The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-06
GOMEZ NEEDS SUPPLIES
HE LACKS FOOD, GUNS AND CLOTHES
FOR HIS SOLDIERS.
Many of His Horses Killed and Eaten
The General Not Opposed to
American Interference.
Correspondence of the Associated Press. Copy

Correspondence of the Associated Press. Copy
right)
KEY WEST, Fla, June 29.-Col. Bernabe
Para, chief of staff of Gen. Maxine Gomez
who is in Key West, left General Gomez
on June 10. He says the old commander
was in good health, better dressed than any
of his soldiers and had an excellent horse,
but was eating food that the private soldiers
lived on. General Gomez was chatting at his
enforced inactivity and was looking for
ward to the time when he would be able to
take the field. If he could obtain supplies
he would move to the westward With a
well-mounted army he would be able to
threaten Havana. General Gomez is at La
Delicias Santa Clara province, with his
staff and an escort Of two hundred men,
half of them mounted. His camp is con-
Quoted in the most sodierly fashion, for
General Gomez would have it so whether he
commanded ten men or ten thousand He
rises early, often at 3 o'clock works all dav
and is the last one to bed at night He
knows very we'll what horse flesh tastes
like and has also eaten that other Cuban
delicacy, palm buds.
A few weeks ago when the Gussie ex-
petition, conveyed by the Suwanee set out
to carry supplies to General Gomez the lat
ter called in his scattered bands until he had
gathered 5000 men. With these he waited
fourteen days at the coast for the expedi-
ton. Finally, giving up hope of it's land
ing, he ordered the men to dispense. The
sacrlhces necessitated by this mobilization
were very great. For instance General
Monteaguedo was obliged to kill $50 horses
Tor food. The little bands are able to forage
ABOUT the camp, to catch fish in the rivers
to pick fruit and dig sweet potatoes. but a
large army cannot live on the country. The
bands are back where they were but with
fewer horses and somewhat DISCOURAGED
The killing of horses is not resorted to ex-
cept when absolutely necessary to prevent
starvation. Forage for horses is abundant
in Cuba.
Juan F., iowa, ex-consul at Sagua la
Grande, who was intrusted by the United
States government with the delivery of the
Gussie's supplies to General Gomez, is very
much concerned over the generals plight
When the SuWanee and Gussie failed to
land on the north coast the Gussie returned
to Tampa and the Suwanee went around
to the south coast, intending to make a
landing on the other side of Santa Clara
province. But Rear Admiral Sampson
called the Suwanee in at Santiago de Cuba
and asked that The supplies be delivered to
his Cuban allies under General Cabroco.
This was done. Mr.. iowa has an idea that
the United States government will feel
bound to deliver TO General Gomez the sup
plies that were not landed by the GuSSie
and which were taken back to Tampa. If
the government does not send supplies it
will at least furnish war ship on which
the Cubans will be permitted to send food
to General Gomez
Mr.. iowa cannot be emphatic enough in
his denial of the oft published report that
General Gomez has said he did not desire
the aid of the United States: that the Gu
bans were able to drive out the Spanish
army and would look on American invasion
offensive. Mr.. iowa says General
Gomez has said to me over and over again
that ii would be shame to send American
boys to die of fever in Cuba while Cubans.
who are immune from disease who are
anxious to hight and who know the country,
are without guns, clothes and food. Let the
Cubans do as much of the fighting as posi-
BILE and let the Americans help US first by
equipping out the army"