The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1873-12-11
NO. so.

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THE CUBAN WAR. as'sf
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A Condensed History OF the N
surrection In Cubs, lsHaaaj
| The history Of Ike insurfectiot,
against Spanish rule In Cuba throws
much light upon the acts Of the epan-
ish authorities In connection with the
treatment Of the crew Of tho Vir.
ginius. The white population Of the
island Of Cuba may be considered
composed Of two classes, the I,csiasu.
tares. or Spanish immigrants, and
Creoles. or native Cubans. In IsaN
the total population numbered /, 49,
$50 persons. of whom about one-hall
were slaves. sas ss.ts 49,, ~.
The causes which led to open insue-
rection in the island wero enumerated
in the pronuncidp,ento first issusd
Oct, 10, 1868. BY the insurgents at
Yars. . small place In the Province OF
Manzanillo. They aaaArted that Il
was well known that Spain governed
Cuba with an iron and blood stained
hand; that Cubans were deprived 81
political, civil and religious liberty;
that they were not allowed to hold
public meetings, nor to write upon
afiairs Of state that they were ex-
cluded from aii shares in the Govern.
ment, and were piundered BY sthe
Spanish ofiicials; that restrictions
were placed upon public instruction !;
that they were ground down with tax.
- which would ruin any communisy
with = less fruitful suii; that they
were controlled snd overawcd BY al
immense standing army and navy,
whose cost they were Obliged to pay,
and that white immigration was dis.
couragsd and slave importation aided.
Finding all appeals vain, and that
their protests only broag htupon them
the name and treatment Of ,sebsis.
they issued this proclamation 10 the
friends Of Csba Libra. setting forth
their purpose to obtain indepsndence
from Spain, to 4 tAdusil y aboiish siav-
cry, and to establish universal suffrage.
The proclamation was signed by
Carlos Manuel Cespesies, wealthy
planter Of Msnxaniilo, aud by iarRe
number of other patriots. Ten days
later, Cespedes. who had been made
Provisional President of tho Cuban
Republic, retitioned The United States
Government for recognition Of bell
ligerent rights. clainaiag pcssesAion Of
80 leagues Of the eastern and central
parts of e'ls island, having 4 popula-
tion Of 100. coo persons, and the citiss
OF Bayaino and Hoiguiu Az the close
Of 1858, Cespedes issued preliminary
proclamation of emancipation, and
during this whole time the insurgeDts
were extending their territory and
fighting many small battles IN the
vicinity of Puerto Principe and M
evitas. The possession of sthess two
cities was very desirable to both par.
ties. the latter being seaport con.
nected with Puertn to Principe by
rail. ts gr $50 i}ssQ & aaf
In February, 1869, Capt. Gen. I1er-
sundi was superseded by Gen. Dulce,
who had previously made arrange
ments for the shipment to Cuba Of all
the hard characters In Spain that
could be persuaded or forced to .'vol-
unteer." Gen. Dnlce Immediately
declared martial law throughout the
leland, and as steamer after steamer
arrived with the volunteer reinforce
ments, more activity was manifested
In the field. A series Of guerrilla en-
counters then commenced, and have
continued without interruption until
the present time While the insur-
gents have generally been forced to
retreat with considerable loss, the
Spanish troops have been so constant
ly harrassel, that they have rarely
been able to obtain any decisive ad-
vantage, In spite of their superior
numbers and arms The insurgents
of the Central Department Of the Is.
land elected delegates to House OF
Representatives which, In the early
part Of 1899, decreed the absolute
emancipation of all slaves In that de.
partment, and also sent an address TO
President Grant, on his inauguration,
asking recognition as beiligerents.
About this time, heavy force Of
ships. of-war and troops succeeded in
capturing La Guanajs, the only port
In the possession Of the insurgents.
In April, representatives from all
parts of the island met at Guaymoro
and formed the first legislative body
Of the Cuban Republic. Cespedes was
elected President for six years, and
Quesada was appointed Genersl-in-
Chief of the Cuban forces.
The Spaniards now commenced
their barbarous policy OF killing all
"patriot" Cubans, and destroying ell
their property. In the early part Of
April, 1869, Count Valmaseda issued
proclamation from Bayamo, after its
capture, in which he gave notice Of
the following outrageous DEGREES:
Every man, from the age Of Is years
and upwards, found beyond the limits
Of his farm, shall be shot, unless
justification for his absence be proven.
Every hut that is found vscant will
be burned by the troops.
Ever hamlet where q white flag is
not hoisted, in token of desire for
peace, will be reduced to ashes.
Further DEGREES by Dulce ordered
that every family which could not
account satisfactorily for the absence
Of any Of It's male members should be
banished from the island, and their
property confiscated. Under these
DEGREES, hundreds OF families were
rendered destitute and were driven to
various adjoining islands and to the
United States. Over 1000 pepons
emigrated to Key West, Florida, and
there established cigar manufactures.
The first pitched battle Of any con-
sequence took place In April, 1859, at
AltaOraeia In which aho,1t a dil0 man