The Wichita daily eagle., 1896-12-26
COLONEL PRENTISs INGRAHAM
Talks of Cuba's First War Vessel and of the
MAceOs

Easton, Nd, Dec. 25.-Colonel Prentis.
Ingraham, the well-known writer, from.
tiersman and huntsman, is now livins
in Easton. Prentiss Ingraham was borr
December %, 1S43, near Natchez, and
was educated at jefferson College. III.
served as an officer in the Confederate
army, and was wounded and taken pris-
oner at the siege of Port Hudson. After
the close of the civil war he went tc
Mexico and Joined the army of Juarez
lie afterWard saw service in Austria
crete and Africa. He began a literary
career in London, but on his return tc
the United States took part in 1869 in the
revolution in Cuba, went out on the Hor-
net and ran the blockade several times
lie raised the first Cuban flag on the
ocean over an armed deck Col. Ingra-
nam says "Cuba's armed vessel in tha,
contest had an interesting career. Bull,
Tor blockede-runner during our civil
war under the name of Lady Stirling,
she made number of most successful
voyages. bat was captured by the Fed
erals OF Wilmington with $500 900 in
gold on board. Carried to Washington,
she was renamed the Hornet, armed,
and became President Lncoln's cruiser.
After the war she lay idle for several
years. and was purchased by a man who
sold her to me. While lying at a. dock
at Philadelphia she was seized as a sus-
picious character by request of the Span
ish minister, and her coal was unloaded
in search of arms. She was releas ased.
and | cleared for Liverpool hut went into
Halifax under strees of weather. My
going to Liverpool wasi Simply ruse
and a roundabout way OF getting to
Cuba.
AT Halifax the Hornet was again
seized by the request of Spain, but
nothing contraband was found, and she
was again released. Admiral Higgins
came on board at Halifax TO take pass
age for Liverpool to purchase a vessel
for the Cuban government. While we
were at sea he said the boat was the
very one he wanted, and the sale trans
ferring the boat to him was made by the
light of a full moon on the deck We
equipped her with arms and men off the
coast Of Massachusetts,. She came out
as a full-fiedged cruiser. with twenty
six officers and nearly 500 men, and I
had the honor of raising the first Cuban
flag on the ocean over an armed deck
and delivering the commission signed by
Ctspedes, president of the Cuban repub-
lie, to her officers.
Tle career os the Cuba as the vessel
was then named. was short-lived. as she
was compelled afterward 10 haul down
her flag tC the United States govern
ment"
During the time ne was fighting for
Tulsa CCl. 1.grsGam was a colonel of
cavalry in the land forces and a COM
mandeT in the navy. He knows the Gu
ban leaders engaged in the present strug
gle. and is also personally acquainted
with the methods of some of the Spanish
4
highest opinion of Antonio Maceo, now
repor,ed killed. and says of him:
"Alaceo was a Inula'to. and fine
looking man. lie '.ad eleven brothers
and two SisieT..- Seven brothers were
killed III the ten years war. and one.
] 1S9 NaCeC, was killed i'll the present
war. Two other brc :bers survive. and
live in Costa RIca. They are cripples
from wCuEds received n the ten years
war.
Antonio Naceo was very well edu-
Gated. and had devoted much of his time
to journalism. He had travelled much
n this country. South America ana Mex-
leo. and had visited the United States
several times. He was natural-born
patriot. polished in his manner and :.
gentleman. I rode with him
al one night. and vas favorably impress
ad with him. You would never have
known. in The dark. from his language.
lr accent. that he was not a white man
He was wounded twenty-Seven times
With shell. machete. saber and hayonss.
He was a dashing horseEnan and a splen
lid rider. who would ride through any
hing. on one occasion he came aboard
sur vessel. which had landed at Cuba
With arms and ammunition. when the
Ncfd came that Spanish troops were
coming up the coast. Maceo excused
himself, went ouS With his men. and lit
rally cut the Spanish soldiers 20
lieceSr