The Politics of Intervention

62 THE POLITICS OF INTERVENTION

down, the government could not verify the reports. In reality

the rebels were taking horses, arms, and food by promissory

note and respecting private property.

14

In Santa Clara, where

a rebel column of a thousand was parading under General

Eduardo Guzman, the planters found Guzman's demands firm,

but polite:

The exegiencies [sic] of the war, every day more exacting, and the

necessity of preparing for active military operations obliges me to exact

a small obligatory war loan, which amount I divide amongst the rich

landowners of this district.

My interest is not to receive money, but ammunition, and to that

effect I solicit from you the remittance of ten thousand rounds of

cartridges either of Mausser [sic] or Remington style to my Headquar­

ters in the non-prorogable time of eight days. The security of your

properties will be complete because I maintain the most absolute order

with my forces and I will give you a receipt for the amount disbursed

by you in the purchase of war materials, obliging myself to obtain this

Division the payment of same in any case.^15

The insurgents, however, did not entirely avoid combat, for
there were several clashes with the Rural Guard. Near Santi­
ago a Guard lieutenant died in ambush; on August 22, Guerra's
column captured the detachment at San Luis (Pinar del Rio)
and the next day "occupied" the town of San Juan y Martinez.
In Havana Province a Guard patrol shot up an insurgent
column, killing its leader, Quentin Randeras. On August 25,
Guerra with two thousand horsemen rode into the city of
Guines and routed the Guards there, killing three and wound­
ing six. In Santa Clara, the Guard dispersed one rebel band
only to find that the officials of Las Cruces (alcalde, councilors,
police, and Guards) declaring for the revolution. Riding about
with impunity the rebels, by the end of August, numbered
four thousand under Guerra, four thousand in Havana with
Asbert and Loynaz del Castillo, and another six thousand
scattered throughout the island.^16
Estrada Palma and the Moderates were surprised and con­
founded by the rapidity with which the insurrection grew,
and their acts to crush the revolt were marked by confusion,
hesitancy, and a notable lack of success. First, Estrada Palma