Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1898-07-28

prised Mrs Garcia's mother and sisters
and an equal number of her husband S
relatives. All these women, with the
children, followed the Cuban army for
two years and suffered terribly from
heat and hunger, while there was ever
present the danger of capture and it's
sequel of Spanish dungeon. During
this period they had no shelter but a
rude hut in the woods, and their supply
of food was SO uncertain that they were
often upon the point Of starvation.
All these risks were voluntarily as
sumed by Mrs. Garcia She could have
lived secure beyond the reach Of danger,
and her husband urged her to forsake
the camp. She could not be persuaded
to do this, as she was desirous of being
near him and aiding him in every way
possible. A price was finally placed up
ON General Garcia's head, and reward
was also offered for the capture of Mrs.
Garcia, owing to the assistance she and
her family were giving to the Cuban
cause.
Mrs. Garcia i'll recalling her expert
6lCtS cdI0 IIdU lllOuIu WAS
the longest they ever remained in one
place, and frequently they could only
remain day. Under such circumstances
her son Justo was born in 1869 When
days old, the camp was surprised by
Spanish guerrillas at night, and Mrs.
Garcia and her children found tempo
rary safety i'll fight Shortly afterward
they were captured and kept prisoners
i'll Havana for two years. When releas-
ed, she made her way to New York,
where she has resided ever since. After
leaving Cuba Mrs. Garcia did not see
her husband until his escape from Spain,
six years later. Her son Justo is now in
Spanish prison in Cuba, and another
son, Carlos, is with his father fighting
to free Cuba.
Any detailed biographical mention of
this truly noble and devoted lady would
be incomplete without some notice of at
least the salient features in the life of
her husband.
General Calixto Garcia was born in
Holguin, Cuba, i'll 1910. and is conse-
quently now in his fifty eighth year.
He belonged to a wealthy and distin-
guished family and. was educated in
Cuba and abroad HeGarly identified
himself with the cause of Cuban liberty
and when the Ten Years war broke out
in 1868 made common cause with the
reyolutionists. This involved much
more to him than to the rank and file
of the Cuban army, for he had to sacri-
fee his extensive plantations and other
sources of his wealth.
In 1874, with small band of insur-
gent troops, General Garcia was sur
prised by large force of Spaniards.
The small band fought with the most
determined valor; but, surrounded on
every side, General Garcia and few
wounded Cubans were all who were left
alive. Foreseeing capture inevitable
and resolved not to be taken alive, Gen
eral Garcia drew revolver, and plac.
ing the muzzle beneath his chin pulled
the trigger. The ball passed through the
roof of his mouth and made its exit
through the forehead almost midway
between the eyes. A large white scar
still marks the spot. Desperate as was
the general $ condition, the Spanish sur
geons saved his life. He was afterward
sent as prisoner to Spain and for
long time was confined in dungeon.
Finally, through the efforts of his fami-
ly, he was released OH parole, one of the
conditions being that he should never
leave Madrid. When the present revo-
luton broke out i'll Cuba, he communi
Gated with the leaders i'll the movement
and finally decided to leave Spain. He
took passage disguised to New York in
October, 1895, and for some time after
arriving there lived with his family at
239 West Forty street.
About the close of that year he left
New York for Cuba and has been ac-
lively engaged in fighting the Spaniards
ever since. NEIL MACDONALD.