The Portland daily press., 1897-04-26
WORD FROM GOMEZ.
In Two Years 1000 Men Have Been
Killed.

ing Out Spain's Army.
New York, April IA Cuban de-
spatch to the Sun says:
Headquarters Of Gen. Gomez, near
NaranjO, Santa Clara, April 12-Gen.
Gomez is encamped here with $500 men,
1900 of whom are cavalry. For nearly
month he has been moving round these
hills in an area of some 20 square miles
and all efforts OF Weyler to make him
retire to the trocha, with view to catch
ing him between two fires, have failed.
10 a correspondent who called on him
yesterday. Gen. Gomez made the follow
ing statements regarding the general
character of the Cuban war:
81 deem it unnecessary to explain the
answer some men1acious' statements by
the Spaniards, which may influence pub
lie opinion abroad against US.
1.-THE Spaniards accuse us of cowardice,
when there is not a single day on which
important. fights do not OCCUR in all the
ak provinces into which they divide the
island. Their columns are constantly
harassed, checked and obliged to aban-
don marches.
In two years of war S6, 600 men have
been killed on hoti sides, according to
the Spanish reports, and as we have not
submitted and will not submit, how
can it be honestly believed that the
Cuban army does not like fighting?
NE have routed the Spaniards in sew
eral pitched battles, in the majority of
them under the com mands Of that gal
liant hero, Antonio Maceo. The Cubans
have proved many times that they can
repulse the best Spanish general, Mar
tinez Campos, with the very pink of his
army.
'Spain. after such disastrous defeats,
sent 10000 more men against us. She
could do it, because she has popula-
ton of 1900, 600 and all the facilities
of nation which does not fear any at
tack on her steamers, as Cuban war
ship would be regarded rs pirate and
its crew would be hanged. if caught by
the naval officers of any of those power
full nations which claim to give guaran-
tees of justice and liberty on earth.
ION seeing how things s5ood,I changed
my plans. Without a constant and now
erful supply of arms and ammunition
from abroad the Cuban army could not
be reinforced. What is it 10 have men
without arms? / Was compelled to dis
miss moro than 10, COO Cubans willing to
fight for their country, but without
arms. The huroic spectacle shown in
Pinar del Rio of a band,of Cubans fight
ing to the death with only sticks and
knives in their hands against a Spanish
column armed with modern rifles and
800 cartridges to the man, is calculated
to arouse admiration and sympathy, but
is not of use in reaching the end weslong
for, that of driving the Spariiards from
Cuba.
81 kept, Their efore, only the best. Harmed
men in our army. and began thatSterri-
BILE warfare which is exhausting the re.
sources of Spain and annihilating her
soldiers. Whenever a Spanish column
Iasses it is fired on and harrassed with
out cessation by the Cubans. The Span
isb soldier is hunted as wild beast
Each shot of the Cubans is aimed at q
particular man in the Spanish lines IS
The more there are the more we chas-
tise them. Fifty Cubans can in this way
make havoc among. 5000 Spaniards.
The Spanish always enter the towns
leaving behind on the roads a trail of
dead. Thus they are reduced in numbers
and made deperate.
f'Why don't they divide their troops in
small bands and come to fight us? They
have tried that, and their experience was
a lesson. For such q warfare great per-
sonal courage aud great dexterity ana
knowledge Of the ground are needed.
''Eaeh man is fighting constantly a
duel with a foe, and the Spanish soldier,
though brave as soldier. is neither
strong nor intelligent, nor sufficiently
acquainted with the ground to face
Cuban in personal combat. The Span
ish prefer to go in herds from one town
TO another, ana so we destroy them more
easily. Whom I find good strategical
position. I meet them in open battlefield
and if they don't receive reinforcements
Of several thousands, they have to fee
before the swift Cuban onslaughts.
Naturally Gen. Weyler would like me
TO risk in single battle the future of
Cuba, he at the head of 100, 0C0 and I
with 10000 or $4,000; he with the best
munitions of war of modern times, I
with scarcely 10 shots for each man. No
courage, no silence would be needed to
defeat me under such circumstances.
he cause of Cuba would be ruined on
the Cay I risked such conflict and
Spanish tyranny would continue in this
land.
fThe sympathy of the American peo-
pie would not be enough to recover for
us our liberty. We are fighting against
superior o:ders. Deserted by all the
world, we are standing alone against
a European power. AS we are resolved
to die or be free. we must be as cool as
we are brave. because our salvation rests
On our own resources only.
''The time was past long ago in which