The times., 1898-07-14
JUSTICE FOR THE CUBANs.
Evidence That They Are Doing
Their Fuu Duty in the War

~ liH LdllOT OF Inc IlHlGS.
Since the 2Sth of June, when the first
press attack was made on the Cubans, a
cold and steadily increasing nor wester
has been chilling American sympathy for
the heroes of the long struggle against
Spain. On the 1Ith, 18th and 18th of
June, when they came to the aid of our
sorely beset marines at Camp McCalla
on Guantanamo Bay, turning peril into
victory; and on the 22nd and following
days of June, when they manned the
mountain fastnesses above Baiquiri and
protected the landing of our troops and
supplies against Spanish guerrillas, they
were our active courageous and eaf-
cient allies" On June 18th Sampson tele-
graphed to our Government: Great ac-
tivity and courage has been shown by
the Cubans at Guantanamo. and Nc
Gala is most euIogistic in reference to
their conduct"
He complimented Garcia highly. This
Cuban general had been in command Of
the Province Of Santiago, with the ex-
ception Of a few towns on the coast; and
had taken position at the city of Baya-
mo, from which point he could intercept
Spanish troops marching to Santiago
City from Manzanillo on the west. or
from Holguin on the north. From May
% the date of the location by Commodore
Schley of Cervera's feet in Santiago Bay
Garcia was indefatigable and successful
in his efforts 10 intercept June 10. he
placed himself under the orders of Gen.
nd
with his troops. variously estimated al
from 1000 TO 5000 men. on American yes
sells to Baiquiri. Here he protected the
landing OF our troops. A part of his force
probably a thousand men. under Gen
Perez and Col. Tomas. was sent TO pre-
vent the Spanish troops at Guantanamo
on the east, from re-enforcing Santiago;
and 1900. under Rabi. were returned west
of the bay to prevent re-enforcements
from Manzanillo. OF those left under
Garcia. probably about 500 were detailed
as scouts, guards and chaparraI fight
ers. to watch passes. roads and trails
leaving from 1000 TO 1,5OO under Garcia's
personal command.
With these he took part. on the 1st, ID
San Juan and Ell Caney, having many kill
ed and wounded. He marched north
on the El Caney road to the pass of EI
Cristo and destroyed the bridge over the
river canyon, the only passageway for the
Spanish troops marching from Holguin TO
the relief OF the Santiago garrison or to
attack Skaters right wing from the
rear. Yesterday he took possession OF
Dos Caminos, a village northwest of San
tiagO. on the Manzanillo road and in
trenched himself there thus cutting off
re-enforcements to and escape from San
tfago. Not single correspondent ap-
pears to have been taken with Garcia TO
sing his praises; but for all that, his mil
itary services have been most useful to
our army.
About the 2Sth of June. the first fins
was made by newspaper correspondents
at the Cubans. and in a few days, these
had sunk in the anti-Cuban newspapers
from allies to insurgents, as if they
were still rightfully the subjects of Spain
Since that date, every offence of a nature
to prejudice Americans against them has
been freely laid by some correspondents
to their charge; eating too much, though
their fighting qualities did not seem to
be leSsened by surplus of hard tack
rations; laziness, though at Camp Mccall
la, they had of their own motion, cleared
off with their machetes several acres of
chaparral, which served as cover for
Spanish bushwhackers; decapitatins
Spanish prisoners, on the 1st, "a and Sd
of July, though, on the 9th instant, Shaf-
ter telegraphed that these stories were
absolutely false" and that the Cubans
showed no disposition to injure prison
ers.
The chief Ananas seems to be on one
of the newspaper dispatch boats; this i'm
aginative gentleman figures Commander
Wainwright, of the Gloucester, as threat
ening with a pistol to shoot an 'insur-
gent" who was about TO shoot Spanish
sailor, who was lashed to a spar and
trying to gain the shore. This story
swells with each repetition in the ac-
count given by the brother correspondent
who furnished the untrustwortiy inter-
view, put into the mouth of Capt Evans;
in this Evans is substituted for Vain
wright, the big Iowa for the little Glou-
cester, a cannon for the pistol, and
crowds of insurgents" in the bushes, for
the solitary miscreant of the first account.
a camp of Cubans in a cove AS the
beach was rocky and dangerous, the
surf high and the water shoal the Glou-
cester did not get within a third of
mile of the shore, and the Iowa within
half mile. 1t is not likely that either
Wainwright or Evans figured in the ri
diculous mock heroics attributed to them;
or that the alleged insurgents" could
hear the dire threats directed against
him or them across the roaring surf And
unless Cervera sent the insurgents" no.
tice of the hour proposed for his sortie
from the harbor, it is improbable that
Cubans were hiding in the vine -growths
of that mountain side! What were
they doing there?
The Spanish accounts report 40 ship
wrecked sailors who struggled eastward
to Santiago Bay safe and sound. Where
We're those murderous Cuban 'insur-
gents?" Why did they let those helpless
sailors pass? The whole story with its
variations is a myth.
1t would be unreasonable to expect ac-