The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-03-08
IN A FORMER EFFORT
Colonel 0'Leary Was in the Cuban
Rebellion of 1858.
HE IS DEEPLY INTERESTED
A True Account of That Campaign
and How Disastrously the Pa
triots We're Defeated Just
at a Critical Moment.


day with peculiar interest by Col. T.
O'Leary of this city, who is an enthus-
iastic sympathizer with the men who
are battling for the freedom of the
island. So warm are his feelings, in
fact, that in the former rebellion. Which
began in 1868 he volunteered his serv-
ices to the Cuban 3unta in New York.
and with many other veterans of the
confederate and union armies linked
his fortunes with the Cuban patriots.
On Oct. 10. 1Scs. they had declared
their independence of Spain and made
= a gallant fight for IL long years to
! maintain 1T. 1t was closed only by
compromise by the Spanish government
land the pardon of the revolmtionists.
1.-THE flower of the national army, 49,
600 men, and their most favored gen.
erals were sent against them in vain.
and but for the unfortunate fate, like
an unlucky star, that has followed
them, Liberia Cuba would long ago
= have been established.
e AT the head of the Cuban army was
? General Thomas Jordan, a graduate of
& West Point, and an officer who served
with distinction in the confederate
army. Colonel O'Leary Joined him in
the mountains of Eastern Cuba and for
some months acted as instructor to
the officers of mis- army in the manual
of arms and military tactics. After
wards he became chief of ordnance and
made gallant efforts in behalf of the
island patriots.
They were noble fellows" says
Colonel O'Leary, those Cubans, brave,
fearless and self sacrificing. They gave
up their private fortunes. their prop
erty and staked their lives, for
their country's sake. If there
ha bar of
risk was so hazardous that they would
not make II, gladly, buoyantly, in the
face of fearful odds and over all obsta-
cles in behalf of their cause.
Then, as now. they were handi-
capped in the contest by lack of arms
and ammunition and though men were
plentiful, at no time did they have an
equipment of arms. General Jordan
had 10000 men in his camps, but could
muster no more than 10000 rifles. The
men would drill by turns, trusting to
the fortune of war for weapons.
The policy of the war necessarily
was, as now, a guerrilla warfare. The
Spaniards garrisoned the plantations
and filled the country with soldiers, but
. time and again, the Cubans would
sally down from the mountains, strike
"A blow and retreat. Most of these raids
were successful and the parties would
return laden with spoil and munitions
an effective stand and giving formed
battle to the enemy were wanting. The
loss of man was not so important
to us as the loss of a rifle.
After some months in camp I was
made chief of ordnance and in that ca
pacity returned to New York to I'M
dertake to transport ito Cuba a guam
tity of arms which had been purchased
by the tunta, composed of wealthy Gu
bans residing in this country. 1t was
a critical period, the army was mus
tered and If IL were possible to arm
them Cuban liberty was almost as
sured.
Our plans were laid with the great
est secrecy and care and finally we
seemed on the eve of success. | had
three schooners laden with 10000 stand
of arms, six batteries of artillery and
an immense quantity of ammunition.
stationed in GARDENERS bay at the fur
thermost end of Long Island. The
steamer Catherine Whiting had been
chartered and was to join the expedi-
ton in the bay taking the arms and
should proceed to Cuba. The Whiting
was in New York harbor. / notified by
secret special messenger Secretary
Alfaro of the junta, that all was in
readiness The Whiting was to make
steam the next morning, round Mon
tauk point and then away to sea.
But alas, for our hopes, when morn
ing dawned, the ill-starred steamer lay
under the guns of the United States
reessnue boat the Sherman and dare
not move. We were betrayed The
Whiting was confiscated as engaged in
a filibustering expedition and IL was
only by the most hasty action that we
saved the cargo / had in waiting on
board the schooners. OF course / re-
ceived immediate notification of the
capture of the Whiting and l promptly
sent the schooners to New London,
where the manufacturers took charge
of the guns and ammunition. Some
time later a part of the stock eventu-
ally reached Cuba but not at that time.
This was the end of my connection
with the war in Cuba. / returned to
New York via Sag Harbor. / expressed
myself very emphatically to Secretary
Alfaro, whom 1 blamed for the failure
of the expedition. Then resigned.
II became interested in another event
about that time" said he jolkingly re-
ferring to the Fenian raid, (which end
ed even more disastrously for me than
the other, and since these little events
l have been on better terms with Uncle
Sam. have given up the idea of being
the father of some other country. but
Ireland and Cuba have my warmest re-
gard to this day. 1t is my firm belief,
however. that had our munitions of war
landed safely on Cuban soil. the island
would have surely won the cause. The
time was most opportune and a blow
would have been struck which would
have made the island forever free and
independent. BY the failure of the ex-
petition which only treachery caused,
General Jordan was disheartened and
resigned. The recognition of the insur-
gents by the South American repub-
lies became imperative, and the war
which before was in the ascendant lost
ground and the contest though carried
on pluckily for eight years more, and
terminated with honor, was unsuccess-
full in the main issue. But the day Is
not far distant when ! trust they may
shout well and truly. Liberia Cuba y
Human Intelligence.
The Philadelphia Enquirer is expert