The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-12-19
THE CUBAN LEADER.
HOW MACEo FIRST EMITTED IN
THE CAUSE OF LIBERTY.
FerceA to Leave His Fathers Fian-
tation Because Of the Ousrages
Committed by the spanish Sol
dfery-Hfs Rise From the Ranks
TO . Great Cavalry Commander.

Cuban revolution began Gen. Antonio Ma
Geo has been killed. says the chicago
TtIes-Hersld. The fact that ne invarca-
bly, comes 10 life more Formidable Sf.an
ever IA no wise deters the enerly from
killing sgsn again. Well. indeed. might the
Spansaras wish for the death Of the ire
presxiple M2ceo. What checks has ne not
gwen chem. Whas victories has ne not
snatched from them, What punxsnt war
fare has ne not waged IN their very
stronrnolds, Ar no time WITHIN the past
two years has there been u moment when
Spain would not have pad 600 pesos.
in sore Straits as she Is, for his body. dead
or alive. What mighty motive sFas moved
Antonio Maceo IN his relentless war on
Spaing A brief notice of the career %
the Cuban hero and Aberator win suffice
10 answer the question.
The study of Maceo Is as thrilling as
that of any hero In she worId-struggle for
liberty. His uRconpromssing patriotism.
his tmplacabge hatred Of the enemy, his
self-sacriilce, magnetism, courage, his
rugged nature ami us stern. solemn pglr-
pose-aA these things drew men 30 hlm
and ned them with a force from which
there was no escape. THIS IS The second
Cuban revolution In which Maceo has been
a conspicuous figure. In the ten years
war he rose from the ranks to the grade
of a major general. Then, now. he was
fearless fighter. Then. as now, he Was
the despair of the Span ards. But in tins
revolution Maceo went into the fight with
all the experience Of has first campaign,
re-enforced by Ie years OF sturdy and prep
aration in the arts of war.
Maceo fs the last OF nine brothers who
bled and died for Cuba And in him is
concentrated the spirit Of the eight
brothers and their dead farmer. Antonio
was born in fs4s on the plantation OF his
20 81 = IA
palm-thatched village OF Barajagus- RE
worked for the family. driving the mules
along the lonely mountain roads. He saw
The saves tosAng and keeniy felt the
shame of we Cuban's degradation. One
day IN 1858 Antonio returned from trip
70 Halsuin. bringing 10 his father the
news that the Cubans had uprlsen and the
island was N revost. BY this time the
family had increased to 11-n1ne sons and
TWO daughters. Young Antonio desired TO
fight for his country. but Maceo the father
prevailed upon nm and his brothers TO
maintain strict neutrality. Yet the
father deeply sympauhized with the cause
of the insurgents, and often lent chem Sc
cret a.d when he could. Perhaps the Span
iards in some way learned this fact, and
IL was THAI knowledge that gave TO Cuba
her greatest leader. One day band of
Spanish guerrtflas under the lead of Capt.
Campslio passed by the Cuban's psanta-
ton. Maceo and his elder sons were away
upon a trip to Baracoa. At niglBtfall.
when they returned, Shey found their
meme a mass of blackened ruins. The
barns were burned, the crops destroyed,
the mules, horses and cattle stolen. Tho
mother With a broken arm was tied TO a
tree and meaning With pain. SIX boys lay
on the ground, bleeding and sensegess.
The two girls were aiding, half dead. IN
the bushes. What should now withhold
the Maceos from the conflict? The next
day the women OF the Maceo household
were placed IN the hands OF friends and
the father assembled his sons together.
He required them ali TO register an oath
never TO lay down their arms until the
Spaniard should be driven from the land
aud Cuba be free. How well the sons have
kept that GA tn has been seen in tho rec
ord of blood and flame from one end OF
the Island 10 the other.
At the time that aleceo's plantation was
Destroyed Gen. Maxine Gomez was lying
with MS forces In the mountains of San
tiago. One day ne was confronted by
tail. gausFt man, followed by half a dozen
awkward boys The gauGt man volun-
teered mis- services and those OF his sons.
Can you fgslt?" asked the aeader with a
guaie. Perhaps" was the reply. Some
time after "a company OF Spanish cavalry
passed near rhe camp OF Gomez. They
were cut TO pieces by the guerrillas OF
Gomez. AT the head Of the rebels rode
the Maceo awkward squad. The father
feb in this fight. and Within two monrshs
three OF the sons had been slain in battle.
The remaining members or the Maceo
fa.nEy seemed 20 bear charmed lives.
They fought reeklessly. Death first over
took Miguel then julio fell under Span
ish fire. and Felipe and Tomas were dis
abieG. This left Antonio alone. His
brother Jose was too young 70 join his
brother IN the field. For the first year OF
his service under Gomez Antonio fought
like ton. IN that space OF time he was
promoted from a common soldier 70 ser
geant, and then became successfully ieu-
tenant captain and ma tor. Soon after his
last promotion ne led a hand OF 80 against
the upland town of ri Arrsba- and cap
turing che forts drove the Sp.niards 10
Santiago. lie was then given The straps
or coionel. His career from this for
ward was one Of glory. Gomez advanced
him IN power. and the Span1ards began 20
dread bis very name. His enga gemengs
were al hri4cau., mis- victories Tar reach
ing. his losses slight. He tortured the
great Campos al Ramos. slaughtered The
combined forces or Camp0s apd Valera az
Monte Oscuro. utterly routed force Of
,,5oo Spaniarls IN the battle Of Zarzal. and
az Santa Maria de Halguin ne charged
ard eisuayei tire Spanish line before tire
named action Cakxto Garcia was n com
rnand, and Maceo led the charge.
About this tsfne Antonio Maceo first met
his present enemy, Capt. Gen NaleTtaTIo
wey.er Weyier had Just been made
briggadier general. and WAS sent against
the brave Antoine AZ Cuaimaro- The lat
ter led the br.Rayiier and hrs men into
ravine trap and slaughtered the Span
saras Ike sheep. weyier ran away, geav-
sng 80 Of rs ITen slain. Soon thereafter
Msceo attacked with great success Uhe
San Quentin battalion, and Won a major
genera}shtr. HIS pron10t1n added Are 20
his ambition. ard ne foughe many hlcoiy
fights at Baraeua. at san Felipe. Sa6ana.
Hzeo de- Medic. Cayo ReY and Miranda.
A. Cayo Rey Maceo was shot through tha
lungs. htst escaped and recovered After
MS recovery Maceo adopted new methods
Of hursng The Spauisras. ISIS brother
jesse hzss1 rneauw.sile grown ID 20 man
s,sssa. ard io-ne5 Antonio. Between Them
they conducted a campaign mat hls>1
spain 20 The heart. they marched
s.TravRh the country and left run and
Sesosatton behbasa chem X has been this
snessfod that nas caused Span fer deep
esq sorrow In tba present revolution
In re misls. Ct s. wreeklng ex pells on
Nfacs-o ~als pa8nsd 20 leara THAI fhs Cuban
leaders had signed q treaty Il pesce ~.ts1
Sraalu. lie refused so ascent fhe t1tuAtfon.
ard continued AIS rounds % aestrae-2ssTa-
pt4s rae backbone Of fne rebellion ~sas
broken. aaa Maceo consented 70 put away
sts xRadr1 GA cou15gon that Spain si90uia
furnish nm win a TsarsE1tp - carry nm
srsa airs cfgtcars 70 yaEYsstca- Gen. Cazupos
asserted rne offer. and &acNo ret1r*e1.
Fss,~ 4 was not 20 rest HIS proud spirit
s-ns not broken. ard III as retirement ne
nurtured ssis scheme of NeSssanee' 10
cave 40 ~ whole zne % tsfe ssUay %
~ a u