The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-01-12

ally ask where we were. hu. I've given
81 I'D nov: / simply go with the crowd.
uurtinx q shot wnsn 1 get chance and
erdeavor:ng 10 direct my men 1owaros
Intelligent and effective action But IN
this so-caIled guerilla warfare but little
direction is necessary. There Is a degree
OF individual Independence and RESPONSE
biIity to which IN European warfare We
are strangers. IL works much better tnan
] could believe
Don't think I mean that we are with
out discipline or direction. On the con-
trary, Cen Gomez plans are most care
fully conceived and his orders executed
with c4ierity and exactness which are
surprising. But every enc OF bis men
seems fntuitiyely 70 anticipate the details
OF his desires. There IL a certain goai,
q general purpose, which ali seem 10
know and understand.
"AlthougIl surrounded by this peculiar
Individual Independence. which seems
strange ia military operations. there Il
absolutely no friction. AL are actuaied
by one impulse. Gomez viii Is absolute.
and yet he says 90 each man:
DO not risk your life unnecessarily.
You have only one. ard can best serve
your country by saving IL, Dead men
cannot FIRE guns. Keep your mead cool.
your machete warm and We VIII yet Tree
Cuba
HE Is study In repose and in action
lie IL slender IN build. not over 80 pounds
in weight about feet In height and
straight as an arrow although he b -
years old. His face Is tanned, his hair
and mustache are iron gray his cheek
bones are prominent and his chin Is firm
His cool. calculating eyes seem al first
10 absolutely measure you and then the
face breaks into a reazsuring smile His
knee IL stiff from a wound received in
the last war, bat In the saddle he Is sim
ply a part OF the horse, or. rather, the
horse is part Of him. for he never seems
20 guide II.
ct would do your heart good TO watch
the old man lead column through the
eane1elds and forests of Santa Clara. He
IL. never at a loss which way to turn.
1--WE have had tight every day since
we began our march westward from the
Santa Clara line. but nothing seems TO
Gaunt his courage and determination. We
go ahead in spite OF any obstacle the
Spanish troops have yet interposed.
Yesterday we came on quite an ex-
tended line OF the enemy's front formed
To prevent our advance. The general
halted on little elevation OF ground,
stood IN his stirrups a moment looking
ahead, then gave an order to our advance
guard, who swung OF 70 the southwest at
g slow gallop. sent word back northeast
for Maceo and then our own cavalry.
g aMerying "a little 70 the right. got the
oder 10 make a feint at the enemys left
wing.
THE feint succeeded. The SpaniarGs
Immediately commenced TO concentrate
their troops In a little valley where they
thought we would cross
- had considerable trouble in restrain
Ing my men from attempting TO take a
battery which opened fire on us al a dis
tanfe Of 800 yards. Ne afterwards learn
ed that II was supported by i,Soo tnfan-
try.
My orders were TO make the charge
and then retreat to the woods about a
third OF a mile east. The moment my
cavalry began 10 fall back a battalion of
the enef1ys Infantry advanced in pur-
sun, but Kind o; stubbly brush greatly
impeded theft movements. They were
soon 'winded In the bushes and before
they could get out Maceo'S advance guard
BEGAN to pour In CALLING fire from the
north.
They were soon I'm retreat toward their
main body and my boys hurried them
along little with close range shots from
our Coit's revolvers. But ammunition Is
too precious to waste on retreat!ng troops
so we made detour 10 the south. and
took up our original line OF march west.
, Gen Gomez, with the main body of
our troops had In the meantime pressed
, on ahead almost unnoticed and unmolest-
Cd. We caught NJ with him at 3 in the
afternoon.
II learned tonight that Maceo's men
worried the spaniards In the valley tin
nearly dark.
This is pretty fair sample of our
experience each day.
a IL spite OF your assurances. there stiu
ilrgered IN my mind Kind OF secret sug-
pleion that ! was going to meet here
motley combination OF ignorant negroes
hnd more or less savage whites. You can
thsFefore Imagine my surprise and de-
right TO ind myself surrounded by men
whose refinement and learning would do
Skilled physicians. engineers. ,awvers
men OF letters and representatives Of ali
arts and professions are more numerous
on Gen. Gomez stan than in any com
niand with which have heretofore come