Kansas City daily journal., 1896-12-19
Maceo and shamyI.
M the New York Sun

From the New York Sun.
Perhaps the one warrior of modern days
with whom the late Antonio Maceo might
most titly be compared is that proud chief
tain OF the Caucasus, Shamyl, who died
twenty-five years ago. In not few re-
srccts the character and career of tho
Cuban hero resembled those of the "Lion
OF Daghestan," although. let it be said 10
the honor of a Russian car. the circum-
stances under which ShamyTs life came to
an end in Arabia were very different from
those of General Maceo's death in Cuba.
Sha myi twice waged war against Russia,
as Maceo twice waged war against Spain.
Shamyl was champion OF his faith; Ma
Geo champion of liberty. The scene of
Shamyis exploits was among the Cauca-
sian mountains; that of Maceo's exploits
was among the mountains of Cuba. There
was a period of about twenty years be-
tween the first and the last of ShamyFs
wars; there was period of very nearly
as many years between the two wars in
which Maceo was Il leader.
The resemblances between the campaigns
OF Shamyl and those of Maceo strike one
upon many an occasion while observing the
operations of the man of DaEhestan and
the man of Cuba. The warlike genius of
Shamyl was not more eminent than that OF
Maceo. Shamyl's strategy and naneuvering
in the mountains were not more skillfuI
than Maceo's. The courage of Shamyl IN
attack or defense never exceeded that of
Maceo. Shamyl's adventures, year after
year. were not more astonishing than those
of Maceo. Shamyl would confront as
would Maceo, a force far superior to his
own. Shamyrs conduct at Akulgo when
his stronghold there was stormed by th,,
Russians, reminds us of Maceo's conduct
at his stronghold in the Rubi hills when
it was beseged by the Spaniards There
| is no feat of Shamyl that equals in great
the march m NIapaO froy l,a
most to the westernmoSt province of Cuba
last spring in the face of an army twenty
times larger than his own: and it must
be remembered, too, that Maceo held his
camp in the west for nine months, within
few miles of the Spanish capital and al
most within sight of an army 200. .OcO strong
whom he assailed at every opportunity, and
against whose attacks he made successful
defense.
When Shamyl first began hostilities
against Russia he had but Il small force
and ii was yet smaller force OF Cubans
that took the field against Spain at the
time of the ten years war in which Maceo
participated. In the later operations of
both warriors each of them had much
larger army than at first and each of them
performed deeds that will long live in the
memory of men.
At last, thirty-seven years ago. after his
long career as n warrior in command OF
tHS SauNaSiai HiouitdiietIS. oHdilNi Was
taken prisoner by the Russians. And what
a difference between the closing passage
III SbamyES life and that in MaceO's, Dill
the Russians assassinate their redoubtable
foe when he fell under their power? The
czar invited him to ST. Petersburg; he as
signed to him place of residence a. KaI-
uga. and pensioned him till the end of
his life, in the year 1871. The year before
his death Shamyl made pilgrimage to the
holy city of Mecca, and he died at the holy
city Of Medina. where the prophet of his
faith was buried.
The death OF the great Cuban warrior.
Antonio Maceo, the hero of liberty Shame.
assassin Weyler! Again, shame, oh, per-
fidious Spain!