The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-13

u pIiiSo AZ WV hi'"bpN, Shiu A"lu'
Garcia to a Sun reporter. Yet. although 1
was in part of the ten years war with Gen. Gar
cha and experienced all the discomforts that can
fail to u woman's lot in warfare. especially OF
the kind VT had. l would gladly go again il l
could and do what l could for my husband and
for our soldiers. We went hungry many a time.
l and my children had to sleep on the ground.
We were taken prisoners OF war. and l walked
many miles with my baby in my arms, only
occasionally being relieved by some Spanish
soldier more kind hearted than the rest.
1T was this way: When that war broke out
we were holding slaves in Cuba. / said to our
slaves, You are free but I had from them the
same touching expression of attachment that
many Of yours gave to their old masters. They
would not lcav me. NO. they said, we will
stay with you | selected several OF the best and
most devoted OF the household and took them
with me. My husband and myself did not wish
to be parted. and it was his intention to try TO
keep us near him. but protected in the woods
not far from the army, where we would have
tie attention Of these old servants and be near
enough to him to permit him to visit us once ina
while. In addition to myself and my three chill
dren, Leonora, Calixto, and Carlos, we had with
us my mother-in.iaw. my own mother. and
Gen. Garcia's sisters and my sister, SO that we
had quite an establishment to keep up. 1t
would take q volume to tell OF all the varied ex.
periences VIC had. We stayed with the army for
two years. and during that time our plan was
t~olerably successful. inasmuch as we suffered
nothing more than tho ordinary hardships Of
war interspersed with a number OF rather OK
citing adventures. My husband and myself
were sometimes separated for some time, but
he managed to visit Inc once In n while and
could sometimes stay three or four days.
"On April IL, 1869. our son Justo was born.
and I have every reason to remember that event
more than the birth of any Of the rest of my
children. We were comfortably established at
one OF tho temporary homes in the woods, of
which we had II number during our stay with
the army. and thought that we were safe from
the Spanish raids that had 80 often startled us.
When my baby YVES but four days old. or rather
on the fourth day after his birth, we were sud
denly descended upon by the Spanish soldiery.
then rs now a rough Int OF guerrillas, whose semi
savage method OF warfare had made them n
terror. The surprise came at night. and We
were reused from sleep by the trampling
of the horses and the shouts OF tho
soldiers. There was sudden confusion in the
household, but our servants were invaluable
thcn-as. indeed. they always werc-and has
tened TO sec to our safety. There was nothing
for us but flight, and flee we did In hot haste
and without ceremony. When 1t is remembered
that there were in all six women. three small
children. and my little baby boy. besides the ser.
wants, ! think our successful flight speaks well
for us; but whether II WAS good luck or good
management ! am not prepared 10 say. my
self took my baby in my arms. and carried him
coming separated from the est in the darkness.
However, we soon met ana continued our Hight
worse than the loss OF most OF our household
goods and effects.
There was a standing order from the Spanish
commander to capture US II possible. and we
knew that IL would moan much to our captors to
bring us into camp. prisoners of war. We
UnIaH In III IAIR n mn Inn m hRHAnA
more or less accustomed to hastily departing
from one place and setting up our family hearth
mcnt's notice, but these continued removals
constantly depleted our household stores and re.
TO the lowest possible, point; ! never knew be,
fore how few clothes ! could do with; We used
nearest tree or bush, and wear them The next
day withoutth he Formally OF ironing them. Moth,
ihmg N we S"r lived edei in from Itfir time to lime I InG to be be-
built anew for us every time We had to foe from
the enemy; DO not know how many Of these
army | do not remember that we ever stayed
LONGER than 2 month in any ono place, and .
twenty days. Food provisions ran very low
many tmes; all of us were hungry, sometimes
quently happened that when we had tho least In
the house We were caring for 9 number Of the
wounded Cubnns who were left helpless after d
skirnish. Had IL not becn for our loyal and de
voted servants wc would surely have starved
"Thc inevitable fate Of capture by the enemy
finally fell to our lot. We were in the district
of II0lguin when we were surprised by thu
Spaniards. and all of us were made prisoners %
war. The Spanish soldiCry took us with them Il
deliver us TO the commander, and on that occR
sion | was with them for twcnly.four days. go
ing from camp to camp, walking the entire dis
tnnco we travelled In That time, and carrying m,
little baby in my arms most OF the way, ! woul'
, sometimes bo relieved by some soldier VIII,
would he touched by my fatigue, and who woult
relieve me by taking The baby with him on hi
horse for a while. We were subjected 10 M
cruel treatment, but on the other hand nothing
beyond the ordinary Courtesics duo to prisoner
Of war were extended to US. We slep
: on the ground; there was no, opportunit'
; same clothes all tho time; sometimes at nigh
5 We had an opportunity to do a little washing
, and that was n great event, for clean linen wa
at n premium. We were taken to Holguin, an,
0 our condition there WAS palatlal compared I
what IL had been In camp. From HOlguin W
were sent under escort by the military CON
q mander TO Gibara in OX.Cnrts, and from GihRr
. by steamer to Havana. The notorious CharaI
i ter OF tho women who infested the city, many @
them being in tho jails and prisons. made on
n prospect seem dark, but fortunately we escape
. confinement OF any kind through the intorroi
U sion OF a wealthy relative, who went to tho Gov
o ernOr and offered to make US guests in his hOus
Q and be responsible for our safe detention.
we were in Havana until 1872, when we n
turned to New York, ] did not sec my husban
t until the treaty of 70 had ended the war, an
8 he was then released from the Spanish dui
= s,nnN ushara ha had hapn pOnU mad fnr fnur WAR