The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-01-03

Until [ met Antonio Maceo, did not
think it possible that I should ever serve
under a mulatto-even for the liberation
of Cuba
So spoke Major Julio Baz of the Cuban
Army of independence, temporarily re-
siding in New York in order to recover
from his wounds. Major BaZ only re-
mains in this country long enough to
stanch his 'war-battered body and
build it for battle again. He has served
as aide-de-camp to the elder Maceo, and
to him the death of that real hero comes
with the force of a crushing blow.
You know continued the wounded
major. that nowhere more than in the
Antilles does the feeling against negro
blood prevail. The present war has done
wonders toward stamping out color preju-
dice. however. and. in my case at least,
it served 20 make me thoroughly ashamed
of my senseless objection to the mulatto
us chief. 1 first joined Antonio Maceo
in Matanzas, shortly after his elevation
TO the rank of lieutenant general. | hal
preferred serving under Gomez, but duty
called and l had to obey. However,
had only TO spend ten minutes with Maceo
TO become completely won over. In the
first place, he upset all my preconceived
notions of mis- personality. OF course he
was brown-Skinned, but his features were
handsome, his eyes fine and his figure
and bearing 50 graceful and commanding
tAat one saw in him at once the we'll
hammered man as well as the dashing
cavalry commander.
MACEO THE MAN.
HIS manners, even in the field, were
perfect. / have seen him sitting on a
soap box at hastily improvised supper
table after a days lighting, and do not
think that the Duke of Tetuan or any
other Spanish grandee could play the host
with greater polish and kindly dignity
lie was admirably educ&ted-a Jesuit boy,
1 believe, and his acquaintance with Span
ish, English and French literature sur
prised me. For instance l have heard
him quote from Rudyard Kipling Bar
rack Room Ballads" He expressed
wish on one occasion that some Cuban
could translate Kiplins into the vernac-
ular.
Il have been with Maceo in several en-
gagements. On one occasion, during an
encounter at Mayana, near where the
trocha of 1896 loses itself in the seacoaSt
marshes of Pinar del Rio, we fell in with
a body Of Spanish. They Tar outnuIn-
bered US. but one could tell by [he If
regular way in which they made their
Mausers crack that they were not vet
Grams. As events proved they were, IN
fact a lot of recent recruits-bOys al
most. Maceo had us in the Shelter OF
some palms before you could cross your
self, and here we awaited the next volley.
1t came, the shot rafting among the
leaVes, and bowling over very few of US.
Then suddenly Maceo gave the order TO
charge. We whipped out our machetes
and went for them with whOops and yelis.
/ saw Antonio "A good horses length
ahead OF the next man. He was not
shouting, but he seemed to be calmly
knotting the cord of his machete handle
more firmly to his wrist. One of the
Spanish officers let fly a brace of revolver
bullets at him, but missed each time;
Next moment Antonio WAS upon him, and
/ heard the Slicing of machete. We
sent those Spaniard right-abOut-tace and
chased them within 500 yards OF the
trocha l was in hot pursuit (for It was
my first lively fight and ! had Just cut
a man DOWN when | heard high voice
sing out: Alta 1t was the general. ana
when | refined in and rode back, there he
was once more fumbling at his machete
cord
AFTER THE ATTACK.
:. This Internal cordr he said. as I sa-
luted, L think il must have been made IN
Spain, captain.
we took a few prisoners on that &C
casion. Now. the Spanish showed our
prisoners no mercy. so l am afraid that
we We're rather incOnsiderate with those
Door fellows Towards evening we
camped on a plantation near Candelaria,
the owner of which can Americana was
our friend. Maceo had a good dinner and
a couple of glasses OF rye whisky. After
wards he had the prisoners brought be
fore him 10 learn something of Weyler
movements, and very ready those span
iardS We're TO tell all they knew. There
Is not much patriotism IL q recruit prison.
er thousands OF miles from his native
Andalusia Antonio got plenty of infor-
nation and felt in high good hlSnor. one
of the prisoners was a gulSh-loOklng,
hroad-shoulcered fellow who seemed 10
act as Spokesman. Finally the general
asked his name, and what was our sur
prise when he answered Antonio Maceo!
lie was our leaders namesake, and on his
account the whole Of the sorry gang was