The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1896-07-10

The Deadly Weapon That is VIM
ming 0uba's Freedom.
An Implement of Husbandry
That Serves Many Purposes.

Had it not been for the efficiency
OF tho maehoto in the hands Of the
brave patriots, tho cause OF Cuba's
liberty must have been irretriovably
lost before this time. Il Is this
weapon that Is winning Cuba's free
dom, for at the beginning Of tho pres
ent revolt thore were but a few hum
bred rifles in tho possession Of the in
surgonts, anduntil tue Bermuda landed
her cargo on the island, only an occa-
sional hhbusteriug expedition, aud
these carrying small supplies, had
managed to eludo the vigilance Of the
Spanish watch dogs.
The ease Of the transmission from an
implement Of husbandry to u weapon,
and the fearful effectiveness of the
macheto when employed against hui
man flesh instend of sugarcano or log
wood has made this great cutlass from
time immemorial an important factor
in private quarrels in Cuba, aud the
patriots We're not slow to perceive its
advantages when they began their
struggle for liberty. 1t was the one
weapon with which every peasant was
familiar. Even had these poor noun
taineers been versed in the handling
OF firearms, the supply of the latter
was SO precarious that a large proper
ton Of their troops wouid have been
quite useless but for the cutlass; and
a terrible foe have these machete- men
proved themselves in dozens Of en-
counters.
1t requires a sufficient amount of
bravery to stand up before line or
guns belching out flame and death, but
in hand-to-hand struggle, such as
becomes inevitable with these great
knives, personal activity and physical
strength are tried to the utmost, and
the leaders of the insurgents are
forced to originate a system OF tactics
quite at variance with the rules of
military science. There were few
wounded after the bloody battles of
Cacao, Tobite or San Geronimo, for
the Cubans, having crept through the
long grass, their machetes held be-
tween their teeth, would await in
breathless silence the approach of the
Spanish troops and the suddenness Of
the spring from the ambuscade left no
time to shoot sit became cutass against
bayonot on the instant, and the cut
lass generally did its work better.
. At the battle of Cacao, Rabi, the in
surgent leader, found his men sup
piled with but two rounds of cartridges,
and the country was too open to admit
of on ambush. Compelling a captured
trumpeter to sound the Spanish bugle
call, he rode full gallop with all his
force at the approaching column, cry
ing: "Viva Espana. " In the clouds
of dust the Spaniards did not perceive
the truth till their enemies were within
a few yards, and then it was too late,
for their ranks were shattered by the
impetuous' onset of the Cubans, and
only bare handful of the detachment
escaped the deadly machete.
The Spanish generals hive tried the
experiment of arming their troops
with the machete, but it was found to
be almost useless in the hands of the
inexperienced, and the insurgents have
still monopoly of its terrors. The
mere shout of Gel machete" has beer
known to create panic in the enemy
columns, and it is dreaded with reason,
for there is preserved in the Madrit
museum of artillery a rifle which, dur
ing the Ten Years war, was Gu
squarely in two, wood, steel and all
by a single stroke of cutlass.
It is not surprising that the Cuban
should be so wonderfully proficient il
handling this weapon when one reflect
what it is to him in times OF peace; j
is then about as comprehensive an i'm
plement as could be devised; he use
it for anything from peeliag a stick Q
sugarcane to telling tree foot an
half in diameter, and it is really
rare sight to see peasant without hi
cutlass, either carried in his hand q
swinging in long sheath In al
pearance it is much like a corn knit,