San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-11-02
TO BESIEGE HAVANA.
OYBAN INsURGENT FORCES MAS
SING FOR THE ATTEMPT.
Gomez Has Decided on War of Invasion
and Active Hostilities Around the
Capital-Latest Cuban Advioes.

New York, Nov. "A special to the
Herald from Key West, Fla, says:
A prominent Cuban resident of this
city said to your correspondent that
without assuming the role of a pro-
phet the Herald could positively an
nounce that the city of Havana would
be besieged by Maxine Gomez within
the next sixty days. To that end he
said Gomez and all the rebel forces
were now marching westward toward
the capitol.
This Cuban is in direct cOmmunica-
ton with the insurgent leaders in the
field and is the local medium through
whom all insurgent correspondence
for the New York junta passes. He
also stated that there was no con-
firmation of a rumor circulated by
Cuban passengers who arrived here
last night that towns in the immediate
vicinity of the city of Havana had
been already besieged by the insur-
gents. While the Havana papers,
many of which were received by
steamer last night, continue to main
tain silence in regard to Maceo'S
movements since his brilliant attack
on Artemesia ten days ago, it is still
insisted by active partisans here in
direct communication with the leaders
in Cuba that he unquestionably cross
ed the military trocha at that point
during the bombardment of the town
nd
marched through the province of Ha-
vana and is now in Colon, a central
point in MatanZas province. 1t is al
legged that his mission there is to con-
centrate and assume command Of the
forces of Ricardo. Trujilo, ROjas and
other minor rebel leaders. who have
been operating in that vicinity with
between four and five thousand well
armed men.
Notwithstanding the persistency of
this report, other Cubans apparently
as well informed, expressed a doubt
that Maceo has left the province of
Pinar del Rio, which movement they
say would imply defeat by the SUI
perior forces sent against him by Cap
tain General Weyler. An explana-
ton, however, is offered that no aban-
donment of territory has been made
as Gen. Ruiz Rivera, veteran of the
last war, has been left in command of
the insurgent forces in Pinar del Rio,
while Maceo has gone eastward in
obedience to orders from his superiors
to operate with Maxine Gomez in the
latter's new campaign Of invasion.
Gomez has not been heard from
since his attack on the town Of Cas-
zorro and the subsequent engagement
at Liesmayo plantation, where he de-
feated Gen. Jimenez Castellauo. Span
ish official dispatches report large in
surgent forces moving westward from
Cimmaronez, in MatanZas province,
near Cardenas, where an important
attack by the rebels is momentarily
expected.
The ominous silence of Gomez is
said to presage the planning of a Sc
ries of important attacks upon the
principal cities within Havana and
Matanzas provinces, his recent APP
parent inactivity having been caused
only by a desire to await the arrival
of the new achievements from Spain
and their distribution throughout the
island. Now that they are garrisoned
his proposed campaign of invasion
will be inaugurated at once, it is con-
fidently reported.