Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-03-07
M|ANMO GOMEZ A GENIUS
His Recent Operations Have Been
Remarkable.
WEYLER CANNOT CATCH HIM
Maceo, Gomez and 10000 insurgents Were
Completely Surrounded,
BUT THEY EASILY MADE THEIR ESCAPE
Prospects of Any Kind of Sugar Crop Are
Less Enco uraging Than Ever-R Rail-
roads and the Tobacco Crop Are
Faring Badly.
WEYLER CANNOT CATCH HIM
BUT THEY EASILY MADE THEIR ESCAPE


March 6.-Maximo Gomez, in the recent
movement of the main body of insur-
gents east from Havana province across
Matanzas to the line of Santa Clara and
then back to the center of Havana prov
ince, again displayed once more the ge-
MUS which has made his military opera
tions remarkable. General Weyler, with
more troops, better organization, more
thorough preparation for transportation
and larger augmented cavalry than
Martinez Campos had, has been outgen-
eraled by the insurgent chief Weylers
first failure was when Maceo was al
lowed to enter Havana province from Pi-
mar del Rio and effect a junction with Go
mez in spite of the wall of men across
the island. Then all available troops
were sent out to strengthen the columns
which were closing in on the two rebel
leaders within twenty miles of this city
The official reports had the two large
rebel columns surrounded by three col
umns of Spain's big groups with cavalry,
infantry and artillery. The government
forces attacked their lines in the shape
OF triangle and for few days report
of serious engagement was awaited.
Just what occurred is not clear. From
all can learn l believe that Gomez
pushed one side of the triangle back,
Willle MdceO puSHeu DaCK the OtneT, ana
the Insurgents passed out the opening.
The fighting that occurred was not Sc
rious, for with about 10000 on the inSur-
gent side and double that number of
Spanish troops the losses all told were
less than 100 When 1t was learned that
the rebels had gone east into Matanzas
the troops followed. Other columns were
sent by rail to head them off on the line
into Santa Clara. There were no en-
gagements of Importance there, for when
the troops had all been started east 1t
was learned that both rebel leaders were
going west. They had sent their wound
ed over the line into Santa Clara and
were unincumbered for future operations.
Gomez countermarched to the middle
OF Matanzas province where he stopped
to see that the estates should not obey
Wesler's order to grind cane. Those
found to be preparing had their cane
burned. Maceo returned to Havana prov
ince. He brought with him his own COL
lumn of about 5000 men and as many
more belonging to the column from the
orient, which have been moving west
for about month. These forces, added
those which remained in this province
make the situation more serious here
than at any time. The outposts of the
enemy are within ten miles of the city
The government holds nearly every rail-
road town, although most of these towns
have been entered and partially burned
down. Only by the use of forts are the
troops able to hold these towns, and
while the garrison Is shut up behind bar
rieades and exchange shots with a por-
ton of the invading party, other detach-
ments search stores for arms. ammuni-
ton and other supplies and set fire to
buildings owned by Spaniards AS rule
the property Of Cuban sympathizers with
the rebellion and that of Americans are
spared, though in some instances whole
towns are given to the torch. Outside of
1.
small towns have been occupied by the
local bands of insurgents for weeks The
Cubans melt away upon the approach of
a large column of Spanish troops, but re-
appear as the Spanish leave.
Railroads are operated In this manner:
AS telegraph wires are down most of the
time, and there is no telling what is
ahead of the train an exploring engine
with one armored car advances eau
tiously along the line. The engineer
watches for missing rails and sawed ties,
while the troops watch for insurgents.
The rate of progress Is about five miles
an hour The train follows closely also
with one or more armored cars and a
strong guard. When rails are found
missing others are laid unless there is
an attack. The train to Batabano is
sent out two days a week. Although it
runs along the strong line across the
island, and has block houses within rifle
range Of each other, the train seldom
reaches the destination in one day. On
the return trip the rails which have Just
been laid are missing and others have
to be substituted The Western railway
In Pinar del Rio has not run further than
ten miles from this city in six weeks.
No trains have gone to Guanajay in a
month Trains to MatanZas seldom get
through Nearly every station on the
line has been destroyed In other prov
inces affairs are about the same. The
operations of the insurgents are directed
against railroads which are employed for
moving government troops and against
planters whose crops furnish Spain with
the revenues of war. Incidentally much
other property is destroyed, people are
made homeless and destitute. Prowling
bands of robbers and incendiaries follow
the movements of both columns of both
armies and commit outrages The in
surgents hang these men and the Span
iards shoot them whenever they are
caught and convicted Every war has
its horrors, and this one is not exempt
The blame for the depredations COM
mitted does not all belong to the Cuban
side, however. Spanish columns which
have been foraging for supplies have
been accused of wanton destruction in
many places.
The prospect of any kind of sugar
crop is less encouraging than ever Co
vent grinding except on estates very
close to cities and where large forces
are retained for defense. The outlook
for gathering and sending off the tobacco
crop is also not encouraging.
Gdmez, in talk with an American
planter recently. said: II divide the war
into three proceeds That of invasion
that of occupation and that of expulsion
We are now In the second period"
He alluded to his march westward and
to that of Maceo through Pinar del Rio
as the invasion. His people certainly oc-
cupy a large portion Of the territory Of
Cuba now. and as to how he proposes to
expel the Spaniafde my informant was
silent J.FRANK CLARK.
Weyler's Latest Circular.
Captaiu-General Weyler has issued a
Circular to the Yarioua military con-