The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-02-20
WHAT GOMEZ HAS DONE.
Ammunition All He Needs Now to Make
Cuba's Freedom Almost Assured.


The following Is from a letter written by
one OF Gen Gomez's stan officers to rela-
tive in this city:
I'm Camp Near San Jose de la Las La
Jas. Province of Havana. Jan. 20, 1885,
Dear Cousin: Details of our daily. al
most hourly. engagements would become
monotonous TO you and would exhaust my
limited descriptive abilities Suffice II 10
say that so far. we have carried out Gen.
Gomez plan TO the letter. We have de-
stroyed all the cane in Las Villas. Matanzas
and Havana. We have cut up every line
of railroad and telegraph in these three
provinces, and this while on the march
and under the nose of Spanish troops try
ing TO prevent US. We have received thou
sands of additions to our ranks and have
captured large quantities OF arms and am
munition. STILL nothing like what we need.
for we had but very limited supply when
we left Camaguey. Maceo brought us
good deal from the Orient, but in spite OF
economy we have been obliged to use
much OF IT, for II has been continual
fight, In front. on both tanks and in our
rear ever since we crossed the Trocha-
And still we live. and. although some
Of US are a little worn from hard riding.
wa are all remarkably well. We have
had TO bury many OF the boys on the way.
hut / don't think the combined losses OF
Gems. Gomez. Maceo and Bandera in this
invasion of the Occident win aggregate 80
men. Just think, the three divisions OF
our invading army in this district. taking
into account the additions to our ranks
along tho way. win not exceed 1900 men!
Not 20 per cent OF us are properly armed.
and none has ever had. at one time, enough
ammunition 10 answer tho enemy in
three hours fight. Consider that for weeks
we have had 6o.0oo weil-equipped troops
trying TO stop. 10 surround to annihilate
IL, onsf ~ all - A.
we have carried out the plans OF our leader
I'm all their details: we have robbed Srain
OF her revenue from the making of sugar.
and we have got the best OF the enemy
in at least eight different battles.
II suppose you will as IN the last war.
read az them as Spanish victories. but the
fact that Camps has given uD the task Of
our conquest ought TO tell the story. And
we owe our success in arms and our escape
from destruction 10 the fact that we are
led by the most courageous. cool-headed
and far-sseing general who ever command
si men. Maxine Gomez. without whose
guiding hand Cnba's freedom would still
he in the dim distant future OF our dreams
instead az IN the visible and actual Ger
tainty Of Scr grasp.
Don't think that mean 10 ignore Gen.
Macee. far froc II. He has done great
things In the orient and he Is doing Splen-
did work now in Pinsr del Rio. That yrcv-
lnre Is for the hFst time awakening to the
patriots call for liberty or death a ccur-
Ter from Maceos camp near Palacios
reached Bs az daybreak this morning.
bringing word that his men had given the
Spauiaras another machete lesson, which
he thought they would remember for sorne
time. His loss was thirty-eight killed
About feo were wounded. bat most OF his
wounded are Doing duty and viii recover
Tho arrival 81 spanish achievements and
a desire - save ammunition prevented
careful count Of the enemy's deal but
Maceo Is confident Il would run consider
ably over -. Maceo viii remlin in Plnar
del Rio until the forces of that province
are organised
II ses bx the Havana papers that we
were permitted % cafne west. that we ars
roW ia trap AMI viii Pc cut 70 pieces
Fate Tray 50 decree but before leaving
Cana glsey Gen. CforaeE addressed 20 IS
these words: We are going into country
where uasuy VIII meet our deaths. buf let
is remember that it is for Cuba. for our
wives. our children and our country. If
sc have 70 pass into the ether worlS We
VII eanh take as far as ire gates a squad
% Sean@rss as witnesses 20 p4tri9t's ent'
Good utCht
"P s-Tel our friends in The states
that prsyers are appreciated htt cartridges
are prior,ese