Phoenix weekly herald., 1898-10-20
CAMPAIGNING WITH GOMEZ.
StorE Of an American Who Fought
- ish the Cuban Commander.
tFrom the Wilcox News0

| Ben Marks. brother of Assistant s
P. Agent ". J. Marks. arrived Thurs
daylight from Iontauk Point. having
| rect 7.tly returned from scouting eX
pedition in the interior of Cuba. HI:
! experience as packer with the Z. 8
! forces was so different from that O
most of orr Arizona hoyS that we give
a brief account of his movements
Little has been known to the genera
! Dublc of the expedition of Lieutenant
G. P. Johnson. noted scouting officer
of the 10ih cavalry. with munitions
and stores for General MaXimo Gomez
A rumor has been fioating around that
4 detachment WAS sent and that the
force. having been forgotten by the
, war department.. almost starved 10
death. Mr.. Marks gives the first di
rect information we have had of this
expedition.
The Florida and a captured Spanish
vessel. the Fanita. sailed from Tampa
June 10Th. CARRYING Lieutenant John
son with fifty picked men of the 10th
cavalry. a full pack rain of fourteen
men and siXty-four mules. also 800
Cuban recruits for the insur@ent army
They bombarded Tunas on the south
ern coast OF Santa Clara province in
tending to attempt a landing. hut the
Florida grounded on Il Sandbar and af-
ter trying experience was pulled off
by the Helna. which then proceeded
10 blow up the city'S powder ma ga
zine and dpfenceS. Receiving word
from Gomez that he was a Palo Alto
few miles east. the expedition pro
cecded thither and landed in = swamp
The recruits and stores were delivered
TO General Gomez and then the Ameri-
can troops and packers got Il taste OF
i.r-,-
forget.
Johnson claimed that he had heen
sent to explore and map the country
noting the roads. trails and other
points of Importance. General Gomez
on the other hand. wanted the black
troopers for his personal escort. Al
ter the canture of El Gihara by the
combined forces. the Disagreement be
tween the lieutenant and the Cuban
conssandcr developed into an open
rul><zs,se and at one moment Johnson
h;l = his fifty men and the packers
lined Up to fight the entire Cuban
army. Gomez put him under arreS
and gave the detachment the chnic,
of staying with him or of. accompany
ing his SOL. General Gomez. Jr.. or
scouting expeditions against the SIR
rounding towns. They choose the lat
ter alternative and We're almost con
stantlY in motion. under command OF
their first sergeant
They next captured Arroya BlancO
and narkched within two miles OF
Santa Esnirito. but the latter place
was considered too strong for capture
The troops lost tflirsv of their horses
hardship. but as fast as the
horses died their pla cesswere filled Will
mules from the pack train. the equip
nentS being destroyed One packer
died, but the colored troops all surviv
eel. The mules, too, went through il |
good shape.
At length when the supplies were al |
consumed the command started for the |
northern coast. The men traded theil |
pistols and clothing for one hundred |
ears of corn and a few pumpkins |
Reaching the north side of the island |
they received a few days rations from !
the Mexico" and after waiting for |
twelve days while the vessel made q |
Trip north they were finally taken of |
and landed at Montauk Point Septem !
bed 22d. Mr.. Marks and most of hi |
companions were sick with the fever |
but the sea air soon revived him. Since !
reaching home. however. he has again |
had a slight attack of fever
He was in Cuba nearly three months |
md saw large part of two provinces |
The island where they crossed it is no. |
hut susceptible of 4 hi~l |
Development. Until they reached tht |
northern coast they had no cOmmuni |
,ation with the United States forces
md did not know positively that the
var was ended, although deserter>
rom the Spanish army had so inform |
I'd them.-Range News