Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1896-07-23
CUBAN MACnETEs.
Manner in Which This Formidable
Weapon Is Used IN War.

! One of the horrible features Of field
OF battle where machetes are used is
the number of partly beheaded and
feLrfull> mutilated budies that are
found lying around, which present a
CHASTITY sight even to the sturdy soldiers
! Who have survived the conflict.
! The machete has played no small
part in the history Of all uprisings in
i the Spahish-speakins provinces, but
! it has done such execution that if the
/ island should win her freedom the ma
! chete ought TO be included in the coat
of arms of Cuba Libre. 1t is the tool
OF the Cuban workingman. With II ne
earns his living cutting the sugar cane
| With it he cuts the firewood for his own
use. Indeed, it is Ratchet and knife
combined tor him Every man in Cuba
possesses a machete, no matter what
else he does not own.
1t is not generally known that most
of these deadly weapons are manufac-
| tured in the United Ste les. New York
City is the chief market for the ma
cEete. 1t is not, however, used exclu-
sively for purposes Of war. 1t is a lse-
full instrument of husbandry in ali
sugar growing countries. There are
over 100 varieties of machetes. About
5000 of them are shipped from New
York City every week to Central and
South American countries Many OF
them are shipped to Cuba, though
IN Al III ftyna IF
war and contraband goods. Since the
insurrection in Cuba they are, OF course,
not SEM directly to that country by the
manufacturers, who would then be re-
sponsible to the United States govern
ment Cor breach of the neutrality
laws. They nevertheless find their way
into the hand Of the insurgents. they
are also shipped to Hayti, Brazil, Mex-
leo, San Domingo and Venezuela.
Most of the American machetes are
made at Collinsville, Conn. They are
made of the finest tempered steel, and
great skill in workmanship is required
in their manufacture. Each country
uses a different form, but the difference
is usually only in the curve of the
blade, which is long and widens toward
the point 1t is exc aedingly sharp, and
the haft is very short. Thus the ma
chete is a murderoIS weapon, despite
the agricultural purposes to which 1t is
applied. Every country has sword of
its own. but Cuba is perhaps the only
country whose sword Is at the .ame
time he" reaping hook.
In the conflict in p.ogress in Cuba
the insurgents have done such deadly
execution with the machete that the
Standards have decided to arm their
own infantry with it in order to be able
to meet the insurgents on more nearly
equal terms. The ralk and file If the
Cuban insurgents, who come from the
plantations, are not skilled in the use
of firearms, but they make up for 1t by
the ferccity with which they engage III
close encounters With Spanish soldiery
with the deadly machete. When this
happens the Spaniard is likely TO fare
badly.
The mode of using the machete IS en-
tirely different from the sword The
thrust is not employed at all. The ann
with the machete is to cut and slash.
The insurgent ordinarily carries he
weapon in scabbard at the left SIDE
of the belt or dangling from chain at
tached to his right wrist In any ease
the weapon is not held in position TOR
use until the lines are within few
yards of each other
When the word is passed the ma
chete is pulled from the scabbard with
an upward stroke diagonally to he
right, with the long sharp edge toward
the enemy. Inc stroke is aimed 1T the
abdomen of the person attacked, with
the intent of wounding the body below
the waist. Then, with the weapon
raised to the full length of the right
arm, the wrist is simply turned over
and the maehete makes a stroke pack
to the left, so as to slash the victims
neck. and. Il possible, partially behead
him With one more turn OF the wrist
the edge Of the maehetc strikes 1oWn-
ward. cleaving the body again.
This is done with wonderful deterity,
and the strokes are the easient TO learn
of all made with edged weapons. In
the hands of the insurgents, hahituated
to the use of the machete, AM who arr
yers, strong these blows are frightfully
effective, and machete wound is usual
ly fatal. The battle of Baira, in which
so many Spaniards were decapitdted
and which was the bloodiest in Cuban
history, was won by The macaetes
against the best American Springfield
rifles in the hands Of the Spaniards.
The Cubans, however. have purchased
number Of Remington and Mauser rites,
md are making every effort 10 en- ,lr-
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