The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-09-26
sAATER'S RAID.
81 xKASK L oLLOcK.


Saxon races OF the planet There were
Americans. Englishmen, Canadians,
Australians and South Africans, and
they had come from the ends Of the
earth 70 take part in such a row as
promised to follow when Cuba Libra
set up her flag against that Of Spain,
Their leader was a Y~irginian, there
was not a Cuban or a Spaniard in the
company, and the name of Slater's
troop was o name Of terror to the gov
eminent forces from Pinar del Rio to
Eagua La Grande.
1T was no small affair that these men
were engaged in-nothing less, in fact,
than q raid on the "trocha' itself. It is
not the policy Of the Cuban leaders to
risk a pitched battle, SO to arouse the
enthusiasm Of the men, and at the same
time TO keep the enemy on the alert,
such expeditions are undertaken from
slime to time.
They had emcamped some so miles
from the Spanish lines, and the attack
was fixed for the next night. A dash
across the country, q stealthy advance
on the Notifications. another dash,
saber and revolver and a triumphal re-
treat-this was the programme that
Elater's Horse proposed to itself.
Next morning they rode up and down
che rolling hills In the early dawn for
two hours, and then rested for the heart
OF the day in a cool and very secluded
grove, where they would be screened
from amy wandering guerrillas. Late
nc night they saddled again and rode
cautiously forward till they were not
more than 40 rods from the trocha it,
self. They could see the watch-fres on
the further side of the great redoubt,
shining between the strands of the
barbed wire fence stretched along the
brink.
Between them and the trocha lay a
dangerous obstacle, an ingenious de-
Tense, composed of a number of wires
drawn six inches apart and a foot above
the ground. This formed a net work
over which it was impossible to ride,
and as its width was uncertain, was
dangerous to leap. Slater knew of this
impediments however, and had made his
plans accordingly. Half a dozen then
dismounted in silence, and taking each
a pair of nippers from his saddle bags,
crepb forward into the darkness. The
rest Of the troop sat silently on horse
back hearkening to the sounds and
voices from the Spanish camp, and to
the occasional clicking noise right
ahead where their comrades were cut
ting the hostile wires.
In the course of half an hour the men
camo back, and in whispers reported
the way clear. The wires had been cut
and dragged aside, so as to leave a road
OF sufficient width for the passage of the
troop. even in the hurried retreatwhich
must follow. The whole party then dis
mounted and led the horses stealthily
forward, till almost on the very brink of
the trocha. The ~Spaniards on the other
side were clearly visible, while they
themselves were hidden in deep shad-
rvs Three men were left with the ami
mals. and the rest scrambled into the
ditch and up the other side.
So quietly was all this done that the
whole performance PASSED unobserved
till Slater sprang upon the parapet and
began slashing at the wires with his
machete. Then there was a shout aud
shot from the nearest Spaniard, fol
Bowed by a miscellaneous rattle of rifles
Along the lines. The troops swarmcd
put, and saw a string of men hacking
f~uriously at the wires with n hand
and plying a revolver with the other. In
the dim freight their numbers could
not be ~ascertained.
At this amazing spectacle, the soldier.
nred a -volley-that is, discharged theil
rifles in the general direction of the foe
When the smoke blew off, this opera
ton seemed to have produced no eff
feet on the invaders, who had now Gu
and torn the strands apart and were
actually within the inclosure. They
bore down in line on the spaniards. re
tolver in one haRd, blade in the other
No soldier-marksnen were they, but
men whose lives had often and otter
hung upon q pistoI-shot, and now theil
enemies felt the effect. In ten seconds
20 Of the blue uniforms were writing
bn the sod, end the remainder beheld
the maehetes flashing in their faces
Al torch was thrust into the nearest
cluster Of tents, the Maxim guns within
reach were tumbIed into the ditch, and
the little band went back as they hat
RaAANg 4~0tAAk tAC G4t W1AEE anu III,
rows Of dead to mark where they has
passed. a minute more and they wer'
mounted and laundering across tn,
country again.
AS they rode, Slater said to the maj
nearest him, q graduate Of Harvard
AWe have singed the Spanish king
beard, eh2"
And the other replied: Precisely.
Then, after q mile Or SO: 'They won
let this pass, do you think2s
What do you mean? That theyl
fellow us2'
Eyes,
Nonsense. Not q bit of it."
He was wrong, for there was at tina
moment rage and cursing IN the Span
ish camp. The officer in command a
that point had laid q heavy wager tina
1he rebels would never break the lines
Naturally, he was furious. That tn,
majesty Of the powers OF Spain shoult
Be sighted, that the works should b
broken that his men should be slaugh
1ered-this was bad enough in all con
science. but that he should lose hi
gold doublo0ns-thia was unbearabIe