The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-05-11
GOMEZ WANTS The GLORY

CUMtZ WANTS hit 6lOkI
New York, May 10.-The Herald toda!
publishes the following dispatch from it
commissioner, Frank Q. Somerford, VIII
has just returned from the camps Of Gen
eraI Gomez and other insurgent forces il
Cuba:
1.-The insurgents have now about $50
men in the vicinity of GomeZ's camp
that is, within a radius Of thirty miles,
said Somerford. '1The best troops east o.
the Jucaro- Moron trocha are the division
commanded by General Gonzales. He ha:
800 infantry, who are well - ned and dis
ciplined. One company is armed witt
Mauser rifles which were captured from
the Spanish. For these rifles there is bu
a small supply Of ammunition The Other
companies are armed with the long Rem
ington, which throws a bullet Of 43 cali
bre This is the weapon in common use
among the insurgents.
"Gomez's immediate command consist:
Of a body guard of $50 cavalry and seven
ty-five infantry under command Of Major
Jose Desrampes. Desrampes is an Amer
lean from New Orleans and a good ar
tillerist This force of $500 is all that are
In fighting shape just at present but il
there were arms and equipments 1t could
be swelled to probably $4,000. Gomez told
me he wanted $1,000 guns to equip an army
large enough to drive the Spanish from
the island. He wants long Remingtons
and Sprlngfelds for the infantry and car
bines of the same character foE the caval-
~.
Gomez says he can raise 10000 men in
Santa Clara province alone. The recruits
will be mostly ranchers. Gomez is great
believer in the effectiveness Of cavalry
He watts to organize his new army on a
basis of /, 900 cavalry in Santa Clara pro-
vince, 300 in Matanzas province, 500 in
Havana province and 800 in Pinar del Rio.
In Puerto Principe province the insur-
gents are now all cavalry.
'Garcia's force in Santiago de Cuba Is
all infantry In the reorganization they
should be compelled to remain infantry.
They are drilled as such, and never hav-
ing had horses, are accustomed TO make
long marches on foot.
Gomez wants TO unite Garcia's forces
with his own The old man never makes
his plans known when he can help it. My
information, however, comes from the in
side. Gomez regards artillery as very
important but the Cubans have none.
They have the greatest contempt for the
Spanish artillery and assert that not a
Cuban has been injured in the entire war
by the Spanish field pieces.
THE question of food and supplies is
an important one to be considered in any
plan contemplating the utilization Of the
Cuban forces against Blanco. A Cuban
army of any strength cannot be modified
until after food for it has been furnished
by the United States. Gomez fisruse the
supply proposition on the following basis:
Two rations a day of beans. bacon and
hard tack They do not count upon bread
or coffee. For bread they can substitute
such potatoes as may be secured by for
age. The Cuban soldien expects only two
meals a day.
Gomez is a willy old man, not without
future political aspirations in the govern
ment which will be formed at the close.
He does not want the United States to
land an army in Cuba, except it be a regi-
ment of artillery to operate in conjunction
with him. Gomez knows that an Ameri-
can army will defeat Blanco. take Hava-
ma and practically end the war within a
month after it lands on Cuban soil. He
also knows that the assistance he could
afford in such a campaign would be unim-
portant and Insignificant except as an ad-
wiser regarding the country TO the com
manders.
He realizes that the insurgents would
cut but sorry figure in the rapid opera
tions sure to follow an American inva-
sion. unless months pass while they are
being armed and drilled into military
habits other than those of guerrillas
Knowing all this. Gomez does not want to
be robbed Of the credit of defeating Spain
and ending the war.
ION the other hand, II he can persuade
the administration at Washington that 1T
Is dangerous To land Uunited States troops
during the summer. and hat ne can defeat
Bianco if provided with arms. ammuni-
ton and provisions, the future is bright
with an augmented reputation for him
As victorious general. Gomez may ask
and obtain any honor that free Cuba has
to bestow."
Somerford brings news that a few days
ago Bianco telegTaphed the Spanish gar
rison at Caibairen that the Spanish fleet
in Philippine waters had won great
victory. The officers prepared to give a
grand ball in honor of the victory. The
bah had scarcely begun when second
telegram was received announcing that
the Spanish fleet had been destroyed. The
bali was abandoned.
Blanco has modified 1--WE battaEons
along the Jucaro-Moron troucha in anti
cipation Of an attack from the east.