of Cascorro, which Gomez succeeded in capturing. He
found there a large quantity of arms and ammunition, of which the Cubans
were greatly in need.

Gomez proved himself quite as magnanimous as Maceo. The wounded were all
cared for to the best of his ability, and the prisoners were returned to
the Spanish leaders. This example, however, seems to have been utterly
lost upon the Spaniards.

The insurgent forces, under Gomez, were at this time divided into six
portions, operating in the six provinces, and commanded by Antonio
Maceo, Aguerre, Lacret, Carillo, Suarez and Jose Maceo. Suarez was
afterwards cashiered for cowardice, and replaced by Garcia.

In August, 1895, Maceo joined his chief at a place called Jimaguaya,
where Gomez had called to him a large proportion of the Cuban forces,
which numbered at that time about thirty thousand.

And against these undisciplined soldiers was arrayed a regular army of
over eighty-five thousand men, not counting the armed volunteers.

The odds were terribly against the Cubans, but Gomez and Maceo were
confident of success.

It should be mentioned here that there were quite a number of women
fighting under Maceo, and these women did heroic service. In fact, the
Cuban women have given innumerable proofs of their devotion, body and
soul, to the cause of "Cuba Libre."

Gomez' objective point was Havana, and between Jimaguaya and Havana,
there were over fifty thousand Spanish soldiers.

When Gomez started, he had about twelve thousand men, which he divided
into three columns. He was quite well aware that the fighting must be of
the guerilla stamp. In fact, it was the only species of warfare
possible.

He therefore instructed his lieutenants to have recourse to strategy, to
foil the enemy at every point. The one object was to reach Havana.

"In the event of a forced battle," he said finally, "overthrow them!
Pass over them and on to Havana!"

The march was begun, the instructions being followed to the letter.
Actual combat was everywhere avoided. The Spanish papers constantly had
reports like this: "After a few shots the rebels ran away." They did not
understand that this was exactly Gomez' tactics, and he was succeeding,
too.

Every day the insurgents advanced further and further west. At the end
of a fortnight they reached the trocha of Jaruco, which had been
constructed in the centre of the island. This trocha was occupied by a
large and important Spanish force.

Gomez o