Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1898-05-14
INsURGENT FORCES.
Reliable Information as to Their Size and
Character.


Character.
KEY WEST, May 9.-The insurgents
have now about $500 men in the vicin-
ity of Gomezs camp-that is, within
radins Of thirty miles.
The best troops east of the Jucaro-
Moron trocha are the division COM
manded by Gen. Gonzales. lie has SUI
infantry who are well armed and well
disciplined. One company is armed
with Mauser rifles which were cap
tured from the Spanish. For these
rifles there is but small supply OF am
munition. The other companies are
armed with the long Remington, which
throws bullet of 49.calibcr. This is
the weapon in common use among the
insurgents. They prefer it to the
Mauser, in spite of the lattcr's repeat
ing property.
The Available Force.
"Gomez's immediate command con-
sists of bodyguard of $50 cavalry and
Is infantry, under command OF Mayor
Joseph Desrampes. Desrampes is an
American, from New Orleans, and
| good artist. This force of $500 is all
that are in fighting shape just at pres
ent, but if there were arms and equip
ment it could be swelled to probably
so, 600.
"Gomez told me wanted 10000 guns
to equip an army large enough to drive >
the Spanish from the island. He wants
large Remington or Springfield for the
infantry aud carbines of the same
character for the cavalry.
Il believe If arms are sent to Cuba
for the insurgents they had better be
Springfield rifles, of which our govern
ment has large supply in its arsenals'
1t is simple and effective gun. The
Cubans are not accustomed, nor have
they the experience ANA facilities, 10
care for complicated repeating weapons.
Twenty Thousand machets, weapon
of wonderful effectiveness in Cuban
hands, are also needed.
Gomez says he can raise 10000 men in
Santa Clara province alone The re-
cruits will ba nAas.ly ran"l'S-47 "'h.'s"-
occupation has been practically de-
. stroyed by the Spanish, and who are
, eager for revenge. Gomez Is great
believer in the effectiveness of cavalry.
He wants to organize his new army on
. a basis of 1909 cavalry in Santa Clara
a province. 800 in Matauzas province, 800
y in Havana province. and 800 in Pinar
e del Rio. In Puerto Principe province
| the insurgents are now all cavalry.
Garcia's forces in Santiago De Cuba
, are all infantry. In the reorganization
they should be compelled to remain in
+ fantrv. They are drilled as such, and
i never having had horses, are accus-
toned to make large marches on foot
, | know Gomez wants to unite Garcia S
, forces with his own, although Gomez
: did not tell me himself. The old man
{ never makes his plans known when he
d can help it. Ny information, however,
/. comes from the inside. Gomez regards
n artillery as very important, but tho
Cubans have none.
The Food Question a Serious One.
To nv mind this food question pre-
sents an almost insurmountabie obsta-
i cle to the scheme to utilize the insur-
't rents to drive Blanco from the island,
d even if there were no Others Gomez S
IN army in its present shape is totally in
u, adequate to undertake such task. II
:, is scattered over the entire island
= This disposition is absolutely necessary
o. In order that themsn may not starye
o Gomez ca u not lp.,Ailizeeven such f0tee
c as b has until food supplies ifasesssssl
1t SER into the islsEa by the United
:, st.Aes, to say nothing o. an army y
any considerable size mooiit1od Bi'
- army would starve even If not crushed
" by Blanco.
rd Now it will be exceedingly difficult
III not to say possible, to land provision
in large quantities on the coast OF Cuo
.lo and get them out into the interior t
he Gomez. Small amounts of arms AM
al. ammunition, and even provisions, may
of and are, being loaded under cover o
darkness and carried into the interio
=. by small bands of insurgents, but
pe' si1pply even small army in this wa
es, is impracticabc. 1t will never, in M
III, opinion, be accomplished successfully
,n- The country along the northern coas
m being extremely rough and hilly, an
' while sheltering small surreptltiou
bands, imposes natural barrier IN I'll
i've wav of concerted action along thi
lis line. Then. in move of any exter
ca some opposition from Blanco must
e;, reckoned upon. Unless enough Unite
States troops are landed with such q
&c, expedition there is strong probabili'
, IT that it would never be of use to the /
surgents.