El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-04-17
THE MAN IN WHITE.
A Cuban Sharpshooter Whom the SPANS In
Soldiers Dread.

has called the attention OF the clVlIlZ6u |
world to Cuba, the earlier incidents OF
the instruction are becoming of more |
and more interest. Few of the primary |
exploits of the rebels were ever record |
ed by the press of the United States, |
owing to the suppression OF the news
bv the Spanish government. and be- |
cause the first outbreaks were consid- |
cred comparatively Insignificant.
If Cuba wins her freedom, and 1t
seems here to be the honest opinion
that she eventually will, she will owe
the change in government to the hand
ful of men who declared war on
the 24th Of February, 1895. The lead
ers of this band of insurrectionist5
were PeriquitO Perez and Capt. Henry
Brooks, the latter one of the most eX-
pert shots in the island.
A little before shutdown on the now
famous 9th Henry Brooks partook OF
the evening meal with few friends at
an estate Il short distance from Guanta-
namO in the province OF santiago, IN
the southern part of the island, and
there discussed the final preparations
for carrying out the plans OF the re-
bellion as laid out by the rebel leaders.
The prime feature of the first part OF
the campaign seems to have been the
forcing of Cubaus OF all classes into the
ipsuroent ranks and the filing of the
platforms of the clubs with speakers
well drilled in revolutionary elOquence.
The final orders from headquarters
called for the uprising at O'Clock IN
the afternoon. The movement was to
be general and as complete surprise
to the mass of Cubans as to the govern
ment.
Shortly before the time appointed
for this courageous stroke for freedom
Henry Brooks, with three negro fol-
lowers. left in the direction OF the
Santa Cecilia estate. Two hours later
Brooks planted the rebel flag at Santa
| Cecilia, and the small company of dar-
| ING men fired the few scattering shots
which electrified the Spaniards and
| told the Cubans that blow had been
struck for freedom. y half hour later
| a telephone message received at one OF
| the adjoining estates brought the start
| ling Information that the Santa Cecilia
| had been rajded and that Brooks had
| taken 250 men away with him. Before
he could join Perez the next day every
| man had deserted.
| The news, meager as it was, spread
like wild6re, and in an incredibly
| short time the whole section Of the
| island was appraised of the situation.
| Yet, despite the many prophecies OF
! the leaders, neither the people nor the
! government considered the situation
at all serious. This feeling grew dur
| ing the night as. from the lack OF
| firing it became evident to the govern
ment that the Cubans had not respond
ed to any great extent to the order ito
| arms" aud had failed to act in con-
cert. The few government soldiers
| who had gone to the scene of the
| trouble reported all quiet at Guantana-
mo, and thus the night passed with
out event.
Early the next morning firing was
| I 81 Of ha nd
| the inhabitants began to be alarmed.
| A few days later, inspired by the action
of the insurgents in the vicinity OF
Guantanamo, slight uprising occurred
| near MauZanilla.
For many weeks, however. all the
| fighting tn at constituted the insurrec-
| lion was confined to a belt of woods in
| 14e Guantanamo district, where
| the rebels were anXiOusly awaiting re-
| Inducements. These reinfOrcements
were looked for daily, but it turned
out later that the would-be insurgents,
| seeing that revolt had not been general
throughout the island, lacked the cOur-
age actually to join their brothers in
| toe Guantanamo woods. In the mean
ime the rebels were severely peStered
| by the Spanish soldiers. 25U of whom
were stationed near by. These sol
diers, though naturally indOient, spent
most of til cir time chasing the Cubans,
whose ammunition had given out. ow-
ing to the delay caused by the non
arrival of achievements. More than
this. they were discouraged by the
failure of the Junta to fulfill promises
made by the officers she had previously
sent to Cuba to land both men and
ammunition on the island before the
9th.
During these first few weeks of the
Instruction, in which the members OF
this small band were the only insur-
gents on the island, the leaders, Perez
and Brooks, witueSsned many exciting
events. Brooks was admitted to be
the most expert rife shot in Cuba, and
was often alluded to by the supersti-
tious Spauiards as the Man in White"
The name attached itself to Brooks in
consequence of his usual dress, which
was a complete suit of white linen
duck. Brooks was rarely known to
miss his man, and when he appeared
at the head of his band, with his
slender steel tube seeking its victim
among the Spanish soldiers, there was
sure to be CONSERVATION in the govern
meut ranks. Though ammunition was
becoming scarce, Brooks was supplied
with aquantlty which fitted the callibre
of his favorite sporting rifle. At times
when he anticipated an attack from the
Spanish he would post himself at some
DOInJ on Tue picket line. anu as JQ6
soldiers advanced he would cause such
cOmmotiOn in the ranks by his uner-
ring mark smanship that the Spanish
leaders, none too brave, were glad
enough to return.
In the matter OF Workmanship it is
uudeniabie that in every engagement
since the opening OF the. war; The in
surgents have outshOt the Spaniards.
These men seem to have a peculiar
aptitude for the use OF the rifle, and
though the weapons are often of an
obsolete pattern, they are able to do
fearful execution with them. A good
illustration of this difference in marks
manship was seen on the battlefield of
JobitO, where the first decided engage |
ment of the war occurred, May ID, 1895. |
The writer visited the field few days
after the battle, and was surprised to |
see that the sides of the trees in the |
part of the field occupied by the Spanish |
forces were bereft of bark. while not |
bullet hole could De found in the CEN
tire of the trunks. On the side of the |
field occupied by the Cuban line the |