Westward still went the Cubans, heedless of trochas and Spaniards. From
Santa Clara they entered Matanzas province, and from this made their way
into the province of Havana, bringing the war almost to the gates of the
capital. Spain had now sent more than one hundred thousand troops across
the ocean, though many of these were in the hospitals. As for the Cubans,
the island had now risen almost from end to end, and their force was
estimated at from thirty to fifty thousand men. It was no longer a rebel
outbreak that Spain had to deal with, it was a national war.
By the end of the year the Cubans were firmly fixed in Havana province,
many negro field-hands and Cuban youths having joined their ranks. They
fought not only against the Spaniards, but against the bandits also, of
whom there were many abroad plundering from both sides alike. These were
hanged by the patriots whenever captured. Maceo was the active fighter of
the force, Gomez being occupied in burning sugar-cane fields and
destroying railroads, so as to deprive Spain of the sinews of war.
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