The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-27

tcrlOr WnlCD were IN SrebJ uHnRcT VI hJIhCh ny
the insurgents. While Martinez Campos was
on the way TO Bayanro. Macco offered him battle
near .Pcralejo. Maceo-and TO this happy
chance Gen. Martinez Campos owed his life-did
not know that the Spaniards were commanded by
Martinez Campos himself. lie thought that
tho Spanish column Of 5000 men was led by
Gen. Fiedol Santocildos, because such was the
information given to him by n Spanish prisoner.
Had known at tho beginning" he wrote after
ward, that Martinez Campos was there there l
would have sacrificed 1000 Of my soldiers TO
catch him, alive or dead
The engagement was n pit shed battle, and tn o
Cubans, not numbering 5000. carried tho day.
Gen. Santoclldes fell dead near Gen. Martinez
Campos. The Spaniards lost all their ammu.
milton and their horses. Completely routed, q
body OF them, availing themselves of tho
darkness OF the evening, fed to Bayamo,
carrying Martinez Campos on a stretchor
borne by four soldiers. He was exhausted
by fatigue and filled with despair. Moro than
300 Spanish soldiers wero left dead on the field.
With the splendid booty secured by him,
Maceo completed the armlng Of his patriots.
From April to October Gomez successfully
carried the war through Puerto Principe prov
incc and laid his plans for tho invasion Of the
west. On Oct. % Maceo, having received or
ders from Gomez. who was appointed Com
mandcr.in.Chief OF the army. In September, by
the Assembly of Representatives. started for
the east with 1000 of his mon. On Oct. 80
Gomez invaded Las Villas. Maceo Joined him
on Nov. % near u place called Los Guayos.
From there they began their triumphant march.
On Dec. 8 tho Spanish Colonel scgura was do.
feated by the insurgents at Iguara and had to
leave his dead on the field. together with a
great supply Of arms and ammunition. On Dec.
10 the Spanish battalions Of Canarias and Trc-
vino were routed by Maceo at Nal TEMPO.
after the most gallant charge with machetes Of
the Cuban cavalry. led by Mlaceo himself. that
has ever boon seen In the Cuban wars, On
Dec. 81 the victory Of FL Desquite cleared tho
way for the invaders 10 the province of Ma
tanzas; Martinez Campos then made a despe.
Until that moment he had been recoiling before
the invaders with his columns. hoping that they
would stop. But he saw that each step Of the
patriots to the west was a decisive triumph for
their cause. The enthusiasm for tho rovolu-
ton was growing day by day thronghpat the
unteers from all the cities and towns by which
Gomez and Maceo passed. Martinez Campos
rallied his almost dispersed men and presented
battle al FL Coliseo ON Dec. %.
The action was sharp and decisive. Martinez
Cempos behaved bravely, leading one Of his
falling on the Spanish won the day for Cuba
and compelled MARITIME Campos to retire. The
confessed his defeat TO the astonished Spanish
volunteers and residents of the capital.
On the night of Dec. 81 the Captain.Gencral
made that avowal., A few days later, the rabid
spaniards Of the city compelled him to tender
from CanoSss a Captain cncrai, framed in The
old iron east OF the Spanish conNuerors, not to
fight battles and risk his life on the field. but to
eSterminate the native population. In their be-
lief, women. children, every one born In Cuba,
should be held responsible for the situation. They
personal courage. They wanted an execution
er. Canovas satisfied them and appointed Don
Valeriano Weyler y Nicolau TO succeed Marti-
neg Campos.
The question may be asked why the patriots
after so many victories did not invest the city
minion. The answer Is very clear. After he
battle Of COlisco Gen. Gomez reviewed his troops
and found that each soldier had only three cart
ridges. The Cubans In the United States were
making vain efforts to send u big expedition to
the patriots, 4 hostile Administrator checked
fields Of Cuba, Spanish diplomacy was trium.
phant at Washington; Al Guira do Melena on
machetes to enter the, province Of Havana.
For such a state OF affairs. Gen. Gomez consid.
cred his best plan to be to organize armies in all
permitted him to do. and try TO raise the war In
Pinar del Rio province. At CAIRO on Jan. 3 the
patriots routed a Spanish column and entered
Pinar del Rio. Gen. Gomez then withdrew 10
the east while Macoo proceeded TO the west.
1m jan saic ~ Of 70 p 9osa'1 asI Rio ci,y a viGto or 1 at the he
tromity Of tho island, three months after his de-
q u Wa III oultluBo NC NuDh.
On Feb. IL Macco returned to Havana PROV
inee. Gen. Weyler publicly declared Pinar del
t MlT d0 to that a proy Sne eo on March Sbp I5i ieaaeF re-
Before this Weyler had already shown his
sanguinary spirit and plans Of murder. Prison
charged with aiding the rebellion We're shot
every day in Havana. The most summary
formality. In other, cases the victims were
murdered, In cold blood in their dungeons or
thrown alive into the sea during the night Mt
the anfranrp nf the hurhpr m tnaH thn ahnrlu
The horrors of the Council OF Blood under Alva
look pale when compared, with the crimes of
to outrage women and to kill every non.com.
blatant without regard to ave. In the cities he
famous murderers and thieves from the span
ish penal colonies in Africa.
In II short time moro than 100. 900 persons
Weyler was not satisfied. He intended to de-
stroy the country and to exterminatc the ma
tivos. Seeing that the executions in the forts
were too slow a method and that the destruc.
ton wrought by his columns was not enough 10
ruin the island, he conceived one Of the most
monstrous crimes ever committed against hu-
mainly. On Feb. l6, 1896, he issued his two
Famous decrees of concentration. By them
compelled to leave his home, after IL had been
DESTROYED by the Spanish columns, and go 10
Of the spanish %soidiery. with tho homes Of the
reconcentrados their cultivated lands were to
be devastated and around the towns where
they had to live not a piece of bread was to be
given to them. In this manner, under pretcxt
Of a military operation, half u million people,
most OF them women and children, were con-
demned TO die from hunger.
From the date of those DEGREES until Novsm-
Der, 1896. 100000 people were murdered thus
In Cuba. Since November. as a result OF Wcy.
ler's sangutnaly orders, the number has been
increased to 100000 What monster in his.
tory over did SO much against humanity and
civilization Nero. Calig ula. Tamcrlane, Tor.
quemada, Alva. when compared with Weylcr,
appear mild and humane, A poltroon. besides
being an assassin, ho never offered battle to the
Cubans or took the field 10 fight. In his time
Spain sent zoe. 600 soldiers TO Cuba. lie kept
them inactive guarding tho trocha from Ma.
riei 10 Malana in Pinar del Rio province or from
Jucaro to Moron in Puerto Principe. At other
times from his palace in Havana. following ON
a map the imaginary positions of his enemies,
he ordered his 90. umns TO make combined move.
mcnts that Always resulted in defeats.
One instance OF the stupidity and cowardice
OF oyler occurred on May /. 1896. lie or
dered one OF his favorite combinations of col.
umns against Naceo at u place called Cacara-
Jicara in the province of Pinar del Rio. Tho
result was that tho forces of tho Spanish
Colonies lnclan and Gelabert were shattered by
tho Cuban leader. and the havoc made in tho
Spanish lines was so great that the Spanish
soldiers, panic-stricken, threw themselves into
the sea to escape the Cuban machete. Wey-
lcr. as In ali other cases. accused his subordi-
mates OF not having obeyed his orders exactly.
On Dec, z, 1896. MaceO, after having crossed
Weyler's famous troCha and entered Havana