The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1896-01-10
THE CUBAN REBEL.
some Account OF His Brilliant Work.
An Observer Who Likens Him to Han
nibal and Caesar.

y
J the British army. who, under the
name of Stuart, accompanied a recent
expedition to Cuba and accepted q
captains commission on Gen. Go
nez's staff, writes from the field near
the city of Santa Clara. under date
OF Dec. q as follows:
Whatever of doubt may exist in
the outside world is not shared in
the ranks Of Comets army | never
saw such faith, such confidence in II
military leader in my life Napoleon
did not get more devotion from his
soldiers than Gen. Gomez received
from them whom he is leading on to
victory Neither man nor officer in
the innermost recesscs Of his own
private communion ever dreams of
questioning the judgment or the ahil-
ity of this great old warrior.
- tell you he is a military wonder /;
he is a Cuban Hannibal Don't think
me carried away with Latin enthu-
siasm. My collar is quite as stiff and
my trousers are rolled just as high as
ever, but my war eyes have been
opened considerably since | landed in
Cuba.
"As / told you in New York, I've
seen service in South Africa and in
the Soudan. but for planning and
carrying into execution under diff
culties a successful campaign. this
little old man takes the cake. It's
very aduacity, when you consider our
+, comparative paucity Of number and
our scarcity of ammunition. Is sim
ply marvellous. Why, | haven't seen,
all told. enough cartrides to supply a
surveying party. but l am told we will
pick up more in Matanzas. This
/ present story is made on patriotic
nerve, backed up by cane-krive9 and
good generalship.
/ The rapidity with which we move
keeps me all al sea. ] used TO occa-
sloually ask where wc were. but I've
/ given it up uow; simply go with
/ the crowd, puttlng = shot when
get chance and endeayoring 10 di-
| rect my men toward intelligent and
effective action. But in this so-called
guerilla warfare but little direc-
ton is necessary. There is degree of
individual independence and respon-
sibility to which in European warfare
we are strangers. 1t works much bet
ter than ! could believe.
Don't think | mean that We are
without discipline or direction, On
the contrary. Gen. Gomez's plans are
most carefully conceived and his or
ders executed with a CELEBRITY and ex-
actness which are surprising. But
every one of his men seems intuitiye-
~ 10 anticipate the details Of his
desires. There is certain goal, q
generous purpose which ali seem 70
know and understand.
although surrounded by this pc.
ruliar individual independence, which
seems strange in military operations,
there is absolutely no friction. All
are actuated by one impulse Gomez s
will is absolute. ana yet he says 10
each man;
DO not risk your life unnecessary
~. You have only one. and can best
serve your country by saving it. Dead
men cannot fire guns. Keep your
head cool, your chetc warm, and
we will yet free Cuba.
He is study in rcspose and in
action. He is slender in build, not
over l40 pounds in weight, about .
feet : in height and straight as an ar
row, although he is sixty years old.
His face is tanned, his hair and mus
tachc are iron gray his cheek bones
are prominent and his chin is firm.
His cool, calculating eyes seems at
first to absolutely measure you and
then the face breaks into reassuring
smile. His knee is stiff from q wound
received in the last war. but in the
saddle he is simply part of the
horse, or, rather, the horse is part
of him, for he never seems to guide il.
1t would do your heart good to
watch the old man lead 4 column
through the canc-fields and forests of
Santa Clara. He is never at loss
which way 70 turn.
We have had u fight every day
since we began our march westward |
from the Santa Clara lire but nothing
seems to daunt his courage and deter |
mination. We 60 ahead in spite of |
any obstacle the Spanish troops have
yet interposed.
Yesterday we came on quite an |
extended line Of the enemy's front |
formed TO prevent our advance d. |
The General halted on 4 little elevation |
of ground, stood in his etirups a
moment locking ahead, then gave an
order TO our advance guard, who
swung of IL the southwest at GLOW |
gallop. send word back northeast for
Maceo, and then our own cavalry,
swerving d little to the right, got the
order to make feint at the enmcy's
left wing.
The feint succeeded. The Span
iards Immediately commenced 10 con
centlatc their troops in little valley
where they thought we would cross.
Il had considerable trouble in cs-
tanning my men from attempting to
take a battery which opened fire on Us
as at distance Of 400 yards. We after,
wards learned that it was supported
by ll,so0 infantry.
My orders were t. make the
charge and then retreat 10 the woods
about third Of mile east. The
moment my cavalry began 10 fall back
a battalion of the cncmy's infantry
advanced in pursuit, but kind of
stubbly brush greatly impeded their
They were soon Tinded
in the bushes. " and before they could
get out Macco's advance guard began
TO pour in CALLING fire from the
north.
They were soon in retreat towards
their main body and my boys hurried
them along a little with close range
shots from our Colts revolveTs. But
is too precious TO waste
ID Tetreating troops, so we made 4
letour 10 the south and took up cur
original line of march west.
Gen. Gomez, with the main body of
,ur troops. had in the mean time :.
pressed on ahead almost unnoticed and
We caught up with him
- r..