The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-03-25
OVER FORTY R'E
s?2E0USAND Cy8AlgtG3 II.
GEEG sTgE;lD

eIaEltl2, MAJ CN II, Id "ih pa, : 'o
March J.. -Co::espcnde"ce OF the
United Press: The present strength
of the asurgen: army is close TO 49,
900 men. Cubans themselves esti
mate the number of men in the field
as high as 10000 men, but even if
runaymad camp followers, men in
charge OF provision trains, hospitals
and camps were counted it is doubt
:ui If that number could be found act
naIiy in service. There are thon
sa,;,.s Of Cubans who won!d willingly !:
cast their los with the patriot army,
but 9ac9. of arms and ammunition pre-
vents. 'ii'he insurge;t forces operate
as rule, in zoaes or districts aud
are organized or military lines The
columns OF Gomez, Maceo, L2cret
and Banderas are, however, limited
to 10 one province, bu; pass from one
to another under direct orders Of Co
meg The commander in chief is
now ii Matanzas and The others have
reinvaGsd Havana province.
The following is statement of the
strength and location. Of the fo:ces OF
the principal Cuhan leaders:
Maxine Goinez, il AIatanzas, g.
0o0: Antonio Naceo. .sii:o, Zayas
and Others in Havana, 5000 Serafn
Sanchez. III Santa Clara, ( Csc Jose
Nacao. Rojas ond Rodr;quez, in San
tiago, $500 Lacrete, in lavana,
3 coo Quia.an Eanderas, in llarana,
5000 Masso Alvarez, Castillo, Mes
tro, Nunez, in Havana, 5000 Del
g.do, Berlnudez, Sanchez and others,
Pinar Del Rio, $500; Aguirro, Diaz,
Hernandez, Patairos. in Havana, q
500; Mayai Rodriguez and others,
Camagney, 1900; Reyes, Benitez,
vara. Wilson. Mendieta, Santiago,
l 600; Rafael Cardenas, in Matanzas,
500; Verona, Ruporto Sanchez, and
others. Pinar Del Rio, 800; Olivia,
and others, in Pinar Del Rio, 600
Clochilde Garcia, in Matanzas, 600
Garlic, Joaquin Garcia, and others,
in Santiago, 600; Rol.if, Psncho,
Perez, in Santa Clara. 500 J: Rego
Sexto, Rogue, palao, Sanchez. in Sau-
ia Clara 500: Coltuna. Vidal, Juan
Bravo, in Santa Clara 100 Matagas,
in Matansas, 4G0; Robsu, Cebreco,
Rueu, Planas, III Santiago 100; Bor.
roto. Lencho. Sarinas, Eduardor,
Garcia, in Alantauzas, 400; AuIet,
Morjon, Dimas, MARTINEZ, oofolongo,
. in Niatanzas, 400 {; VIIanneoa, Aces
ta, gular and others, in Havana !;
800 Munoz, Chaposip, Socorro,
, Limo Perez, in Santa Clara, 200; to
all y, 500
. Tie distribution according to pro
vinces is E: Havana, IS see Aiaran-
zas, 5. C00 Santa Clara, $500 San
tiago, 5,5o9; Pima. Del Rio $500 !;
Camagney, l 500 :ota, =, 800
! Ii addition to The above there are
innnInerabla local bands Of from 10
to so or even Ice These DO rot
form part CT ;he fighting force and
should not be coanted as part Of the
army. Their chief functions are to
carry out the orders ofGomez prohib
ting the grinding CT cane. the move
inert Of troops and supplies by rail,
the shipment OF provisions TO cities,
;hc suppression Of 'P!ateados' = who
rob, burn and commit otlier c:imea
These small bands serve as recruit:
Ing agencies aid where they grow
too large for local operation they are
attached to one Of the army columns
Of the army proper fully two-thirds
are well mounted aDd about haf are
well armed. The others are armed
with snotguns, revolvers, or only
with the machete. Some Of Maceo's
men have old style muzzle loading
guns and lead is so scarce that teie-
graph wire chopped into short lengths
is used ior The charge Spanish snr-
geoms have on several occasions re-
ported soldiers woonaed with bits Of
wire The insurgents have few
pieces Of mountain howitzers, captur-
cd frorn Government troops There
are perhaps dozens of these guns
which have been used with aisas
t.'ous eject against the sma! wooden
forts wi.ici.: ;he Spanish troops have
erected 6, various points. The ca
b.a ars:.y q Liberation, as it is called,
i!a:s .g.a".n to It's present size in tie
iace OF almost insurmou!:ab!e difficut.
ties
FroEa The beginning it has been
outnnmbcred hy he army Of Spain
in the ratio Of meyer less than four to
one 1t has escaped a:lniiiilation in
many encounters "hea ammunition ran
out It has lived on forage. been
almost constantly under fire, and is
to day reckless, dare devil army
with but ore idea in view, and that
is TO free Cuba what comes after