Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-07-17

|WEYLER'S PLANS ARE
LIABLE TO 60 AMlSSl
Concentration Of Insurgents mi
Matanzas viii Help Go :
mez Out.
RAINY SEASON MAKES TROUBLE
Thought That Gomez Is Concentra-'
ting Forces TO Make "A Demon
stration Near the City
OF Havana.

New York, July ia Hcra!d's Ha-
sasion of Matanzas province by the in
surgents has been begun. Several
arge bodies of Cubans crossed the line
from Santa Clara, and the strength of
the eastward movement Is estimated
from 1900 to 5000. Lacrct and Perese,
who recently crossed the Juicara Mo-
con trocha and passed into Santa
Clara from Camaguey, .have united
with other leaders. and there are now
Eve or six chiefs, each of considerable
following, moving into Matanzas,
where the in%surgent forces were or
lered to mobilize. Men have been sum-
moned from the plantations armed and
ordered westward. Whether the move
ment is ordered 10 embarrass General
Weyler. who recently has been rushing
all available troops TO Orient, pr to dis
tract attention from General Gomez,
who is supposed TO he hemmcd in by
the Spanish columns nea Sancti Spir-
titus, is not known. IT may do both.
Weyler will hardly continue TO press
operations in Santiago dc Cuba if the
insurgents concentrate in numbers in,
Matanzas. and he may cease his long
continued pursuit Of the head of the
rebel forces in order 10 check the
westward movement Of the insurgents.
Weyler is reported to be near Sancti
Spiritus. Wet weather has already
made the transportation OF troops
difficult, with the ranks being thinned
by sickness. Weyler may find it diff
cult to stop the progress of Gomez'sl
last move.
The purpose OF the gathering in Ma
tanZas is said TO cover the landing of
an expedition which is due in that
province, and which will furnish the
combined forces with some additional
arms and cartridges and several rapid
fire aeld guns. After receieving this
expedition the program mapped out by
Gomez is for nm advance across Ma
tanzas province To n junction with the
forces in Havana province, and if all
goes well To make demonstration
near the city of Havana itself. The
general plan Of concentration was cir
culated here in confidence among the
Cubans a fortnight ago.
1t is known the forces in this PROV
ince had orders 10 meet other bodies
at MatanZas line. Quintin Banderas,
who recently came i'm from the east
with 1000 men and who was in Me-
lena Del Sur two weeks ago, has gone
TO Matanzas. The entire force of reb-
els under Castillo i'm this province is
ready TO join with those from the east
ern provinces. Ducasse and his force
of 5000 men may come from Pinar Del
Rio 10 take part in the movement.
Garcia will remain in Santiago prov
ince but practically all other leaders
on the insurgent side have been or
dered to meet in Matanzas. Just what
opposition the Spanish troops will
make TO the movement is not certain.
Weyler is expected In Matanzas daily
His departure from Santiago is sud-
den. Whether he has started west to
take part in the attempt TO corner CO.
mez or strengthen his forces between
the rebel bodies and the capital is not
known. The sudden activity in the
rebel ranks after the rainy season has
well begun and shows that they are
able TO despite the muddy condi-
ton of the roads and the frequent
drenchings which they must receive.
Any forced marches by large bodies of
Spanish troops to head OIL the rebel
movement must result i'm n heavy loss
from sickness, hardship and exposure.