New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-07-12
Cespedes and Cuba.

slant publishes the following Cuban news:
Colonel Carlos M. Cespedes, the eldest
son of the late President of Free Cuba, ar
rived in New York on Friday evening last
from Kingston, Jamaica. Colonel Cespedes
left the shores of his native Cuba on the
sixth of last month, and after being buffet
ed about by wind and wave for the space
of two and half days in an open canoe,
succeeded in landing near Falmouth, Jamai.
ca, being unable to reach St. AIMS bay,
the usual place of landing from Cuba block
ade runners. Colonel Cespedes was accom-
panied in his perilious voyage by the licen-
tiate Don joaquin Castillanos, patriot
who belongs to the town of BayamO, two
children and six seamen. While at sea the
party luckily escaped the observation of
Spanish gunboats and made the hazardous
run without any mishap. As the frail craft
was supplied with futia and boniatos the
escaped the pangs of hunger which many
others going the same way have felt keenly
enough.
Colonel Cespedes reports that he left the
camp of Major General Calixto Garcia Ini-
guez on the sixth of May at 'Jiguani, on
the CautO river. On the third of that
month an action had been fought between
200 Cubans, under Colonel Limbano San
chez, and about $50 Spaniards. The action
was COuuCACCO Wy a Sp1ulsu uCAAlld AOlCo
Of twenty-five men, who were speedily cap
tured or dispersed by the Cubans. The
Spaniards sent reinforcements from Jiguani
to the scene of action, but these arriving
too late to succOr the guerilla band gave
battle to the patriots. The battle lasted
from p. NJ. until night, when both parties
withdrew without any decided advantage
on either side.
Hardly week passes in which skirmishes
&c vnra do vo< 10,
some Of the camps. The Cubans are every
day acquiring strength and increasing the
number and efficiency of the patriot army.
1t is shown in the eastern department,
from which Colonel Cespedes has just come,
that the Cubans had passed the trocha of
Camaguay, and they are making rapid
Roadway IN the Cinco Villas district, which,
years ago, was reported to have been COM
pletely subdued by the pacifcator General
Portilla. The want Of arms and ammuni-
ton are still obstacles IN the way of speedy
uccess.
Colonel Cespedes was with his illustrious
father. the late President of Free Cuba,
vixen h met his death. The President had
been staying for some two months after his
deposition at place called San Lorenzo, in
the Sierra Maestro, about eight leagues
from Cambute, District of Santiago de
Cuba, on the south side of the island. The
deposed chief magistrate was waiting for
his passport, which he expected soon to re-
ceive from the new government that had
replaced him, he having made up his mind
to leave the island for a season.
The ex-President was in the habit of visit.
ing family who lived in a ranch or hut
about 100 yards from that occupied by him
self and his son, the narrator. He was in
the habit Of teaching their letters to some
children belonging to the family whom he
visited, and was thus occupied with one of
the boys on his knee when the
Spanards, in three different detach-
ments,, and firing commenced at
once about the ranch, where the President
was. Colona Cespedes rushed to the as.
sistahce Of his father, but the hut where he
was being nov entirely surrounded by the |
enemy it became impossible for him to get |
there. The Standards opened heavy fire,
and considerable number of the soldiers |
pursued the Colonel lie was Obliged to |
he could. The Colonel then made for Bra |
EOS EscandidO,a place about three leagues |
Oft, where he expected to get some rein
fOrcements witt which to return and at
tempt the rescu, of his father. 1t must be |
remembered that Cespedes was without |
escort or troops of any kind and unguard- |
ed, except BY his son and their servants. |
Colonel Cespeda was unable to return to |
the scene of acton until five o'clock on the |
morning of the mkt day February ~, at |
which time the, Saniards were leaving the |
place. The Distracted son had been able |
to get together Tut some half dozen SOL |
diers with which t. do battle for his fathers |
life.
In the meantime tie Spaniards had burned |
the ranches and raed their frail timbers to |
the ground. 1t wa, only then that Colonel |
Cespedes learned his bereavement, for he |
still thought that his father might have |
escaped by some other avenue through the |
woods. But here, while reconnoitering, |
one of the Coloneps men found the Presi- |
dents clothing near the burned hut where |
he fell. The articles found were his pants, |
coat, vest and hat, 80 that the body must |
have been taken away in an almost nude |
state. A portion OF the clothing was burned |
and torn. The watch and other valuable |
articles OF the deceased patriot, as well as
the portraits OF his bereaved wife and |
children, were gone, and in possession of |
the Spaniards. The remainder of the cloth
ing which escaped the flames and the fury
of the Spanish soldiery Colonel Cespedes
has brought with him to New York. The
wound which must have proved fatal to the
heroic Cespedes was in his left breast and
from pistol ball. Colonel Cespedes thinks
that when the President found escape to be
he used his awn revolver with
fatal effect against himself rather than fall
INFO the hands of the Spaniards. It is sus-
pected that President Cespedes was be-
into the hands Of the Spaniards by
an unqrateful negro.
Major General Calixto Garcia ordered
COLONEL c. spedes to como here on very
important mission, one of its objects being
hat Of obtaining reinforcements OF arms
nal smmunitions for the men in the field.