The age-herald., 1898-08-12
TWO YEARS WITH GOMEZ
He and Two Newspaper Correspondents
 Landed in Cuba.
DISPATCHES FOR CUBAN GENERAL
Trip of Many Hardships-Cubans Want Annexation-Maj Smith Tells How Americans Fought, and Smoke
 less Powder Dazed Them.

One of the historic characters of the Spanish-American war passed through the city yesterday in the person. of Major w. D. Smith, who was for two years on Gen. eral Gomezs staff in Cuba, and who is now on General Miles staff, connected with the bureau of information.
 Just three months ago, the newspapers were filled with stories of how Major Smith had been captured and beheaded by the Spanards.
 For two years preceding the declaration of war Major Smith lived in Cuba, and during that time acquired information con cerning Cuba and Cubans that now makes him almost invaluable to the American army. He is thoroughly familiar with the map of the island, with all the military routes and with all methods of communi- eating with the insurgents. The government necessarily devotes a great deal of attention to the secret ser vice of the army and navy, and this is in charge of General Wagner. It is an or ganized department just as the hospital, signal service and other departments of the army are, and some of the shrewdest men in the country are enlisted in it.
 nc uleu III tIllS DTdHCH Ol tHe SeTNlCe have no regulation uniform, but wear any, thing that the occasion may demand; even a Spanish uniform if necessary. Major Smith had a peculiar semi-regulation uniform yesterday, consisting of civilian trousers a dark gray military fitting coat, an army hat, with the oak leaf shoulder straps of a major in the United States army.
 Major Smith is a man of medium build, apparently about 30 years of age, and has the looks of a man of great daring and energy.
 Mai. smiths Story
 Ehe following is brief story of his ad- ventures, told yesterday in the depot, re- lating principally to How I Was Be- headed:"
 '.Yes, I've had some rather novel expeExu fences -dsring the last few days" satll major, "nany Of wnich would furnish some splendid material for the romance writers of the war.
 T am the man that the newspapers of the United States said was captured by the Spaniards and beheaded. I acquired great deal of unenviable notoriety over the af- fair, but am glad to say that the ad- venture did not result exactly as the news papers had it.
 Landed in Cuba
 "It was about May or g, just few days before the torpedo boat Winslow was destroyed and Worth Bagley killed l. There were two newspaper correspondents with me, and we were headed for Santa Clara district, where General Gomez had his headquarters. I had dispatches for the commander of the Cuban army while the correspondents were in simply for the ad- venture of the thing.
 When nearing the coast we had the good fortune to capture a fishing smack in which were two Spaniards, and, having made them prisoners we continued our trip toward the shore in their boat. We landed near Cienbario, and there released our prisoners after telling them the route we really in- tended to take inland to General Gomez's Headquarters. I knew that they would re- port our landing immediately to the Span- ish army and describe to them the route I told them we purposed to take. I also guessed that the Spaniards would take this route I had given as "blnd' and would look for us elsewhere.
 HOW We W ell 'Beheadeu "
 'I was not mistaken and the officer in charge of that part of the army sent out two columns of infantry after us. They, of course, kept watch over the wrong routes and when they finally met on the route we had taken, we had fortunately just slipped between their two columns and had the pleasure of hearing them ex- change the elaborate salutes that are incl dental to every meeting of Spanish troops. q suppose that the two commanding of- ficers, after finding that their prey had slipped through their fingers. captured two or three natives and after killing them sent in their report that our party had been captured and executed. From this the sensational reports got to the United States that Major Smith and the two newspaper correspondents had been beheaded.
 I've arrived safe at General Gomez headquarters, where I delivered my dis patches and received in return messages for President Mckinley and General Miles.
 The Return Trip
 ''The return trip then began, and it proved a terrible one. Through swamps and dense thickets, we made the best pro- gress possible. We had to be on the alert COuSldHtiy, sieSpliiS WltH piSlOio SOCheu siiio leading a very miserable existence. But for the experiences had gained in the six years of Indian warfare, which I saw on the plains while with the Fourth cavalry, l would not be here now to tell the tale.
 Finally, however, we reached the coast and were there picked up by boats from the blockading fleet, without any serious mis- hap.
 General Gomez
 "I have the greatest admiration for Gen. eral Gomez. During the two vars l served with his army l saw a great deal of him. He is a man of remarkable ability, as is evidenced by the manner in which he and his 35.oO0 men have kept Spain's army of 100000 men in check. And the Spanish sol diers are not to be despised, as General shafter's men at Santiago will testify. But