lutionists from the start fought by guerrilla methods of warfare,
dashing upon the unsuspecting Spanish towns and forces, and escaping to
the mountains before the organized Spaniards could retaliate.

Jose Marti and Jose Maceo--brother of the general--were prompt to join
the active forces, and on April 13, 1895, General Maximo Gomez, a native
of San Domingo, came over and was made commander of the insurgent
forces. This grizzled old hero, with nearly seventy years behind him,
was at once an inspiration and a host within himself. An army of 6,000
men was ready for his command, and the revolution took on new life and
began in all its fury. On May 19th the insurgents met their first great
disaster, when Jose Marti was led into an ambush and killed. But his
blood was like a seed planted, from which thousands of patriots sprang
up for the ranks. Within a few days there were 10,000 ill-armed but
determined men in the field. They had no artillery, nearly half were
without guns, and there was little ammunition for those who were armed.

THE PLANS OF CAMPOS THWARTED.

In April, 1895, Captain-General Calleja was replaced by Martinez Campos,
the commander in the preceding war, and one of the ablest of the Spanish
generals. He sought to conciliate the people and alleviate the
prevailing distress, but the rebels in arms had lost all faith in
Spanish honor, while the veteran Gomez proved so wily that Campos could
neither capture him nor force him into an engagement. Everywhere Gomez
marched he gathered new patriots. Near the city of Bayamo, Maceo
attacked Campos, and the Spanish commander barely escaped with his life.
He was besieged in Bayamo, and had to stay there until 10,000 soldiers
were sent to escort him home. That was the last of Campos' fighting. By
August, Spain had spent $21,300,000 and lost 20,000 men by death, and
39,000 additional soldiers had been brought into the island, 25,000 of
them the flower of the Spanish army, and she was also forced to issue
$120,000,000 bonds, which she sold at a great sacrifice, to carry on the
war.

[Illustration: CAPTAIN C.D. SIGSBEE

Commander of the "Maine" at the frightful catastrophe in Havana Harbor,
February 15, 1898.]

The patriots met September 13, 1895, at Camaguey and formed their
government by adopting a constitution and electing a president and other
state officers. This body formally conferred upon Gomez the commission
of commander-in-chief of the army. Before the clos