The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-11-28

bali, which ranged from his right elbow
upward through the arm, making its
exit under the scapula, Henry Lee
Clotsworthy, Cuban cavalry captain,
came back to his native land to recu-
perate and regain his health. Mr..
Clotsworthy is typical Virginian, over
six feet in height, sparely built, with
great physical strength evidenced in
his breadth of shoulders, and depth of
chest. He is stopping at the Knuts-
ford.
Every engagement in which General
SancheZ's column has been a partici-
pant has been a new field for the young
captains military ambition. He has
been under fire more than 100 times
since his espousal of the cause of the
patriotic CubanS in their efforts to
throw off the CALLING Spanish yoke.
He talked very modestly concerning
himself and his achievements, but quite
freely yesterday about his companions
in arms. He said: There are prac-
tically three elements which make up
the Cuban army, first, the American,
element; second, the mulatto, and,
third, the negro. The majority of
Americans are officers, the muatto ele-
ment are the fighters; the negro ele-
VidinG you carry everything before you.
They h2ve not the stamina Of the other
troops, and are very hard TO reform in
case Of reDulSe. OF course, owing to the
fact that you are not handling well
drilled forces you have to use guerilla
style Of warfare entirely. The nearest
comparison l can draw of the style OF
warfare is to that used by Marion,
Sumpter and Pickens of the revolu-
icaary times. Everything IS a sud
den dash and scatter, and then re-
form at an agreed rendezvous. One of
the favOrite moves of nearly every Gu
ban leader is to draw the Spanish into
ambush, or, rs they call it, cul-de-Soc,
and using the sharp shooters TO harraSS
them, holding the main body ready to
make quick dash in the case of panic
among their battalions with the mach
etc. The greatest disadvantage the
Cubans labor under is a lack OF ar
Jilicrg. There are good many towns
IN the eastern part of the island which
the Cubans could capture, but on ac-
count Of the lack of great guns could
not mold. There is 40 doubt that the
rcVcutiOnists will eventually conquer.
The Spanish commanders in every
province devote most OF their thoughts
and energies in devising plans to avoid
rather than bring on an decisive en-
Eage.uent Great discomfort exists
among the Spanish troops; they are
lilly fed and poorly clothed, and when
forced into an engagement, fight in
half-heaTted sort of way They do not
possess the dash that the native Cuban
has. and outside OF one or two crack
regiments there is an absolute absence
of -du-cOrps.
THE Cubans are steadily gaining
ground every day, and but for lack
Of proper arms the war would not last
three months longer Even as it is,
Spain is simply awaiting an opportu-
nifty to gracefully retire. A blank cart
ridge from a United States cruiser
would furnish the required excuse. The
domestic troubles in that country make
it necessary that as strong an effort as
possible be made to hold the island to
her ALLEGIANCE, for il one colony is sue
cessful in its revolt the days of Spah-
ish domination are surely numbered.
While if the government was able to
say TO It's people that stronger nation
forced the issue they might still be able
to hold some of their foreign posses
sions. I joined the Cuban army in 1895 1
went through the Spanish lines dis
guised as q newspaper correspondent
Tor the New York Journal. [ was in
every engagement that Sanchez'S col
M participated in.
ut amused us very much when we
-.eeived the New York papers in which
we had been, according to their ac
cunts. cut to pieces where, as a mat
e. Of fact, our losses would average
about one to every ten Spaniards. One
case comes to my mind, at the siege of
Guiana Baro. We attacked a Spanish
column which was conveying a supply
train cut il to pieces, captured the
train. IN a few weeks afterward we
read that we were repulsed with serious
loss AS a matter of fact we had two
killed and four wounded. We buried
IS Spaniards after this engagement.
Regarding Captain General Blanco,
7 think he is more humane than his
predecessor, Weyler. But the Spanish
soldiers would rather lie in his bar
racks and roll cigarettes than fight any
day You could pick 10000 American
troops and sweep the island from one
end to the other in followed style
than Scott and Taylor did in Mexico.
The opponents in each case would be
practically the same people, and in no
wise the equals of sturdy Americans.
THE prevailing style of the CuDans
is as follows: For instance, Spanish
column is coming up by a certain road
through the country-ScoutS bring word
of their movements and our men are
deployed in a skirmish line in very
much the same style as is provided in
the tactics in use in the United States
army-as soon as the sharpshooters
open fire the Spanish will Immediately
form a square in close order almost
like sheep. The lines will be gradually
drawn around them, concentrating
their fire on an angle of the square
until there is q break. When this oc
ours a maehete charge takes place.
This weapon proves to be much more
dangerous in a hand to hand fight than
the bayonet The Americans in the
Cuban service invariably use the United
States cavalry sabre. The Cuban is
born with the machete in his hands
and he is wonderfully expert in the
use of it. 1 saw a full blooded negro
in a charge of Sanchez column strike
at Spanish soldier with his great
sugar knife While riding at top speed
and when the soldier threw up his rifle
to protect his head, the negro diverted
the stroke a hairs breadth and sheareG
aim through skull and bone and rifle
,lear to the shoulders.
Speaking Of the killing of Captain
Winfield Osgood, the Cornell football
player at the siege of Guano Raro. I
was standing near Osgood when the
Mauser bullet struck and killed him.
Two Americans who have made gIo-
rious names for themselves are Cap
tain Stuart Janney and Lieutenant Cs-
man la Trobe- Captain Janney rode
into the face of Q whole Spanish col
umn to pick up a negro sergeant who
had been struck down. He first ordered
two Of his men TO rescue the sergeant