There is a general idea that while Spain will never withdraw her troops from Cuba, and allow that she is beaten, she will quietly drop the war, sending no more men or money to help carry it on, and leaving the Spaniards who are in Cuba to shift for themselves.
The poverty of the Spanish soldiers is something pitiable. They are sick, hungry, and only half clothed. The medicines have given out and there is no money to buy any more, and so the poor fellows have to suffer without proper medical care.
Then, too, the smallpox has broken out, the government has no means of checking it, and it is steadily gaining ground, until the people are dying like sheep.
What pay is left for the poor soldier lads, after the officers have got through stealing it, is paid to them in the paper money Weyler tried to force on Cuba. (You can read about it in No. 2 of The Great Round World.) This money is utterly worthless; none of the Cuban merchants will take it, and yet it is given to the poor soldiers, and they are told to go and buy what they want, Weyler well knowing that they cannot purchase even postage-stamps with it.
The disheartened, starving soldiers are falling back before the Cubans, and victory after victory is reported for the insurgent side.
Havana has been attacked! The insurgents actually passed through the suburbs, and reached Havana itself. They ransacked stores, put the whole population in a panic, but after a fierce fight of two hours were at last obliged to retire.
Weyler did his best to keep this news from the people, but, before his plans were fully made, the Cubans made a fresh attack on another suburb of the city, endeavoring to seize a large quantity of provisions and arms that were stored there.
This time they again loaded themselves with plunder, but failed to get the rich prize they had gone for.
A part of the same force which attacked Havana descended on the town of Guines, also in Havana Province, and about thirty-five miles from the capital. After a few hours' struggle they succeeded in forcing the Spanish soldiers to take shelter in a church, and then they ransacked the town, and took $10,000 in gold from the government safe.
Bejugad, another important town in the same province, was also attacked by the Cubans, and with equal success.