The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-27
GENERALS TELL OF GARCIA.
CLAIM THE CUBAN ARMY NUMBERS
$4,000 MEN.

$4,000 MEN.
Came over With Lieut.. Rowan tO
Effect a Plan of Co-OperntiOn-Con-
ference Held With Secretary Al
ger and Gen. MiIes-Tents Not Used
by the Cubans-PrediOs Take the
Place of the American Commits
sary.
Washington May 26.-Secretary Alger
and Gen. Miles conferred to-day with two
| officers of the staff of Gen. Garcia, Gen.
Enrique Collazo and Lieut.. Col Charles
Hernandez, who come direct from GarciaG
headquarters bearing credentials from
him TO effect a plan of cooperation with
the American forces
They accompanied Lieut.. Rowan of the
United States army on his return from
Garclas camp and shared with him the
! dangers of two days voyage in an open
boat from the north coust of Cuba until
picked up by small sloop which carried
them to Nassau.
They reported first to the Cuban dele
gates and Secretary Quesada was careful
TO keep their presence secret until Cen
Miles had made the fact known. This re-
ievcd them from further secrecy, and to
day Gen. Collazo and Col. Hernandez gave
an interesting account of Gen. Garcia's
forces and surroundings, and the general
equipment of the Cuban army.
Col. Hernandez says Gen. Garcia has his
headquarters at Bayamo one of the large
towns in the central part of the island. 1t
was surrendered by the Spanish forces
few weeks ago after Gen. Garcia and his
troops had maintained a long siege.
Tents are not used. but in their place
the men hastily construct. coverings made
of palm leaves and guinea grass, which
are more effective than canvas as a shell
ter against the hot sun. In all about 1900
men are thus quartered. They are well
armed with Remingtons and Mausers
| captured from the spaniards Most of them
have machetes, but only the officers carry
other small arms
The cavalry have small horses, much
| like the Indian mustangs, hardy and re-
liable.
Mules are used for pack purposes.
Col Hernandez says that the commits
| sary and quartermasters department is
unknown in the sense used by army Of
| ncials here. In lieu of these the companies
! not fully armed are organized as pre-
| dos" The duty of the "predios" is to
| bring meat, ample supplies being secured
| from Puerto Principe and vegetables,
which are grown quickly in the woods.
| The system works perfectly Col. Herman
| dez says, and the troops are kept well fed
| and in good spirits.
There are no dress parades and none of
the regularity of daily drill usual in the
United States army. The main Occupa-
ton is in making long daily marches to
keep the men hardened.
The Cuban general says the arrival of
Lieut.. Rowan aroused the greatest en-
thusiasm throughout the Cuban camp.
There was no notice of his coming, and
the first seen of him was as he gallOped
up Commercial street, followed by the Gu
ban guides who accompanied him from
Florida. He was warmly greeted by Gen.
Garcia and the two held a three hours
conference.
1t was decided that Lieut.. Rowan should
return. that afternoon and Cen Garcia
assigned Gen. Collazo and Col. Hernandez
with three guides, TO accompany him. He
had come in from the south shore, but
the party went out northWard. They had
expected to secure large sail boat, but
the best thing available was an open
yawl CT life boat, with a cubic capacity of
only 1O4 feet. Sails were improvised out
of the tents carried by the officers. The
first nig1t out was stormy and the small
craft was barely KEEP. ahoat, but after
that the weather was good.
The first morning out the party saw
twelve American warshlps of Admiral
Simpsons feet but they made no attempt
to board the ships The next day they
were picked up by sloop off Bahama
Key and carries TO Nassau, coming thence
to Washington.
Col Hernandez says communication is
maintained with Gen. Gomez and with
points along the coast. From these he
has a general idea Of the Cuban forces
outside of those with Gen. Garcia at Baya-
mo- He estimates that there are 1900
men, all Of them we'll armed, east of La
Trocha, and constituting the forces in the
eastern division of the island under Gen.
Garcia. These include the 5000 at Bava-
mo- the others being scattered at various
points. He estimates Gen. Gomez imme-
date command at about 1900 men, with
5000 scattered al various points. In all
there are according to the estimates of
Cen CollaZo and Col. Hernandez about
1000 to 25000 troops actually in the field.
1t is understood that the purpose of the
present visit of Gen. Garcia's officers is to
give that generals assurance TO the au-
thorities here of his desire to give every
possible cooperation to the American
movements. Similar assurances have
come from Gen. Gomez, and have been
presented by Secretary Quesada.
The Cuban officers have made good
impression here, and the authorities were
agreeably surprised to find them men of
ability and sodierly bearing. speaking
English well They will remain some Gays
longer and then return to Gen. Garcia's
camp.
REVOLUTION IMMINENT IN SPAIN.