The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-02
IRANGUREN, THE DASHING.
uvroUE RECORD OF a DARING
U" cUBxN CAVALRTMLN.

-, re Executed . Feat which Gernez
u.d Told Him was suicidai-CaIiea the
c,,,p shoridan-His Rapid Rise in Rank.
r., Se,tor Aranguren 10 one Of the youngest
.Fo.r, In the Cuban army. He 10 % years old
"a vss born In Havana. We comes from one
!. IN. oldest and best.known families in the
,,l.nd. his ancestors having always figured
rrcninently In Cuban politics
Ir,neuren Joined ais countrymen late last
,ummer. when Gomez was returning to his
inter quarters in Las Villas. From the day on
Ihleh he enlisted he was a ~favorite with all who
tnsv him, and in less than one week he had
r,,.n to :he rank OF Captain. Gen. Gomez him
,,f tells how this young Cuban Sheridan"
von bis first stars. The ole Genera. Is not given
a n,ttering his mon and when he does so the
man deserves tho reward.
Gomez had reached the district Of Santa Clara
and hnd cAmped at Manajanabo. He had made
many forced marches, and, knowing that his
man and horses wero in need OF rest, he pub
ii,hed an order that preparations be made for q
weeks e~ncampment This order Is seldom given
IN the Cuban army. as It always creates much
confusion and disorder. The majority Of the
men avail themselves OF tho opportunity to ask
permission for q two or three days leave. Tho
men get scattered. and in case of danger or an
unexpected march many of them are left be-
hind. This occurred Immediately after Gomez
issued his order. Among the FIRST to ask the
onicer OF the Day for leave Of two days absence
was Aranguren.
"why, you've been in the squadron only TIVE
days." exclaimed the officer.
II know it, sir; but I have my reasons for
Wishing to 60" answered Aranguren.
He was refused tho leave and told to speak to
Gomez II he wished any further explanations in
the matter. Few men dare to go TO the old
General With q complaint about a commanding
ohicer, but Aranguren at once went to the GEN
erals tent and pleaded his cause 90 we'll that
the permission was granted him. The young
soldier left The camp Immediately without saying
Q word as TO where he was going. The following
day. before the reyeille had sounded. Aranguren
reported back" and requested to see the
well. sirr' asked Gomez, somewhat roughly.
General, / have come to ask you to allow mo
ten men with whom to capture Fort Campana,"
replied Aranguren-
SArs you aware that the fort 10 Earrisoned By
standins nearby.
surprise the garrison and capture the fort by
strategy; The fort was on the summit OF a
had been cut. Around tho large log house.
which was called a fort, q ditch seven feet deep
and siH j., wide ., had fa1l been cut: t,h The !, dit. ditch ! was
1t one end of the fort an opening large enough
70 admit . mar had been cut. This opening was
e sss eon Ss ffhi is Se GH% IN the eF ~OSSs. WslRe ian w wes
about 200 yards away from the fort, and to
the fertilization through the opening and over.
power and disarm the sentinel before he could
Eiv so sns a alsT% The A door t anS b tse m pess would wss ss Sgi
the garrison 70 death before they awoke to the
fact that the Cubans were among them.
The General listened to Aransuren, and Their
told him in his calm, methodical manner that ii
was his tAranguren'sl business II he wanted tc
commit suicide. He could have fifty men il he
wished, but he must report on those that were
left on the following morning. .-o --u :.
rewarded. but / advise you to abandon this TOOL:
ArsnGuren thanked the General, and an hou,
hopeless did the plan appear. At : o'clock thu!
yards from Fort Campana- The rain had beer
coming down in torrents for the last hour. ant
voaled through the mist the dark outlines Of thu
fort. Now and then u bolt OF lightning struck
tree and the report would snake the woods.
Aranguren stationed his men so that when tn.
door was opened IL would be distinctly visible tc
e aeW What n they sSu hearS or an saw no 0n IL h he ope me- m Il.
loor., The boy was coal. and did not appear &c
s f. h. much sh, i%RS.saan &c to SiI his ss'i biS Several s5s S o.
l,ngrily ordered them to keep quiet; At Il
iclock. q few minutes after, the guard had been
believed, Aranguren started on his perilous mis-
md q s5.eaiibre revolver. &c was forced t.
tart, as the only projection he had was tn;
eli guinea grass, and .he lightning whict
. betray him. Arangqren reached the wir'
fence which surrounded the ditch. He attempted
TO cut the bottom wire of the fence with hi
After trying several times Aranguren decides
70 scramble over the fence. He started to d.
this. but, while throwing his right leg over thu
topmost wire, it caught, and he fell in a heap q
the other side. The noise of his fall attracted
the sentry's attention. and, following the custom
Of the Spanish army. the man commenced Il
IRE at the spot whence the noise had come.
Aranguren was not hit; and the man who hal
not seen anything soon became tired OF hrinl
into space and resumed his walk. The Cubal
waited . few minutes and, then advancing slow
ly. let himself down into the ditch: In anothe
moment he had crawled up the embankment oil
the opposite side, The hardest and most peril
GUS part of his journey had now been reached
Aranguren had to calculate his movements 81
as to crawl out Of the opposite end Of the hol
his knife in. one hand he started through tn,
Imall tunnel. At the other end he could hea
the steady tramp. tramp. shuttle, shuttle OF tn
mans feet as he paced to and fro.
LuoK was against Aranguren, and as he shrunl
out OF the hols the sentry turned and faced hin
match for the slim Cuban. But the Cuban di
not hesitate. In an instant he had grabbed tn
man by the throat, and with the strength o.,
OF. Knowing that II the Spaniard cried out a.
would DO lost, Aranguren stabbed him.
The h sentry fell Like e Ell, log e.. Hastily ,G i ium 9dn,
end. opening 1t, signalled to his men. An ,hou
later the fort was in the hands Of the Cuban'
we're prisoners. The rest lay, in heaps upon tn
floor and beds, the marks of the machete te!lin
what their fate had been.
Tho next morning Aranguren reported to CT
mez with over 80. 900 rounds of ammunition. 20
Nauser rifles. and thirty prisoners. That afte
noon he was called from the ranks, and befoI
the whole brigade promoted TO the rank OF Ca
tain. Since then he has risen steadily, until he
pow looked upon as one of Cubas most promi
Ing officers.