The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1898-07-15
RISING SUN, CECIL COUNTY, MD. FRIDAY,
A CUBAN CHARGE.
How Much Depends ON the Machete-
Strings and Thongs Are Im-
pOrtant Factors.

Strings, thongs and snap-catches play
important parts in the field uniform of
o Cuban insurgent. Persons who have
seen the little band of Cuban patriots
with Buffalo Bills wild west show
come dashing into the arena have no.
ticed that each man, by quick move
ment of the head, throws off his straw
hat. The hat, which is held by
string, bangles upon the horseman's
shoulders during his ride. The move
ment, revealing the fine, alert and
spirited faces of the men who serve
under Gomez and Maceo, looks like a
trick for theatric effect, but it. is what
they always do when riding into ac-
ton, so one of the little band explained
the other day.
"The Spanish soldiers" he said, "have
the Mauser rifle, which kills at 1000 or
1900 yards, while we have only the
Remington carbine, which is of short
range. It is all we can afford. If we
remain at distance, the Spanish with
out danger to themselves will, as you
Americans say, wipe US OUT So we
must get close to them. That is the first
consideration. The Mauser rifle will
not kill any more at one yard than at
1000, but it is different with the ma
chete. For it close quarters are neces-
sary.
''Now, see how we are prepared for an
attack. The carbine hangs by this
snap-catch from the belt on the left
side. The revolver, suspended by
strong string through it's butt, hangs
on the left side. The machete, by
thong through the handle, swings from
the right wrist. The hat is made fast
by string, so that it may be thrown
back, out of the way but not lost, for
we are too poor to lose anything, even
an old straw hat, and when the fight is
over, If we are alive we will want our
hats. But during the fight we want
our heads bare, clear, that we may see.
The Spaniard pulls his hat down over
his eyes.
''The order Is given to charge! Three,
four or five hundred yards we must go
very fast-straight for the Spaniards,
who all the time have us in range of
their Mausers, while we can do nothing
to them. Then we are close enough
for the carbine to have effect, and they
SO bang-bang- bang, fast as we can load
and fire. Ahl If we only had magazine
guns like yours; but they are too cost
ly for us. Quickly we are close enough
for the revolver to do execution. The
carbine goes back to it's hook on the
belt and the revolver speaks bang bang
bang until it is empty, when it is
dropped for the string to take care of.
''By that time we are on the enemy
with the machete. That is the tool to
kill with. Shots fired in a gallop may
miss, but there is no mistake about the
chop of the machete. The Spaniard
knows it and dislikes it exceedingly. A
man who knows how to handle the
machete can lop off an arm or a head
or split man like carrot with it. A
gun may get out of order, ammunition
may be exhausted, but the good machete
is always ready for service. Grind it
sharp when it is dulled on bones and
it will not fail to serve you well.
when the fight is over everything
is in place. The hat is put back on the
head, for the sun is very hot; the re-
volver and carbine hang in their places
ready for reloading, and we are pre-
pared for another fight. Y. Sun.