The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-09-25
METHODS OF THE CUBAN RAIDERS
They Are a SeOurge to the Great
Plantations In the Sugar District.
From the New York Sun.


From the New York Sun.
The method of the Cuban insurgents in
raiding place is TO hover about until the
Spaniards hear of their presence and send
troops to drive them off. No one can ever
ascertain how strong an insurgent force
is as they usually conceal their full
strength until the Spaniards fall into the
trap. In this instance. when some of the
Soledad people ventured out they found
the insurgents going through the evolu-
tions of a drill as naked as when they
came into the world. Not one thread of
clothing protected their bare bodies from
a drenchlng rain falling at the time. They
drilled away in blissful INCONSISTENCIES
of any infringement of the military code.
A Soledad employee remarked to one of
the rebels that no cause could succeed
when its soldiers couldn't afford clothes.
The rebel informed him that they had
taken off their clothes and put them I'M
der shelter, for fear of getting them wet
He added that the Spaniards We're not far
off, and that they were broken down and
their clothes water-soaked, which would
impede them, while his men, being fresh
and dry, could fall upon and easily put
them to flight The result proved the
willy insurgents to be right, and also that
nudity was not only economy but strate-
gy.
nsurrection. 1t has decimated the ranks
of the government troops tenfold more
than the insurgent machets. II mows
them down with such appalling rapidity
that il seems TO insure the victory of
Cuba in the struggle. About May !,
detachment of Spanish troops encamp-
ed. ON the Ysabel plantation, at the base
of the mountains near Guantanamo.
They had recently arrived from Spain,
and were totally unacclmated and suffer-
ing for want Of food. Most of them were
bows and very young men, unaccustomed
to active military service. The admins
traitor of the plantation gave them two
bulls, which were killed and consumed
within twenty minutes after driven into
camp. The next morning the Spaniards
resumed their pursuit of the insurgents
in the mountains, but by the time they
had marched four miles from Ysabel two
thirds of the force were Frustrated by the
heat and had to be carried back in bull
carts.
The troops have intensified the antago-
nism of the natives by unnecessary bru-
tality. Many instances have occurred on
their marches where the men found at
some roadside cabin were called out and
peremptorily ordered to join the govern
ment forces. When the unlucky native,
equally afraid TO Join, or refuse to join,
demurs, apd explains his neutrality, he Is
instantly shot.
one of the finest and largest plantations
in this district Is the San Antonio. 1t Is
beautifully situated on the foothills of the
mountains, and commands an extensive
view of the surrounding country. The
smokestacks of twenty great plantations
are visible from this magnificent place. II
has a railroad connecting it with GUIANA
tanamo bay. San Antonio has been UNI
fortunate enough to have its cane fields
twice destroyed by arson. 1t soon recuper-
ated, however. although the first fire con-
sumed all the buildings, mills and ma
chinery besides ravaging the cane fields on
the adjoining plantation, ROmalee. Its SUI
gar production is immense. The famous
San Antonio is owned by Nine. Adele Re
loj, a negress of jet black complexion. This
fact failed to save her from being wooed
and won, like any other heiress on this
side of the Atlantic, by a European hus-
band. Several sharp engagements have
been fought on the San Miguel planta-
ton, doing great injury to the crop, and
borers. In addition to other losses on the
plantation in the district of Santiago de
Cuba might be mentioned the large stores
amply stocked with merchandise adapted
to the needs of the plantation community
These have been literally, cleaned out of
ually the insurgents. Where the sales once
amounted to thousands of dollars the mer-
chants have now either closed their doors
until the war is over, or merely keep up a
semblance of trade by occasionally selling
a medals worth of tobacco. When the
store at Santa Maria plantation was raid
ed the insurgents did their work so thor
Oughly as to alarm the owner, a French
man, and his people. He Immediately
closed up the business of his splendid
plantation and removed with his family
to the safety and tranquility of the United
States where many another Cuban sugar
planter is just now stoically bordering his
miSfOrtuneS.
It is said that the staple products of a
Cuban plantation are sugar, negroes, dogs
planters and destroy the sugar crop; 1t
may diminish the ratio of negroes, but
the hords of dogs, with their chronic
mango, will be there, and the tieas.