The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-04
SAVANNAH. GA. WEDNESDAY. MAY 4. 1895

ing, he states that the entire forces of
the liberating army,H reunited near Hoyo
Colorado, numbered II, 700. After this,
Maceo, with 1900 men, went into Pinar del
Rio and the rest of the army was divided
into bands and distributed throughout the
provinces of Matanzas, Havana and Santa
Clara.
To-day il is admitted by the friends of
Cuba that the island has been devastated
and depopulated, and that all the friends
of the insurgents who formerly planted
their crops and fed them, have been driven
into the cities TO starve, yet they insist
upon making us believe that there are to-
day in this devastated, depopulated island
from $4,000 to 10000 insurgents ready to CO
operate with our own troops Immediately
upon their landing on the island.
While the commission Of United States
senators and representa- lives were visiung
Matanzas, Cuban laborante was present
ed 10 the party as the representatives of
the insurgents. He informed, certain men,
bers of the party that the insurgent gen
eral, Betancourt was in the vicinity with
an army of 5000 men. Later, when Mr..
Amos j. Cummings and myself had been
outside of the so-represented dead line. and
had seen a sample of the devastated coun-
try about, this same la'berante had re-
duced his figures of Betancourts command
to 1900. MIR. Cummings then wanted the
laborante to tell how this army got its
food. oh sad the cuban, nothing daunt-
ed, they have got sweet potatoes and one
think another out there" MIR. Cummings
looked doubtingly. The next time the
laborante was called upon for figures of
Gen. Betancourts command he reduced
it TO 1000. Thai same evening | called
upon a Scotchman, whom ! had known a
long time in Matanzas, and speaking of
this same Betancourt and his command,
the Scotchman informed me that one of
Bctancourt's officers had surrendered
few nights before. and had LETT a watch
with him for repairs. According TO this
officer Betancourts force did moi number
100 men,
While I was recently in Pnar del Rio
province, l obtained an interview with an
insurgent captain, a mulatto who inform
ed me that nearly an the whites belonging
10 the insurgept forces in that province
had either died or surrendered. He adj
mitted that Weyler's recommendation had
been the cause of their failure TO succeed,
they having been reduced to such straits
that before the arrival of Gen. Blanco they
had been obliged to kill their own horses
for food. Upon my inquiring from an
other party for friends whom | had known
two years ago in the insurgent ranks, in
the vicinity of San CristoDal, he answer
ed, as l called over their names. that they
had all died with the exception OF one, VINO
had surrendered. Further investigation
brought out the fact that the rainy season,
combined, perhaps, with improper food,
had been as deadly to the white Cuban as
to the Spanish soldier. In this particular
province, / found the Cubans al work
again in the fields, the government having
supplied them with arms and ammunition
with which to defend themselves against
the remaining negro banditti>
One evening while seated in front of my
hotel in Havana, l was accosted by "a
young man who was broke" and was de-
sirous of obtaining money to pay for
nights lodging. In answer to my ques-
tons, he said that he was an American
from the state of Texas and could find
nothing to do. .sev 81.
why don't you go and join the rebel
army?" I asked.
That's just what ] have been trying to
do" said he with an earnestness that be-
spoke the truth. II have Travelled from
here to Matanzas, and from Matanzas to
Cienfuegos, and ] have Travelled miles in
the country, only TO find Spanish soldiers
and be turned back. III be hanged if can
find that army, and don't believe the sol
diers can find 1t either"