Chapter 41 The Cuban counterattack

Weeks before Christmas Day

Somewhere in the region of Holguin, Cuba

"General Jose Gomez, how are our men faring against the Spanish?"

"Our men are being pushed back in the north of Las Tunas President Felipe de Gonzalo. Just yesterday, we lost 373 men, and 681 are injured."

The Cuban revolutionaries under the leadership of Felipe de Gonzalo are having a hard time fighting against the Spanish forces. After his successful ambush against a Spanish army in southeastern Cuba, the Spanish were able to reorganize and mount strong defenses to fight against the Cuban revolutionaries. Some were even able to mount small offensives and victories even when outnumbered against the revolutionaries.

In the midst of that, the Cubans declare their independence and established a revolutionary government. They even elected Felipe de Gonzalo as their first president of the Cuban Revolutionary Government after his successful planning and strategy of the ambush. They chose him as their leader because of his excellent background, resources and strategies. The Cubans are assured that with a strong leader at the helm, they would be able to gain their independence.

"How large is the Spanish army that defeats our men?"

"About 4,000 strong President."

"So… our 7,000 men are defeated in a pitched battle against 4,000 Spanish troops. This would have demoralizing consequences to our troops. General Gomez reorganizes the remaining defeated troops, I'll personally lead them to battle."

"President, we can't let you go to the battlefield again. You are needed here to lead the government and the people."

"That's right President."

"President you should just give the command to the other Generals and Captains in the ranks."

"President you should not…"

"President…"

All the Cabinet members of the revolutionary government won't let President Gonzalo go on the frontlines. It would be reckless and dangerous for their revolutionary president would just casually go to the frontlines to lead and command the troops. Some are genuinely concerned while some are not. Those who are part of the faction of President Gonzalo genuinely care for his safety that they won't want him to go to the frontline commanding troops. While those who are opposed to his faction, also don't want him to go because they fear that he will win more battles and the support he received from the men and the people would further grow and increase.

"President how about you let General Diaz lead the men to launch a counter-offensive against the Spanish forces? He also has a lot of experience and command to fight large battles."

"You want me to let that war maniac lead our troops? That would lead to such folly and we would be brand as murderers not patriots of this country."

President Gonzalo won't ever agree to let General Fernando Diaz lead the troops because of what he is doing during the war of independence. General Fernando Diaz is a madman and a war maniac in the eyes of both his allies and enemies.

After the ambush at Holguin, General Fernando Diaz led his own group called Bayamos Shooters and start an uprising in the region around Bayamos. He successfully defeated a detachment of 200 Spanish troops stationed in the region and occupy a few towns and villages. He would be a decent and capable commander if not only for he enjoys executing and beheading captured enemy soldiers. He also burned and executed Cubans who are suspected of being cahoots or loyal to the Spanish forces. The men in his ranks and factions are also bloodthirsty and sadist soldiers who enjoyed the carnage and chaos in the revolution, most of them are criminals that are able to escape the prison due to the initial chaos and confusion.

General Diaz even wanted to execute all Spanish civilians in the revolutionaries-controlled region but was stopped by President Gonzalo. The two men are always fighting during meetings and both have opposing ideas and opinions on how the revolution should move forward.

President Gonzalo wants to entice the rich landowners and merchants into the ranks of the revolutionary government. He believes that in order for a smooth transition from being a colony into an independent state, it needs the support from the upper and middle classes who has the intellect and resources that can support the revolution and after it. Most of his faction members are intellectuals, merchants, lawyers, and landowners who believed that he would lead the revolution to fruition.

While General Diaz is a radical and a hardliner Cuban nationalist. He believes that the rich who joined them were just saving their own skins and not true to the cause. That these people would betray them once they were in a disadvantageous state. He sees this conflict as the time to purge the entire country of its filth and cleanse it so that those who are true patriots can enjoy it. He also wants to redistribute the wealth and land owned by the rich landowners to the people equally.

At first, President Gonzalo can still control and stop the policies and ideas of General Diaz, especially in military operations and affairs. But these all changed when the French are giving support and aid through General Diaz. The radical faction of General Diaz swells in numbers due to the support of the French and the men under his command were among the best-equipped in the ranks of the revolutionaries.

"Everybody, I will be the one to lead the counter-offensive against the Spanish forces in the north of Las Tunas."

General Gomez sensing the sour atmosphere, defuse the situation by stepping in and leading the counter-offensive in the north of Las Tunas. As part of the neutral faction in the Cuban revolutionary government, both sides can accept and be satisfied if he will lead the troops. He knows that there are already a lot of factions in the revolutionary government that it is tearing it apart, especially the two largest factions – the conservative faction of President Gonzalo and the radical faction of General Diaz.

"In addition to the forces in the north of Las Tunas, I want to ask Mr. President if he would allow me to deploy my personal guard of 100 men in the fight. I promise that even if my men are few in number, they are worth more than a thousand Spanish troops in bravery and skills."

General Gomez added that he wants to have his own personal guard and militia to be deployed on the battlefield. His 100-strong personal guards are personally trained by him and are fiercely loyal. These men have also a lot of experience in fighting as they served and fought on different sides in conflicts in South and Latin America.

"I will allow it, General. In return, I hope that you will swiftly defeat the Spanish troops in Las Tunas to secure our northern flank. We need to bid for more time so that we could gather strength and supplies to fight."

"Yes, Mr. President."

The people in the meeting are all in agreement with the decision of sending General Gomez as the commanding general in defeating the Spanish troops in Las Tunas. Some details are checked to ensure that the army would be ready and supplied before the battle. They also want to make sure that the Spanish would be surprised as much as possible in the counter-offensive so they plan to make diversionary attacks in other regions and areas to mask the operation.

Everybody in the room trusts General Gomez because he is an experienced and calm commanding general in the army. He is also one of the architects of the Holguin Ambush and was able to study abroad in Berlin for degrees in politics and Social Studies. Even if he didn't take a degree in military and wars, he has enough experience as he served in some conflicts in Latin and South America. He is respected by all factions and is impartial and fair to everybody. There were even men who considered him becoming the revolutionary government but he turned down the offer saying that he wants to serve the country where he is best and it is not in politics.

"I swear to everyone here present that I would defeat the enemy. I would not return here until I've done my job."

The General vows in front of the Revolutionary President and the cabinet. For the people part in the meeting, they were not swayed by the such rhetorical claim as they were people who are the most familiar with that. But the common people like the guards in the corner or near the door were moved to see the honorable and charismatic general vows to defeat the enemy that is encroaching on their freedom and liberty.

"I hope you will return in success in the operation, General. May God be with you."

"Thank you, Mr. President. May I take my leave, I need to urgently move to the frontlines to access the situation."

"You may General."

General Gomez then leaves the meeting with his military aide and guard. The people in the meeting understand that it is an urgent matter and the General is not known to dallying his time if he has an urgent thing to do. The people in the meeting have carry on the meeting after the General had left. They were still a lot of things that needed to be done and all the people present knows this. Even though they were in different factions, they know that if the revolution would fail, then they would all be dead or gone with it.