New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-31
CUBAN TROOPS HALT
FORWARD MOVEMENT
Main Body Weakened by the
Dispatch Of Detachments to
Guard Plantations.
REBELS GAINING RECRUITS
General Ivonet Tells President
Gomez He Has 1000 Men,
and Even Women Are
Aiding Him.
REBELS GAINING RECRUITS

Aiding Him.
Havana MAY 5o-The government forces
al the front in the district In Or1ente
bounded by Guantanamo, San Luis ana
| Santiago have been compelled 10 halt In
consequence Of the weakening Of the main
| body by the dispatch % detachments TO
guard plantations. In the outlying towns.
General Monica guido commander IN
chief of the Cuban army. who started from
Santiago with fifteen hundred retnfoTce-
| nonts has delayed the forward movement
in order TO give his troops twenty-fcur
hours rest. while determining the plan of
| attack
| General Monteagudo expresses full conn
dence In his ability to cope with the
enemy. but the insurgents have the choice
OF various positions which proved impreg-
ma bic TO Spanish attack in the war Of IN
dependence There have been numerous
outpost sklrmlshcs without definite re-
| suits.
The most serious news of the day was
| the report Of the destruction by insur-
gents Of the property of the Spanish
American Mining Company at Daiauirl'
which tho small squad Of rural guards
was unable 10 protect, and the dispatch
| from the United States naval station at
Guantanamo Of the gunboat Paducah. with
| marines aboard, for the protection or the
mining properties at Daiquiri The Padu-
cab arrived tonight at Daiquiri, from
which. # ia reported, the insurgents re-
tired into the interior.
| Opinion is becoming general that the
government forces are insufficient TO guard
the property and cope with the insurgents
who are recruiting rapidly by the volun-
| tary or enforced enlistment Of plantation
laborers
Few Reinforcements in Sight
Apparently there is small prospect o.
greatly augmcnting the government forces.
the only visible achievements being
corps of 200 volunteers now being organized
for active service at Cabanas Fortress under
Colonel Plcdra The home guard Of la
vana IL being rapidly recruited. but the
terms Of enlistment forbid the use OF these
troops except I'm defence Of the capital
Heavy rains throughout Oriente have had
the effect of hating the military movement
and also checking the burning Of the cane
, fields by the insurgents. The depredatons
Of the rebels on the plantations are for
the most part confined to foreign property.
The report of a severe combat near Palma
Soriano in which the insurgents were said
to have sustained heavy loss from gatlins
gun fire. has not been confirmed.
Cuban revenue cutters are viganty
patrolling the coast OF Oriente, to prevent
TIE landing OF arms. quiet is reported
throughout the other provinces OF the
island.
President Gomez has received a letter
from General lvOnet. in which the insur-
gent leader says he has 4.G0 men. and that
even women are girding on machetes in de-
fence OF the rights Of the negro race.
i wish that YOU. ny old comrade in
arms and nov President Of the Republic ."
says General Ivonet. could visit my camp
and have ocular proof OF the truth OF these
| statements"
Ivonet adds that he numbers many whites
among his troops.
Elmo for Guerilla Warfare.
one Of the most distinguished officers in
the Cuban army during the war OF indie
pendence, in describing the position OF the
national and insurgent forces now facing
each other in Orlente. said tonight:
The forces Of General Estenoz are COM
! posed OF the same men as fought under
| Garcia, with their sons since grown up, all
knowing the country perfectly. Estenoz
and Ivonet themselves were officers under
/ Garcia. and both are excellent bush fight
| ers General Garcia then sustained five
days continuous lighting against two
| Spanish columns numbering COCO men. con-
| verging from Mayari and Santiago He
| prevented the junction OF these columns,
defeating the intended movement and re-
manned I'm fun possession Of the disputed
region. from which he never was compelled
20 retreat during the remainder OF the war.
1T appears impossible that 1000 or 500
| inexperienced troops OF which the officers
are mostly city bred men with only the
| rudments of military education. can
| have the faintest hope of succeeding where
2OooO Spanish veterans failed
| Santiago. May Ca serious engagement
f. reported Mayala, near Palma Soriano,
The Cuban troops used Calling guns. and.
the report SAYS. inflicted heavy losses on
the insurgents There were few casualties
among the regulars.
The insurgents under Vicente Anaya at
tackled tho Connuente plantation near
Guatanamo, firing the sugar cane. They
threatened 10 hang the manager II he at
tempted to stop the spread 81 the fire.
&