The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1898-09-02
AN INCIDENT OF WAR.
written for This Paper.l

William L. Crafts was an American resi-
dent of Santiago de Cuba. For ten years he
and his family had lived in pretty home on
the outskirts of the city. In the business
section be had dingy office and warehouse,
where be had accumulated a fortune in the
business of exporting sugar and tobacco to
the United States and European ports.
The Crafts household consisted of the fa-
Their, mother and two children. The one q
son of some Is years and the other daugh-
ter just past her teens, who had the beauti-
full fair complexion and golden hair so fire.
quently seen in the New England states
Every year during the summer months the
mother, son and daughter visited the old
home on the banks of the Hudson, near far
famed West Point, and it was at gradua-
ton ball at our military school that Miss
Grace made her debut into American SO,
ciety. It was here also that she met Lieut.
Stanton, who had that day finished his
course at the Point and graduated with
honor.
The love the handsome young soldier felt
for the fair girl at almost their first meeting
was fully returned by her, and ere the sum
mer was over and the time at hand for Mrs
Crafts and her two children to return to
their Cuban home, and for Lieut.. Stanton
to Join the regiment to which he had been
assigned, he had secured her permission
to ask her father for her hand. The oppor
tunity for this presented itself few days
later, when the father came north on bust
ness trip, and to remain until time for the
family 10 return.
When Lieut.. Stanton stated his case the
father found no objection to him as suit
! able husband for his daughter, but requested
that the marriage be postponed till such
time as the young lieutenant should be
more firmly established in the army. lie
this the lovers readily consented, and after
promising to spend his first leave of absence
with his iance Lieut.. Stanton left for the
far west to join his command.
In Santiago the Crafts family were uni
versally respected by both Spanish, Cuban
and foreign residents. They had not taken
sides in the revolution which was devastat
ing the island, and so had retained the good
will Of all those interested in it on either
side When they returned to their home, IN
the fall Of last year, it was without Thought
of danger to themselves or even tht
possibility of war between Spain and the
United States. E:en when war between the
two countries was finally declared they felt
secure, and it was not until an invading
army from the states had landed near San
tiago and all egrcss and ingress to and from
the city was shut off that their fears were
aroused Then all the years of friendship
and respect the Spanish had given the Amer
lean residents was forgotten. American OF
fees, stores and warehouses were pillaged
and sacked and the owners and their faml
lies insuted and threatened.
Among the officers of the invading army
was Lieut.. Stanton. His regiment OF cavalry
was one Of the first to land on Cuban soil
and it was with d feeling OF e!ation that nc
regarded the chances of soon claiming hls
bride at her fathers house.
| Cuban spies were sent into the city &c
| gain information MS to it's defenses. and te
one of these Lieut.. Stanton intrusted mes
| sage to his fiance. informing her OF his pres
| ence with the American forces, and asking
her if herself or her family needed assist
ance of any kind which he could render.
| 1t was not until after the first shots at the
| battle of Santiago had been fired and the
Spaniards driven IT. from the outposts that
| the spy was enabled to deliver his message
to Miss Crafts. vs. that time true Spanish
vengeance was being reeked against every
| American in the city. The Crafts home wa
practically blockuded, and for any of.lts IN
mates to show themselves meant insults and
| violence.
1t was with u prayer of thanksgiving that
the fair girl read Lieut.. Stanton's message
| They were inside the inner tort'tications
while he and his regiment had but that day
entered lei Caney after victorious charge
What a further advance OF the American
forces would mean to them was hard to tell
At anv rate she would tell them of their
| 10 his rI her and
his good sense to lead him Alright.
| 1t was late in the evening before the spy
| had again succeeded in working his way
through the Spanish lines and reaching the
| American forces at El Cancy. lie at once
delivered the message to Lieut.. Stanton, and
| the young officer became frantic with the de-
| sire to in some way assist his nance ana her
| family in the beleagured city.
Calling the members of his troop around
him he asked for 20 volunteers who would
| follow him on dash through the Spanish
| lines. provided the genera! commanding
would give them the desired permission. The
| 20 men that he asked for were easily found
And after the Cuban spy had explained to
| the general the possibility of small body OF
men working their way through the Span
| ish lines nearest the home of the Crafts,
while their horses were held just outside,
permission for them to go was readily gwen.
The Cuban guide was sure of his way and
led them safely to the Crafts home. FFem
| the shadow OF the buildings and trees far
down the street they could see the mob OF
| frcnzied Spaniards in front of the home
which they wished to enter. To attempt to
| force a way through such a mob was sheer
madness, but little investigation showed
| them that the near entrance, which they
| could reach through narrow alley. was not
| so well guarded.
| To attempt to describe the scene in that
home, when the friends were admitted,
would be useless. The cry OF Joy with which
| the girl wecomed the young officer was al
most their undoing.
| But few moments were needed to make
their preparations to leave. Nothing but
money and jewelry could be taken with
them; the skirts of the mother and daugh-
ter were discarded and in their place was
the clothing of father and son.
Egress from the house and city was made
| in the same way the entrance had been. At
the outer Spanish lines sentry challenged
| them, the first they had met since leaving
| the American lines, but saber thrust quiet
| ed him and no trouble was experienced.
1t was not until all were mounted and they
| felt safely on their way back to FL Caney
| that any serious trouble was met with. Then
they encountered troop of Spanish cavalry:
| To stand and fight was impracticable; it
must be a run for the American lines. The
| little band of troopers, with Lieut.. Stanton
at their head, stopped for few moments to
hold the enemy in check while the Cuban