The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-05-27
Cuban Army Will Assist United
States Forces.
GARCIA SENDS OFFICERS
HELD AN IMPORTANT CONFER
ENCE WITH MILES.
Garcia's Army of 1900 IN Eastern
Cuba Is Well Fed and In Good
Spirits-In all There Are 20, 900
Cubans Under Arms-Novel Com
missary System.

Washington, May 26.-Secreta y Alger
and General Miles conferred with two
officers from the staff of General Car
cia. General Enrique Collazo and Lieu
tenant Colonel Charles Hernandez,
who come direct from Garcia's head
quarters, bearing credentials from him
to perfect plan of cooperation with
the American forces. They accom-
panied Lieutenant Rowan of the United
States army on his return from Gar
cla's camp at Bayamo, in central Cuba,
and shared with him the danger of a
two tags voyage in an oDen boat from
the north coast of Cuba.
Colonel Hernandez says Garcia has
his headquarters at Bayamo and that
his staff, with body guard of several
hundred men, are quartered inside the
city. The infantry and cavalry are
quartered in the suburb of South Ba-
yamo. Tents are not used, but in their
place the men hastily construct cover
ings made of palm leaves and guinea
grass, which are more effective than
canvass as a shelter against the hot
sun. In ALL about 5000 men are thus
CHARTERED. They are well armed with
Remington and Mausers, captured from
the Spaniards. Most of them have ma
chetes. but only the officers carry other
small arms. The cavalry have small
horses, much like the Indian mustangs,
hardy and reliable. Mules are used for
pack purposes.
Colonel Hernandez says that the COM
missary and quartermaster's depart
ment is unknown, in the sense used by
army officials here. In lieu of these,
the companies not fully armed are or
ganized "Preios." The duty of the
"Preios" is to bring meat, ample sup
plies being secured from Puerto Prin-
cipe and vegetables which are grown
in the woods. The system works per-
fectly, Colonel Hernandez says, <-nd the
troops are kept well fed and in good
spirits. There are no dress parades and
none of the regularity of daily drill
used in the United States army. The
main object is making long daily
marches to keep the men hardened.
Colonel Hernandez says cOmmunica-
ton Is maintained with General Gomez
and with points along the coast. From
this. he has a general idea of the forces,
outside Of those with General Garcia
at Bayamo. He estimated that there
are 1900 men, all of whom are we'll
armed, east of La Trocha, and cocsti-
tuting the forces in the eastern division
of the island, under General Garcia.
These include the 5000 at Bayamc, the
others being scattered at various
points. In all, there are, according to
General CollaZo and Colonel Hernandez
about 10000 to $4,000 troops.
1t is understood that the purpose of
the present visit of Garcia's officers is
to give that generals assurance to the
authorities here of his desire to give ev-
cry possible cooperation to the Amer
lean movements. Similar assurances
have come from General Gomez and
have been presented by Senior Quesada.
The Cuban officers have made a good
impression here and the authorities
were agreeably surprised to find them
men of ability and soldierly bearing,
speaking English well. They will re-
main some days longer and then return
to General Garcia's camp.