River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1896-09-03
SKATERS RAID.
BY FRANK l. POLLOCK
IcoPxRIcHr. 1851

1t was cOsmO DOlitau group that sat
around the camp-fires of Slater's Horse.
The troop numbered 20 men all told,
drawn from every one of the Anglo
Saxon races of the planet. There were
Americans. Englishmen, Canadians,
Australians and South Africans. and
they had come from the ends OF the
earth TO take part in such a row as
promised to follow when Cuba Libra
set up her flag against that of Spain.
Their leader was a Nirginian. there
was not a Cuban or a Spaniard in the
company, and the name of Slater's
troop was a name of terror to the gov
eminent forces from Pinar del Rio to
Sagua la Grande.
To see them thus encamped, no one
would have supposed that they were
engaged in one OF the most daring raids
that had been adventured since the war
opened in '95. The officers-there were
but two--who sat Economically on the
ground among the men; there was
tInkling Of banios AMI mingling sound
of confused talking and OF jOvial, free
handed profanity. The shadows Of the
men doomed big on the background of
tropical vegetation, where the red fire
light flashed fitfulIy from time TO time,
and showed now the form of a tethered
horse and now the figure of sentry
leaning against a smOoth-cOated palm.
II was no small affair that these men
were engaged in-nOthing less, in fact,
than a raid on the ''trocka" itself. It is
not the policy of the Cuban leaders u
risk a pitched battle, so to arouse the
enthusiasm of the men. and at the same
time to keep the enemy on the alert.
such expeditions are undertaken from
time to time.
They had encamped some 50 miles
from the Spanish lines. and the attack
was fixed for the next night. y dash
across the country, stealthy advance
on the Notifications, another dash.
saber and revolver. and n triumphal re-
treat-this was the programme that
Slater's Horse proposed 20 itself.
Next morning they rode up and down
the rolling hills in the early dawn for
two hours. and then rested for the heart
of the day in a cool and very secluded
grove, where they would be screened
from any wandering guerrillas. Late
mt night they saddled again and rode
cautiously forward till they were not
more than 20 rods from the trOcha it
self. They could see the watch-fires on
the further side of the great redOubt.
shining between tine strands of the
barbed wire fence stretched along the
brink.
Between them and the trocha Law a
dangerous obstacle. an ingenious de-
81 Of Hav- IS tx-ffaa
drawn six inchs apart and foot above
the ground. T.'is formed a net work
over which il was impossible TO ride.
and as its width was uncertain. was
dangerous TO leap Slater knew of this
impediment, however. and had made his
plans accordingly. Half dozen then
dismounted in silence, and taking each
n pair of nippers from his saddle bugs.
Crept forward into the darkness. The
rest OF the troop sat silently on horse
back hearkening TO the sounds and
voices from the Spanish camp, and TO
The occasional clicking noise right
ahead where their comrades were cut
ting the hostile wires.
In the course of half an hour the men
came back, and in whispers reported
the way clear. The wires had been cut
and dragged aside, so as to leave a road
of sufficient width for the passage of the
troop. even in the hurried retreat which
must follow. The whole party then dis
mounted and led the horses stealthily
forward. till almost on the very brink of
the troeha. The Spaniards on the other
side were clearly visible. while they
themselves were hidden in deep shad-
Ows. Three men were left with the ami
mails, and the rest scrambled into the
ditch and up l., other side.
So quietly was all this done that the
whole performance passed unobserved
till Slater sprang upon I've parapet and
began slashing at the wires with his
machete. Then there was a shout aud
shot from the nearest Spaniard, fol-
lowed by a miscellaneous rattle of rifles
along the lines. The troops swarmcd
ont. and saw a string of men hacking
furiOusly at the wires with one hand
and plying a revolver with the other. In
the dim freight their numbers could
not be ascertained.
At this amazing spectacle. the soldiers
fired volley-that is, discharged their
rifles in the general direction of the foe.
When the smoke blew off. this opera
ton seemed 10 have produced no eff
feet on the invaders. who had now cut
and torn the strands apart and were
actually within the Enclosure. They
bore down IN line on the Spaniards. re
volver in one hand. blade IN the other.
No soldier-marksmen were they. but
men whose lives had often and often
hung upon a pistol-shOt, and now their
enemies felt the effect. In ten seconds
so of the blue uniforms were writhing
on the sod. and the remainder beheld
the machetes flashing in their faces
The Castillisns are not without a prov
erb that teaches that discretion is the
better part Of valor: they drew back.
Their shots seemed to have no effect on
the madmen. whose pistols emitted n
continuous stream Of fire. The with
drawal became retreat-the retreat a
panic. They crowded together and ran
for the tents--s hundred mep routed by
IL Slater did not pursue them further.
The long roll was sounding up aud
down the lines. and the firing would
bring down a dozen regiments in five
minutes He had done all that was
necessary, had cut up the enemy's lines
with q small quarter Of a company. and
without loss. 50 that IL was time 70 re
treat as swiftly as he had made the at
tack
a torch was thrust into the nearest
cluster of tents, the Maxim guns within
reach were tumbled into the ditch. and
the little band went back as they had
c ne. leaving the cut wires and the
Tvs of dead 20 mark where they had
passed. A minute mors and they were