The sun., 1897-05-01
WEYLER'S IDEA OF PEACE.
$4,000 PATRIOTS FIGHTING DAILY
IN THE "PACIFIEDD REGION.
R.tlnot,sn Of the pat,allsn That Kllsa Naees

Extinction OF the Battalion That KILLED Mnceo
No More Guerrilla Warfare TO ne Tried
by Weyier In tho District where 1t Was
Annihiiated-spanish Roverscs Elsewhere.
HAVANA. April 2s..-It is hard to understand
how Gen. Weylor darcs to announce the paciH-
cation Of the provinces Of Santa CLARA, Matan-
Zas, Havana, and Pinar del Rio whom at least
$4,000 insurgents arc in arms in them.
1t Is notorious fact that in this province the
insurgents are more than 5000 strong and woll
provided with arms and ammunition. Around
Madruga alone, place which is not moro than
htty miles from the capital, Col. Raoul Arrange
has somo 800 men. About 5000 Cubans scat
tered in bands of 500 swarm between Guines
and Batabano harassing the Spanish columns.
Gen. Alexandra Rodriguez, who is the insurgcnt
commandcrin.chief Of the province, is further
eastward with 1000 men, and tho rest of the
patriots in this region are under Col Nostor
Aranguren near tho boundaries of Pinar del Rio
province, commanding many Of the small towns
around Punta Brava and great part of the
coast.
The names Of Rodriguez. Arrange, and Aran-
guren arc 80 well known and their military
operations are commented on so generally that
the unexpected declaration of Gen. Weyler has
been admitted to be lie even by the more un-
compromising Spaniards In tho capital. The
press. which is gagged does not dare to publish
any denial of the Captain Generals amazing
statement, but oven the scanty news of tho war
which the press censor allows to DO published is
enough to prove that fighting is constant at the
very gates Of Havana.
No one ignores now the fact that tho bat
TALON of San Quintin, which Col. Cirujeda COM
mandcd when Maceo was killed, has been
nearly exterminated In several engagements
with the insurgents fow miles from Havana.
Gen. Weylcr, intending to defeat the guerrilla
warfare of the Cubans with similar tactics,
ordered the San Quintin battalion to scatter in
ten bands of 100 soldiers each and fight without
rest The result has been that one after another
the bands Of San Quntin have fallen into am.
bush according to plans prepared by Rodriguez
and Aranguren. and few men have escaped
the machetos OF the Cubans. Without thor
ough knowledge of the country and embarrassed
by the rural non combatants. who hate the
Spaniards account of tho persecution ordered
by Gen. Weyler, the Spanish soldiers wandered
about as II in the dark. while the Cubans were
constantly kept aware Of tho whereabouts Of the
enemy. OF the 1000 soldiers under command
OF Col. Cirujeda in February last only $50 re-
main. Tho battalion has been now reorganized
with troops from other detaChments and the
guerrilla system abandoned by the Spaniards.
In Pinar del Rio province the insurgents nre
about 5000 strong. They are not confined to
Spanish reports say but are scattered from San
Antonio Cape to Mariel. Vidal Ducasse, their
best leader, is fighting the Spanish columns
every day.
Gen. Pedro Betancourt is in command OF the
Cuban forces in Matanzas province. He has Or
ganized his army so thoroughly that he has been
complimented by Gen. Gomez for his work.
In Santa Clara province Gems. Gomez, Quintin
Banderas, Lacret, Aleman, and Robau are OPP
Grating with at least 10000 men. Yesterday
near Sancti Spiritus there was engagement
in which the column Of Gen. Lugue suffered
severe losses while fighting against Aleman.
Banderas and Robau are encamped in La ST.
guanea, and La Lucha and Diario de la Marina
reported yesterday also several engagements
between those insurgent leaders and the Spanish
columns
Gen. Gomez is still operating successfully
around the estate La Reforma, few miles west
Of the Jucaro-Moron trocha.