Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1878-03-23

Insurgents OF the HAS. was SUCCESSFUL
in several battles with the Spaniards, in
February. 1869. On April IL Cespedes
was formally elected President OF the
Cuban republic, and Gen. Quesada
Commander-in-C Chief of tire army. In
the meantime Nalmaseda-called the
.'tiger issued general order that
every male over l. years OF age found
in the country away from his home
without good reason, should be shot,
and that every house on which a white
flag was not displayed should be burned,
and that all women and children found
alone on their farms should be removed,
if necessary, by force, either to Bayamo
or Jiguani. Important landings were
made Of arms and men during May, one
under Rafael Quesda and the other I'M
der Gen. Jordan. The first reached its
destination without moles.ation, the lat
ter was attacked twice but repulsed the
Spaniards and reached the Cuban
camps. The command of the army of
the Orient was given to Jordan, who at
forwards succeeded Quosda as command
er-in-chief. In August, 1870, Mr..
Fish, the United States Secretary OF
State, proposed terms for the cessIon of
the island to the Cubans, but the au-
thorities at Madrid declined to consider
them. Gen. Caballero de Rodas sue
ceeded Dulce as Captain-General, arriv-
ing in Cuba in July with reinforcements
equal to $4,000 men. De Rodas not
proving to be popular with the volun-
teers of Havana, he was superseded by
Valmaseda in December, 1870. The
rule of Valmaseda has been stained by
the cruel murder of eight medical stud
ents for so-called political demonstra-
ton at a cemetery, and by the issue of
many barbarous orders, which were In
general carried out to the letter by the
willing volunteers and military officers.
He was succeeded in 1872 by Ceballos,
and in 1873 by Gen. Pieltain, who tried
to open negotiations with the insur-
gents on the basis of Cuba remaining a
State of the Spanish Republic. This
offer was, however, declined, and the
operations of the patriots pushed Wig
orously westward into the Central De-
partment. In November, 1873, Pieltain
was superseded by Gen. Jovellar as
Captain-General, and Cespedes gave
way to Cisneros as President of the
Cuban republic. From October, 1865,
to the end of 1873, Spain lost 6S. coo out
of the $4,000 troops she had sent TO
Cuba, exclusive of her losses ofresident
Spaniards, and i'm the first three years,
ending October, 1871, over S7c,OO0,OOO.
The destruction of sugar estates and
other property continued without inter-
ruption during all this time, and fight
ing was of daily occurrence on the lines
between the opposing forces.
The reader will remember the excite
ment created in the country on the ar
rival of the news OF the capture of the
Cuban steamer Virginius off Jamaica,
and the subsequent shooting of her
and many of her crew at the
in Santiago de Cuba.
with that massacre was an
attack by the insurgents on Manzanillo,
and also the battle of La Zanja. The
horror manifested in the United States
at the massacre of the Virginius's crew
was taken advantage of by Gen. Quesada
to appeal to Gen. Grant for belligerent
rights for the insurgents, which, how
ever, were not granted. Gen. Burriel,
Governor of Santiago de Cuba, who or
dered the murder of the unfortunate
men of the Virginius. was recalled to
Spain, but rewarded there for his butch
cry. In the latter part of December a
battle was fought at Palo Sece, in which |
the Spaniards was defeated. They sus-
tanned another defeat in January, 1874,
at Melones, and the insurgents destroy
ed large number OF plantations
throughout that district. In February |
the indecisive battle of liaranjo was |
fought. In June the patriots captured !
the town of Bayamo, and in July nego-
liations were reported as being again
in progress for a settlement, but came |
to nothing. From that time until the end |
Of 1874 continuous fighting was kept up.
Sixteen serious engagements took place
iuriup that time