The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-11-24
HOW CUBA WILL BIS FREED.

III sight Months
New York Times
Col, Stuart Wea5herley, Chief of Ar
tlllery On the stef Of Gen. Maxine
Gomez is in New York, after a year of
adventurous campaigning with the
Cuban Army. He is silent as to his
mission in the United States, bat gave
to a reporter for the New York Times
yesterday many facts concerning the
military situation in the island that
have not heretofore been published.
Col. Weathefiey is an E0glishman,
with a record in the African wars. He
is about thirty five years cid, ard has
the dark eyes and black hair and beard
OF the Castilien type. Before he went
to Cuba he was 8 student in Spanish
literature, and he now speaks tie YER
nacular Of the island like a native.
The story of Col. WeaeherIey's \
listment in the Cuban cause was told
q gear ago, just before be left with the
Horse expedition to j lin the revolution
cry army. This expedition was inter
rup1ad eff the Cuban coast, a miIefrom
Santiago De Cu7a, and the military
stores designed for Gpmtz went down
with aI Of the ships boats except one.
Col Weatherley vas in che bCa5 thai
escaped, anu had with him a single
piece Of artillery. During the winter,
after several weeks Of campaigning
with Gen. r abi in command Of the
insurgent division Of Santiago de Cuba,
Col, Weatherley reached G1mez and
delivered to him the first piece of ar.
tillery acquired by the revolutionary
army. HE return to the United States
was beset by equal difficulties, having
been made in e small open boat in the
stormy weather OF the SUD tropical fall
season..
Gen. Mcguire R,driguez was cam
paigning in this district in midwinter
when Col. Weatherley was in the Rabi
command, and the English officer Yves
soon appointed On his staff and re-
manned with him until his division
reached Gjmez. From that time on
Col. Weatherley has been constantly
on the march and in the camp of the
Cuban leader, whom re pronounces
one of the greatest military tacSicians
Of the times.
GEN GOMEzS CONTROL OF HIS ARMY.
Zen. Gomez" eaid Col. Weatherley,
lis q brave and shrewd soldier, as well
as a patriot. These qualities have en-
GbItd him to subdue and control the
wild spirits in his army. They will
follow him any where. This has been
shown Ill a hundred engagements dur
ing the past year, in which at the end
Of their terrible machete charges the
rev0lutioniat8 have drawn eff victors.
Their warfare is Of q distinctly new
kind. In practically every battle the
Cubans have their choice Of position,
and they usually begin III amOUscade,
The battle goes On until the Spanish
iioes show signs of wavering, when
G d. Gomez is always ready with his
grim command, La Machete.' This
cry always means TO the Cuban soldier
the beginning Of the victory. They
understand that when Gen. Gomez
says La MacheGe' they have hut &c
charge and the battle is won"
The Cuban leaders, Including Gen.
Gomez and Gen. Maceo, according tc
Col. Weatherley, believe that within g
few months the island will be free.
They are fully adviced," eaid he, cot
the elaborate preparations for an ag,
gressiVe winter campaign now going
On in the Spanish Army, but are not
dismayed. While Spain is strengthen
ing her army both in nun bars and pc
! sition the r9vclutionists are closing il
upon them from the east and west, and
dominate practically every part Of the
island not actually held as basis OF
! operation by the Spanish.
lit is impossible to conceive, without
having actually see it, the difference
q year has made in the condition of the
| Cuban soldiers. a year ago their situa
ton was we'll nigh hopeless. One hun
dred dollars would have bought the
| most wonderful collection Of 8rms for
hard-to hand conflict ever got together
| in the world. There we're no modern
weapons, such as swords or riff -; nc
ammunition, and none OF the appliances
! that 60 to make Up the modern military
equipment. Instead, they had all sorts
Of knives and cluts and makeshitt de-
vices that might GO service in the ext
4. eDcies of defense. but were of no value
| in aggressive warfare. Added to THE,
they were hungry and insuffciently
| oI1+Aol