Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-03-30

1
very enthusiastic in the cause, bu
are badly armed, and ill-supplieC
with ammunition. Their onl,
cannon are a few pieces of iroI
pipe, well plugged and bound rounC
with banded strips of the hare
woods of the country. Ever
available instrument was applied
to the making of weapon for Of
fensive purposes, and lance and s
machete-a short, heavy sword
were the general armament. A few
had breech-loading rifles, captured
from the Spaniards, but the want
of the proper ammunition rendered
them of but little service. An old
fashioned fintlock muzzle-loading
musket was the favorite arm, as il
could always do service whether
there were patent cartridges, caps,
etc, in camp or not Whoever had
one of these priced it above all the
patent arms to be had.
There was but little organization
among the forces Of the revolution,
although Gen. Quesada was recog-
niZed as the chief in command.
Every leader had raised and kept
together what men he could, and
the camp seemed more like a gath
ering Of private bands than regu-
lar force. Gen. Quesada was labor
ing to introduce regimental and
brigade organizations. 1t was this
reasOn-the absence of regular Or
ganization and military rule-which
prevented Gen. Quesada from at
lacking Puerto Principe, which he
could undoubtedly capture if he
could control his force SO as to bring
them to act on a general plan.
There are many negroes among
the insurgents, most Of them from
the towns, or who were previously
free. The plantations have all
stopped work, but the slaves have
either gone into the towns to seek
protection or have fed into the
woods, where they remain. Few
CT none Of this class of the popula-
ton side with the Spaniards.
The war is carried on by the
Cubans more as a guerrilla war
than by regular operations. When.
ever 4 force of Spanish troops APP
pears anywhere the Cubans scatter
from its front, and seek, by ambus-
cading behind trees and in the
thick woods, to annoy the troops
and diminish their numbers. The
great object among the insurgents
in these encounters is to get hold of
the musket and knapsacks of every
one they can wound or kill. In
this they will run extraordinary
risks, three or four running out
from the bush at every Spaniard
who falls. The Spanish troops
generally behave very well at these
|ambuscade encounters, and whenev-
er forced to halt or form during their
march, will roundly abuse their
unseen foes, styling them towards,
and calling upon them to come out
of their hiding places and show
themselves.
The feeling among the Spaniards
is very bitter indeed. They formed
almost entirely the trading popula
ton of the country, and every cross
road and country village was occu-
pied with their shops. These are
now abandoned wherever the insur-
gents have appeared, and their
owners have withdrawn to points
held by the troops. Thus the cOun-
try is bare of goods. At first a
lenient policy toward prisoners pre-
vailed, but the Spanish volunteers
have now become so violent that
they shoot nearly all they capture,
calling them leaders. At the time
| was with the insurgents they had
had not executed any prisoners, but
the feeling in favor Of retaliation
was becoming very strong.
No regular civil government cx-
lists in the districts held by the in
surgents, and no formal attempt
has yet been made to organize one.
In the central department General
Quesada's authority is respected,
while in the east Gen Cespedes is
looked upon as the leader There
is little communication between the
several departments, and no con
cert of action. The only aim
seems to be the war with the Span
lard. The insurgents in the Villa
Clara district hold their organiza-
ton distinct from those of Cespedes
and Quesada.
From the insurgent camp around
Puerto Principe we rode through
CISCO de Avila, Espiritu Santo,
Villa Clara and Macagua to Colon,
where we sold our horses and took
the cars for Havana. Wherever we
stopped among the country people
the same feeling against the Span
iards and confidence that their. rule
is approaching its end prevailed,
while in the towns the Spanish
traders, armed and organized by
the government, entertain the most
violent feelings against the Cubans.
No attempt to injure US was made
by either party when We encoun-
tered them, although both my com
panion and myself were searched
on several occasions. The Span
iards were always distrusttul OF US
but the insurgents in every instance
gave us good treatment because we
were Americans.
1t is my belief that the insurrec-
ton cannot be put down, and that
it will continue to spread until 1t
involves the whole island; but to
take the fortified ports and towns
the insurgents need better arms and
organization than they now possess.
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CUEIOsIIIES OFOUR LANGUAGE.