The New York herald., 1873-11-05


and well armed. Regiments were hastily
made up Of jailbirds OF negroes and OF the scum
sentence OF death were found In the ranks OF
those intended to pacily the country. or sucN
were the battalions known as the 'Matanzas"
and the notorious Battalion del 0rden," whose
leader, Colonel Weller, amused himself by deVver-
ing over TO the brutal lust OF his soldiers frai
maidens, who died IN the horror OF TINS mart rdom
SPANISH TACTICS
During this first period OF the war inSCuba the
Spaniards took the offensive. IL Is not necessary
both combatants for the reader to understand the
immense advantage OF the governmr nt troops-to
VIII aOC men we aTed re 70 am west an nndisc
pinned multitude, unarmed, with their families
1urther to burden them, alwaysa q iatal charge 10
these wandering tribes, fors such we may call
them, rather than warriors, and much less SOL
diers. The famous and sad period OF the rey0lu-
tion OF Cuba was inauguraved BY the Spaniards IN
q manner worthy OF all their wars In America
the three first estates reduced TO ashes were the
La Union, Santa Isabel and Barreto.
THE FIRST ASSASSINATION,
which opened the way TO the innumerable crimes
that were afterwards committed, was perpetrated
at Puerto Principe upon Don Augusta Arango, VINO
was on his way 90 Brigader Mena, OF Puerto Prln-
cipe, with cOnciliatory mission from the lnsur-
one by the troops which left Puerto Principe for
San Miguel, under command OF General wanna
seda and the other by sdlpd 01iardtds guarding tne
ford OF the Hatlbonico River near the carload
bridge or the city referred to- Acts OF this nature
could but harden the heart and infame the pas
once more on their defenceless colonists. Scenes
similar to those which took place four centuries
nrng EaGk tSs Se rst perod Of IFS the
revolution was materially conquered, lis followers
dispersed, its few resources all spent, and worse
terminea champions to the extent or causing some
OF them to turn traitors Old spain in this under
feeling, the warlike spirit, after satiatng its des
potic instincts, proceeded TO rapine and violence;
and thus 1t happened that insults to women, assas.
snati0n OF the field OF battle, and ROBBERY and
spoliation followed after. Such deeds are never
forgotten nor forgiven, and nourished the corpse
repeatedly called it; and the war, which ought to
have died IN infancy, did not de but commencedts
SECOND PERIOD
About this time the insurgents were relieved Dy
the absence OF their families. Many, thanks to the
ineffcient blockade OF the coast, succeeded In es
the cities to exc out miserable existence by
charity from those who, with unblushing audacity,
were living on the estates that formerly belonged
to them. There were officers VINO, after commit
ting in one family the triple crimes or robbery,
the outraging of females and murder,
se"ea the Carriages s'sS Of their Victims amid the
plaudits OF their comrades. From the first period
there passed into the second that destructive
swarm OF locusrs OF the Ampudias, Portilos, the
Canizals, Montaners, Boets, and host OF colonels
and brigadiers, who, after satiating their
OF appropriating what did not belong to
them. as they did SO with the certainty that no one
would reclaim IT, as from spch claims TO aea.n was as
the campaign lost much OF their vigor and activity
because the chiefs OF the Spanish army, from Gen.
eral Valmaseda down, attended more to dealing in
cattle than pursuing the enemy more to seeking
for gold and silver than the hidden places where
the scattered Cuban forces had taken refuge and
were beginning to reunite and reorganize. The
Spanish army was changed INTO crowd OF nigh
waymen. 1t is well known that, amid this car
port OF the institution OF arms so exposed to all
THE CUBAN PATRIOT BANDS.
These, on the contrary, gathered together and
organized, steelng themselves by repeated priva-
tons to the austerity OF life without enjoyment,
without comfort OF any KIND, and greater part OF
the time wanting even the food necessary to main
tain life. But these privatons and these wants,
which their enemies have hundred times flung in
their fault, proved the school for heroes;
and from men who without experience In the art
OF war, paid dear novitiate during the first period
or the struggle were formed soldiers but soldiers
Of iron, bold and identified with virtueRnd inclem
ency, that virtue which breeds the sentiment OF
glory when man understands he owes II to the ef
forts OF his own nature or his own spirit, and ln
the same line where are found the names OF all the
heroes OF liberty since Brutus to Bolivar VIII be
written those OF Ygnacio and Eduardo Agramonte,
Marmol the Mendozas, Ynclan, Sanguili, Calisto
and vmcente Garcia, MODESTO Dlaz Maximo Gomez
ana many others.
But to arrive at this point much blood has been
shed, so much and almost always so lamentabe that
ban who has fallen with arms In hand in defence OF
liberty teniold the number Of I'D men, women and
children have pershed in this savage warfare this
war between Spain and America
FIRST CAUSES.
1t is only necessary to evoke the memory OF three
OF strUgges-rom the conquest OF the
empire OF the MOntezumas to our own day, and the
OF this antagonism, sometimes Of arms.
but OF ideas always-to understand the kind of
drama enacted on the fields OF Cuba in the nine-
teentn century, and In full face OF powerful and
civilized nations. But returning to the principal
subject we lind IN the second period OF the war In
Cuba, the Cuban army reorganizing itself in the
midst OF iatigues and privations IN face OF their
first prestige in the midst OF pilage and corruption
On the other hand the strong desire to rise IN
military rank became q mania, and the different
commanders OF the Spanish columns multiplied
ported as killed on and taken prisoners or sur
rendered ten times the entire population OF the
island. This farce OF fabulous victories and Prov
ess contributed in great measure TO kill on the
enthusiasm and union which should sustain every
great undertaking when they follow the path OF
truth, and the patient and paying classes COM
menced 10 look upon the falseho0ds OF the official
diction TO the actual results OF the campaign.
THE sPoII.s AND sPorLsHEN.
During this second period, as the activity OF arms
decreased, that OF robbery acquired colossal pro-
portions. General Count Valmaseda, authorized
the captain OF mobilzed troops, Antonio Guzman,
Santiago de Cuba, immense herds OF cattle
he allowed the same license to Governor Juan
Ampudia and also the Governors OF Bayamo
Jlguan Holguin 1unis and other places OF the
Eastern and Central departments. from which
resulted the most shameful pillage. exercised by
caused the rights 10 property to be respected,
ana winch devastated the central and Eastern de-
partments, and crime was committed wherever
cupidity caught sight OF a victim.
MORAL REFORM.
The Cuban forces, meantime, gathered together
their scattered proselytes. This time they were
much better armed, equipped and expert in their
peculiar system OF war, and carried within their
breasts the consciousness OF aggravated wr0ngs
and the certain experience tnat the Spanish rulers
OF Cuba would sink into the abyss OF their blunders
rather than yield an atom TO reason and justice.
whereby the situation o AFFAIRS then about the
middle OF the fourth year OF the rebelIon began TO
present different aspect, which we will call the
THIRD PERIOD.
The reaction and activity OF the Cuban forces
now began to be shown in the attacks made py
them upon Spanish encampments aud conveys.
The attack upon Holguin, quite a large town, aud
well fortified, caused terrible effect upon all the
time-serving journals, which, nevertheless, re-
peated In their continual jeremiads that this was
but conclusion OF the expiring revolution But
almost at the same time, or in rapid succession,
occurred the attacks upon Guaimaro Sibanicu,
Las Yeguas, DC, while the famous Vicente Garcia
VINO had been tralorously deserted by the brothers
Irauiza and Repillo GQnzalez formerly The rinci.