The San Francisco call., 1897-11-24
Men Sent 10 Fight the Rebels
Are Worse Off Than the
Hungry Natives.
MUTINY DECLARED TO BE
IMMINENT.
SnIess Provisions and Medical Aid
Are Provided at Once Regu-
lars win Not Serve.
Copyright, 1897, by James Gordon Bennett

HAVANA, Nov. 23-Deplorable as the
condition OF the reconcentrados may be,
Spain's first duty is clearly to relieve the
sufferings Of her own troops, and so far as
I was able to Judge from twenty-five
mile country trip along the Spanish lines,
the royal soldiers are in as serious plight
as the majority OF the recOnCentrados. To
begin with, the Spanish soldiers have re-
Ceived no pay for many months, and con-
sCQuentiv they are not able to buy any
thing on their own account in the small
towns IN which they are atiOned. Then,
too, the credit OF the troops has been in
most instances exhausted, shopKeepers
refusing TO deliver more goods until they
are paid what is long due them. All the
soldiers have TO depend upon in the way
Of food and clothing is what is supplied
by the comissary department. and that
department is neg ected, and, it is as
serted, corrupt.
In Havana leaving aside the hospitals
conditions are not so bad, but if the
captain general were to 90 to the country
he would see i'll soldiers lying by the way
side he would ind many torts that in
reality are nothing more than hospitals.
and n most OF the small towns he would
experience difficulty IN getting together d
force OF any size that would be able to
march FIVE miles and tnen be in condition
to tackle an ordinary band OF rebels. l
am not in any wav exagGerating when
write thus. Tor | have seen these things
(mvseIf. I took a train for Artemisa early
| sunday morning. AT every small station
I mat We passed l -aw i'll soldiers. In many
\.cstances the mark OF death was plainly
Visible IN their faces.
They were paIer and more 3inched than
the reconcentrados that begged at the car
windows. Members OF the squad who
saluted each time the train pulled up ap-
peared barely able to raise their rifles.
But it was not until I reached Artemisa
and got inside tort that I fully realized
the condition Of the troops. In the first
fort I inspected-a fort not more than
thirty feet square on the lnside-Were
swung dozen hammocks. In each lay
an i'll man, IN all more than half the
garrison. There was no nurse in attend
ance, and the men told me they were
without me .icine. Outside was a kettI'
boiling over the cam fire. L Contained
salt fish and red beans. This Is all the
food that has been served day IN and day
out Tor weeks.
~
voy outside the lines early Monday morn
ing. When the commanding officer ar
rived third OF his men were living on the
bank o Jhe ditch wrapped in their blan-
kets and trembling with fever. From
Guanalay TO Mariana the road was thickiv
studded with forts several OF which
entered. In every instance almost hall
the garrison were i'll and the rest looked
almost starved. While the sentinel al
the door was examining my permit
walked inside. a small quantity OF dyna-
mite would have wrecked the structure.
/ visit d church that had been turned
into ja'l. The same conditions prevailed
there. Halt the guards were invalids, and
had the prisoner not been weaker than
the guards there was little to hinder their
oscar pc. l forgot 20 mention that accom-
~ranying me was a detective, whose in
suuctions wereto only let me see the best
' s.de of things. But if | only saw the best
side of the picture, then heaven help the
rest of the country.
In further proof OF my assertions re-
garding the condition of the Spanish
troops | have this morning received the
following COPY OF an official telegram
dated November Il from the military
commander in Grego de Ayila 10 Havana :
VERY serious condition in this town (gar-
rIson); no bread, no -four, absolutely.
Three thousand sick in hos pitaI without
provisions whatever besides The garrison
itself. With greatest urgency must be
sent the flour asked for on October 20, and
send cash to buy effects. No credit"
Te!egrams similar to the above are pour
ing into the palace daily. If this lasts
much longer The troops will surely mutiny,
particularly If relief is first afforded tc
reconcentra Such is the state OF af.
fairs in the Spanish army in Cuba thai
General BIanco has to contend with. /
Is hardly 10 De wondered at that he feel.
incensed at the way in which he has beer
deceiv by Spanish officers.