The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1897-01-20

our surprise when he, answered Ant Mo
Maceo.' He was our leaders namesake.
and on this account the whole of that
sorry gang was sent back to the trocha
under cover of darkness.
"Maceo was proud of both his names.
Iu swoop across the trocha we rode by
forced marches to the outskirts of San
Antonio de las Banos, in Habana. 1t
was most difficult and dangerous trip,
and that was what the general loved.
We burned four plantations belonging
to Spaniards and the wretched non-com-
batants, and when we finally halted at a
good cheer. After supper Antonio said,
half jokingly: Il have an idea ought
to ride into the city yonder and pay my
respects to my patron saint, San Anto-
MO. He unused over this foolhardy
proposition for while and then asked
me if l could accompany him. OF
course [ agreed, and with Ramon, Pa
jarito and three others we set out. The
camp lay between Lake Agrunabo and
San Antonio, and thus north of the line
of railroads to Havana. We rode rapid
ly, accommodating as well as we could.
No signs of Spanish occupation could we
see when we rode into the town. Then
[ remembered that it as Sunday night.
The garrison, if there was any, was
probably at vespers, and when we halt
ed Oh the outskirts of the town and put
our horses up at a sort of drinking shop
none of the women in the place asked
questions or showed suspicion. In fact,
the citizens believed Maceo leagues
away beyond the trocha.
"We walked across to the plaza, where
stands the church of San Antonio. The
organ was pealing, and we knew the peo-
pie were at benediction. The few loung-
ers outside did not notice us, and before
l could say word Maceo had scrubbed
a few lines on sheet of paper from his
note book, and nailed it to one of the
church door posts with his knife. Then
he took off his hat while the benedction
was being pronounced. l will admit
that / did not feel very comfortable
standing there at the church door with
the incense smoke in my nostrils and a
hornets nest of Spaniards ready to be
| reused at any moment. After the gong
had sounded for the last time Maceo
turned away and we slouched after him,
carelessly, as it were, across the plaza,
Round the corner we quickened our pace,
and in fifteen minutes more we were in
the saddle and making tracks for Lake
Aguanabo
"The notice which Maceo had nailed
to the church door read as follows:
"'Having crossed the Butchers toy
ditch to build up my constitution at the
wonderful mineral springs of Aguanabo,
[ cannot resist paying my respects TO my
patron saint and his handsome church.
'ANTnNIO MACEO,
Lieutenant General,
Army of the Cuban Rep1blc.'
"That news spread CONSERVATION, and
the news of burned plantations coming
close upon it next day brought whole
brigade of soldiers from Havana. They
hunted for US four days along the lake
shores, but before they had arrived Ma
Geo had slipped back into rinar del
Rio.
"My parting with Maceo occurred
when he sent me with dispatches to Go
mez. Maceo embraced me warmly at
parting, and gave me brace of revol0-
ers, Que of which lost at the engage
ment in which | was wounded, and the
second of which now lies before you.
"Maceo sprang on the fathers side
from as good white blood as can Do found
in the Spanish West Indies. He is as
great mulatto as the elder Dumas,
President Juarez of Mexico and many
others vera. Had he been put at the
head of an army under ordinary condi-
tlOus of warfare he would have been
one of the greatest generals of modern
times. New York Sun.
|
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