The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-12-09
RETURNED FROM CUBA.
A Tennessee Soldiers Experience in the
Rebel Army.

=
A Tennessee Soldiers Experience in the
Rebel Army.
NASHVILLE, Tenn, Dec. 3.'-Lieut. G.
G. Blood, formerly of company G:
Second Regiment, N. G. S: T., IS just
back from the war.racked island, and
is now in Nashville with friends.
Lieut.. Blood says that at the dedica-
ton of Chickamauga Park ne was ac
costed by a secret agent OF the Cuban
Junta, Rouberto Cutrazo, and that
the meeting terminated in his enlist
ment in the Cuban army.
He was given $500 in Galloway,
near his home, and $3.50 after signing
enlistment papers en- route to Cuba.
Lieut.. Blood left New Orleans on
the naptha launch Kitty, which was
wrecked on the gulf coast lew
months ago, with thirty other Whlte
aspirants for fame, and three negroes
who represented the crew, all under
command of Cutrazo. e
The voyage to Cuba lasted iour
days, the usual trip being much less,
but owing to the presence OF several
Spanish gunboats much time was con-
sumed in dodging. H.
The launch Kitty landed on the
eastern coast of the island, and the
party was piloted to Gen: GomezS rs 5
Headquarters in the province OF I'll
Principe, where Lieut.. Blood lmme'
diately commenced his laborS as a
drill master. =
~As he could speak speak no Spanish, his
tructions were made entirely by
8. and after arduous manual labor
osucceded in getting four or i've de-
tachments in something like working
order.
Lieut.. Blood's expedition carried to
the Cubans 100 Springfield rifles and
20 rounds of cartridges.
He saws he was for four months
with Gen. Gomez, the most important
engagement during his stay being the
battle of Ell Principe, in which 80, ,OOO
Spanish troops were routed by 1000
or 5000 Cubans.
In this engagement the Cubans lost
300 or 400 killed, wounded and miss.
ing. The Spanish loss largely exceed
ed this figure. The Cubans, after this
battle, destroyed much valuable prop
erty and ten or fifteen miles of rail-
road.
On Decemb5F 25, 1895, Lieut.. Blood
went to West Cuba end resumed his
labors under Gen. Garcia, who had
something like 5000 men in his army,
which was moving constantly and
did incessant fighting along the tro.
cha for four months.
Lieut.. Blood says the country is de-
vastated and deserted, the men being
in the army and their families follow
ing to escape the Spanish insult and
vengeance.
After four months OF this disultory
warfare, Lieut.. Blood returned to El
Principe, where he again bebgan his
labor of ''drilling cigar signs" This
is his term for the Cuban soldiers.
A short time after this the Cuban
forces were massed in the hills in the
province of Ell Principe, and it was in
an assault on their position there That
Weyler lately suffered such loss.
The position of the Cubans is pro-
tected by large number of dynamite
mines which are connected with head
quarters by electric wires and the cur.
rent manipulated by keyboard. Lieut..
Blood, who assisted in laying these
mines, says that not less than eight
tons of dynamite has been placed
there. The electrical connections
were made by an expert from New
York named Cover, who was recon-
mended to the Junta by Electrician
Reid of New York city.
Weyler, he says, is wooden
man." that with the forces at his COM
mand he could surround the position
of either of the Cuban armies and
starve them into submission or sur
render.
The island is desolated, and the Gu
bans, non.combatapts, subsist as best
they can, and the Spanish army is en-
tirely victualed from abroad.
The Cubans are well supplied with
whiskey, rum, quinine, carbolic acid
and other medical supplies.
There are now five or six thousand
Americans in the Cuban army: the
most effectual and prominent organi.
zation being the Texas battalion,
which is under the command of Capt.
Buchanan, commander of the Texas
Rangers. They are the best disciplin-
ed and most daring troops the Cubans
have, and are we'll provided for, and
fight like devils"
These Texans are supplied with a
most destructive arm of German man
ufacture, which is ranged for five
miles, and are largely used as sharp
shooters.
A large bounty is payable in land
grants for the heads of all Spanish Off
GERS. These land grants represent the
only source now left to the Cuban
Junta, and of course are valuless in
case of the failure of the revolution
lists.
Lieut.. Blood tells several very in
teresting experiences, among Others
the attack of twenty Cubans on 8
Spanish supply train, which was
guarded by 100 Spanish troops, at ;
o'clock in the morning. Only eight
of the twenty Cubans returned to
camp, the Spaniards having been
awakened by the accidental discharge
of gun.
In this engagement Lieut.. Blood re
ceived wound on the left side of the
skull which necessitated trepaning
and also wound in the right ankle
from which he still has lame leg.
Shortly after receiving these wounds
he determined to quit the Cuban army