The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1898-05-05

Spain sent 235 900 soldiers to Cub
from early in March, 1895, to the tim
/ in which its ports were shut up b,
American ships. Tt is estimated tina
the number Of Spanish troops in tn
island now is $4,000, about $4,000 o
whom are outside Of the hospitals ant
it for duty Thus 150 600 have die
from insurgont bullets, the machete o.
from disease OF have been shipped
back to Spain physically wrecked
Equally unfortunate were Spain's com.
mnnders Calleia WAS displaced b,
Campos on April Ia, 1895 Campos gavt
way to Weyler on February TO- 1896
and Weyler through the pressure o
the American government, was re
moved October ., 1891 and Blanco put
in his place on October 80 1t is esti
mated that the rebellion, up to the
beginning Of Blancos service, siz
months ago, cost Spain $3.50, 600 600
Cnmpos Immediately after arriving
in Cuba, began vigorous work to restore
peace. He carried the olive branch il
one hand and the sword in the other
Reforms on the line Of those promised
in the treaty Of Zanion 1878, but moi
carried ont by the Spanish Cortes, were
pledged, and new concessions were offer.
ed. Pardon, too, was extended to all
the insurgents who would lay down
their arms, except their leaders. II
those terms were rejected the campaign
was to be pushed actively along the
whole line, and the rebellion crushed.
Neither threats nor Establishments
ayailed, and the great pacihcator met
with rebuhs and reverses from the
start. Nearly all the rebels were in the
eastern provinces Of the island when
Campos arrived in Santiago, Puerto
Principle and Santa Clara-but during
the rainy season. in the summer and
early fan Of 1895, the insurgents work.
ed their way into the Provinces Of Ma.
tanzas, Havana and Pinar del Rio, max
ing a demonstration in the outskirts Of
the city Of Havana in December Of that
year Fights except in the rainy seas.
on, were Of almost daily occurrence
somewhere on the island, but most Of
them were sllirmishes Of a few dozen OF
a few score of combatants, and had no
perceptible effect one way or the other.
During that year and ever since the in
surgents often received re endorsements
Of men and supplies Of munitions Of
war from the outside world, principal
lyfrom the United States, although the
United States had several vessels con
stanily on the lookout to head Of fill.
busters. All the important Cuban
ports were in the Spaniards hands
from the beginning, but the 800 miles
of coast could not be guarded by Spain's
few and inefficient vessels, and scores
of landing places were found by the
flibusters, which were not marked on
the ordinary maps, but which were
we'll known to the insurgents and con.
venient for them
Some heavy fighting was done in the
Province Of Santiago, in May 1893
The two Maceos with Zoo men, sur
rounded and almost annihilated 40l
Spaniards, near Guantanamo, on May
a. An escort Of 800 Spaniards accom-
panying a provision train to Bayamc
were dispersed BY 500 insurgents on
May Is, and their train captured May
10, near Dos Rios, Jose Marti with
fifty men, was decoyed into a narrow
rayine by a traitor Col Sandoval,
with 500 Spaniards, was led to the spot
and in attempting to cut their way out
Marti and nearly all his men were kill
ed. Gomez, 700 cavalry arrived on the
scena just as Marti was killed, and he
too, was defeated. Flor Crombet, on'
Of the chieftains Of the ten years war,
was killed near Palmerito afive week
before Marti on April 10. He com
manded 300 men, part Of Meceo's force
and was surrounded by 2. 800 spaniards
His loss, like that Of Marti's was due T,
treachery, though in different form a
Crombet wag killed by one Of his owl
men, who escaped in the fight, but wa
caught afterward by Maceo and hanged
The loss Of Combet and Marti was thr
severest blow dealt to the insurgent
until the killing Of Maceo, on Decembet
4, 1896
During the rainy season Of 1895, th
insurgents pushed their way westward
gaining few victories and meetinl
with some defeats, in Puerto Principe
Santa Clara and Matanzas Novembe
Ia Maceo, near Fhe city Of saRta Clara
| IN the province Of that name, with
force Of / 900 men. defeated Gen Na
yarro, who had 2, 500 men, and Gomez
on the 18th and 2Oth Of that month
with 5000 men, yanquished 4, 900 Span
iards not far from the same place, tn
latter was the heaviest and most impor
tant b. 10 Of 1895, except the on
fought on December %, in which CAM
pos himself was defeated Pushed ,eaa
lily backward by tba s4saaeing rebel
undg 4meg, Campos made a stand q
that day at Coliseo, in the Province 0
Matanzas, with a force estimated q
| 1906. Gomez's army was said ta sug
Der 1000 AT first the asaBagdR wer
succesfHl baF 2g I've ARRIVAL pf l,5Q
/ ln5ufgsnts while the battle was Ii Rg
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