violated. Whenever a flagrant violation was detected, the torch was
applied, and canefield and buildings were reduced to ashes. There was
also much destruction of railroads, bridges, telegraph lines and what
not, to deprive the Spanish of means of transport and communication. It
was a fine demonstration of the patriotism of the Cuban people that they
almost universally acquiesced in this plan of campaign, without demur
and without repining, although it of course meant heavy loss and untold
inconvenience and often severe suffering, to them. They realized that
they were at war, and that war was not to be waged with lace fans and
rosewater.

At the end of September, after the close of the Constitutional
Convention, preparations were made for renewing the military campaign
with more aggressive vigor. Jose Maceo was assigned to the command of
the eastern part of Oriente, General Capote and General Sanchez took
respectively the northern and southern parts of the western half, and
General Rodriguez led the advance into Camaguey. Maximo Gomez himself
accompanied Rodriguez's army, and was presently joined by Antonio Maceo,
and together they planned the great campaign of the war, which was
conceived by Gomez and executed by Maceo. This was nothing less than the
extension of the war into every province and indeed every district and
village of the island, by marching westward from Oriente to the further
end of Pinar del Rio.

Early in October Antonio Maceo set out to join Gomez in Camaguey, taking
with him 4,000 infantry and 2,000 cavalry. At San Nicolas he suffered a
setback at the hands of General Aldave and a superior force of
Spaniards, but resolutely continued his progress. Gomez meanwhile pushed
on into Santa Clara, established headquarters near Las Tunas, where he
could be in touch with expeditions from Jamaica, and began the
aggressive against the Spaniards around Sancti Spiritus. Roloff,
meanwhile, was operating at the northern part of the province, at
Vueltas. Martinez Campos himself was in the field near Sancti Spiritus,
but failed to check the Cuban advance. In fact, at almost every point
the campaign was going steadily against the Spanish; so much against
them that Campos feared to let the truth be known to the world.
Accordingly he issued a decree forbidding the publication of any news
concerning the war save that which was officially given out at his
headquarters or by his chief of staff at Havana. Only Spanish and