burning estates. The cane-fields were
most luxurant and promising great crops
and are now heaps Of ashes.
cit Is wonderful-the stolcism OF the
people. Mr.. is simply ruined; has
lost thousands upon thousands in so many
estates that are burned. The insurgents
are all around us, and last night the
Spanish troops were on big debauch'
and the insurgent party came down on
our town as far as the hospital. All COM
munication Is cut off by rail and by
telegraph with Habana, Matanzas, Na)a-
ros. and Cienfugoes. Gold help US, say.
81 feel very sorry for these poor Spanish
soldiers, who are dying here by the tnou-
sand. who have no interest in Cuba, and
some OF them even do not know wnere
Cuba is. 1t is. dreadful. Maxine Gomez
is a better general than any OF the
Spanish generals. Maceo Is a coioreu
chief, so is Quintin Banderas. THESE men
carry clubs attached to their lett wrisls py
leather straps. and immense machetes,
a knife like those used for Telling cane
with. sharpened on both sides, on their
right. and with these they fight like
tigers.
"AIl happens for the best. God only
knows when Cuba will again be rem
stated 10 her former glory, as all Is
shrouded in clouds around us. We nave
had no Christmas nor New Year. 1t was
simply impossible to say Happy 10 any
one. on Chrlstmas-day all the fields OF
Dupay de Cortez were blazing with burn
ing cane. Everything was burned. THESE
are friends of ours, you know. IL is terri
Bile; turn where you will, it is all ruin.
MACEO AGAIN DEFEATED.
WASHINGTON. d. C.. January H.
The SPANISH Minister this afternoon re-
ceiyed the following cablegram from
Madrid:
"The commander-in-chief telegraphs
that the Spanish column, under General
Navarro and Colonel Arison, again over
on the border Of the province Of Pinar
del Rio and defeated him. with heavy loss
capturing quantity OF provisions. Ihey
buried over $50 bodies Of insurgents, wnich
they found when accommodating the spot
over which the column Of General Navar-
70 had an engagement with Maceo ana
Gomez columns some days back
''The rest of the province is quiet
Another dispatch to the legation from
the government at Madrid announces that
General Campos has asked for ten troops
Of cavalry, which will embark at once.
REBELS SEEMINGLY ACTIVE.
HABANA, January ia rebel band
entered Cabanas yesterday and set fire
to a number OF houses.
Railroad communication between Guines
and San Felipe has been interrupted.
One hundred and forty rebels made an
attack on a train. perforatng the cars
with bullets. SO far as known, nobody
was hurt. The leader of the band is
unknown.
The village of Benavides has been
burned by insurgents, and five houses
In Merchu have been destroyed by fire.
The rebels, after setting fire to the village,
retired In the direction of the Arizona and
Elena sugar estates.
Another band entered Manages and
burned the municipal archives.
The rebel leader Nunez and some Of his
followers have derailed and overturned
a locomotive near San Cristobal.
LETTER FROM GOMEZ.
WASHINGTON, January u.-Thomas
Estrade Palma. the Cuban party's repre-
sentative in The United States, Is in re-
CENT OF the following letter from the
insurgent-general, Gomez:
HEADQUARTERS OF the Cuban Army In
Campaign. Plantation of EN-
presa. Matanzas, December 81, 1895.
Thomas Estrada Palma. Esq:
my Dear Friend,-l wrote you few
lines Yesterday. and / write these in
addition at night, as 1t is the only time
have to spare, and that after a hard
DAYS work. We have had three combats
with the enemy to-day, and we have won
full. for we have thus broken through
their lines and are marching forward,
notwithstanding the great efforts or
the enemy to prevent 1t and all the des-
perate means they are employing In order
TO drive us back.
This territory has been successfully in
vaded by us; our triumphant revolution
is full OF the most exalted enthusiasm,
mixed with surprise, as they did not ex-
pect this rapid invasion.
1.-THE torch, | am sorry to say, Is pro-
ducing its effect, not among the strong
minded. because these have always been
with the revolution, but with the weak.
who are now opening their eyes to the
true situation of the country realize that
the decisive moment has arrived. and
that true patriots should stop at no sac
rifice for II they shed their blood gene
rally, with greater reason they should
raze the country 10 the ground. II II is
necessary 10 thus obtain the victory; be-
cause our dignity and self-respect are
pledged in the heroic struggle which Is
to redeem the Cuban people from the
tyranny of Spain.
'It Is not possible, my friend, that SO
many accumulated hardships OF our suf-
fering people should not some day have
their reward, which is the natural con-
sequence that justice metes out 10 all
in their rightful due.
1--WE are doing all In our power mere.
leaving all else to fortune. L am more
than ever sure that we will be success
full and you can so state to the world,
whose sympathies must be with a nation
fighting for it's independence.