The evening times., 1896-12-24
They Are the Best Fighters for
Freedom in Cuba.
SQUAD OF TEXAS COWBOYS
Marion Perdue Gives More Facts
About His Experiences in Gomez's
Army-NO Quarter Given by the
Spaniards TO Those who Surren-
der-Rifles Are Needed.

bans, who was sent to his home IN hicl-
mond, Va, by Sanitary Officer Frank yes
terday afternoon, gave some interesting
additional information to Times man
before his departure.
Although Virginian, twenty-five years
of age, the Cuban soldier had been SO tanned
by exposure to sun, wind and rain that
ne is almost as dark as Mexican.
He told how he received the five wounds
during fight in Pinar del Rio which have
marked him for life. The first resulted
from a Mauser bullet striking him below
the knee. As he tumbled another bullet
struck him Oh the same leg, above the knee,
going entirely through that member. Then
while Pcrduc was on the ground the Spanish
column charged over him. One particu
larly brutal looking Spanish soldier club
bed his musket and paused in the headiong
charge long enough to aim heavy blow at
the head of the PROSTATE Cuban.
Perdue, wounded as lie was, drew him
self up in a hall," as he expressed it. and
the butt OF the gun descended with great
force. striking him on the leg, splintering
the bone
Another Spaniard aimed a vicious blow
at him with a machetc, Tie blade struck
Still another of weylcr's butchers gave him
heavy macbete blow across the body,
and Perduc stiffened out as though he
were dead to avoid further punishment
Flight of the Spaniards.
In a few minutes he heard the welcome
battle cry of Cuba libre.' and the Span
ish soldiers, now disorganized mob,
rushed pcll nell back to the cover OF their
forts, pursued by the yelling Cubans. Their
retreat was so precipitatc that they did
not have time to stop, and hack the heads
and bodies of the dead, dying and wound
ed, as they would have done otherwise.
Pcrdue was taken back to the hills by
comrades of Capt. Palomero's company
Fourth Brigade OF infantry, and treated
by Cuban surgeons. He says Gumez's hos
pitfalls ard medical officers are much in
need OF medicines and bandages, and gave
instances where Cuban women had torn
their lingerie into strips ard sent them to
the hospitals to be used in bandaging
wounds.
I'm reading accounts of battles in Cuba"
said the young Virginian, you have no.
ticed, no doubt, that the reports read so
many Cubans were killed and so many
wounded, but you rarely ever see it stated
that such a number Were taken prisoners.
There are two awful reasons for this. The
Spaniards do not take prisoners. They have
practically hoistcd the black flag and any
Cuban patriot who is unlucky enough to be
taken alive never sees the sun rise on the
following day.
HE is shot down very soon after he is
taken and his body added TO the number of
4 a killed in hattie The nj
son / S that Cuban soldiers know very well |
the fate which is in store for them and they |
prefer to die fighting rather than be as
81 assinated in the ranks of their foes. Many |
Of Gomez's and Maceo's men for this rea-
son have registereda a solemn oath not to be |
taken alive.
Americans in the Ranks.
The hundreds of Americans in the ranks
If the insurgents are rated among the best
fighters on the island. They are mostly.
from the southern and Western States, and
being expert marksmen, are given Win
chester repeating rifles when possible and |
put forward as Sharpshooters. Many Span
sh soldiers have bit the dust owing to the
lnerring aim of the riflemcn hidden in
thickets.
Many other Americans are in the artillery
service and make the very best Of gunners.
The dynamite cannon, which is manned by
volunteers from the United states, is more
cared by weyler's soldiers than several
'egmcnts of infantry. Its work in the
hands of its clever manpulators is awfully
to both men and structures.
A squad of Texas cowboys in the Fourth
Brigade arc armed with heavy telescope
rifles, which will kill nearly two miles
AWAY. They call themselves The Lone
star Riflemen," the solitary star being The
emblem of both Cuba and Texas.
These devil-may-caTe rough riders have
sworn to drop Butcher Weyler If they ever
succeed in drawing a bead on him. One of
he squad, named Ryan, keeps record of
he Spanish Officers he has shot He claims
D have tumbled nineteen already, not to |
lention privates.
Perduc described a macnetc drill by COL |
red Cuba ms in camp. These negro troops, he
aid, are desperate fighters with that keen |
dyed weapon. The machete of peace,
rhc. is used for cutting sugar cane, is diff
ercnt from the machete OF war The for
ler has a point which is curved backwards, |
m the order of a scimetar. Those en-
,loyed in battle are perfectly straight and
o off 10 a point like an officer sword.
Practice With Machetes.
The colored soldiers armed with machetes
ractice charging and slashing with these
Weapons at short bushes, and man Of them
re as proficient in handling the blades as
Chinese headsman.
The colored Cubans are almost as fleet
,otcd as deer, and when charging Span
III line they close up the Intervening space I
n an incredibly short space OF time, and
he flashing machetes tell that bloody and
anguinary works being done by them.
"lt is pity" Perdue added, that these
olored and many white troops, cannot all
2 supplied with rifles. 1t is not often
lat they get chance at the Spaniards
ith their blades. Weyler's men are q
)wardly lot, as rule, and prefer to re-
lain under the cover of their forts and fire
trough port holes, rather thancome out into
he open andfight the CubaDs man to man."
Dynamite Is destined tn play an important
art in any advance the Spanish maj make.
t will be welded by Gomez's men. and
mployed in such manner us to Cause
errible loss Of life to the Spaniards.
A pathetic incident was related, which
appened at the big fight in Pinar del Rio.
handsome young Cuban soldier had his
ntire lower Jaw and tongue carried away
Y solid shot. He was leaning against
tree bleeding to death asa body of Cubans
harged past him ia the direction of the
nemy. They were firing their rifles
nd yelling ''Cuha Libre.'' The terribly
youth could not cheer them on
IT his tongue and the lower portion of his
ice were gone.
1