The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-07-28
CUBANS AS SOLDIERS
KENNETH r. HARRIS DESCRIBES THE
iNSuRGENT RANK AND FILE.


Good Nstured Contempt, but They Have
Their Good Points = Cubans Admire
Americans Shoes Are a Sign of Rank.
For the Cuban insurgent the Amer
lean private soldier has, generally speak
ing, sort Of good natured contempt.
de considers him loafer and has not q
high opinion of his fighting ability, al.
though he comedies that he might make
pretty good bushwhacker. In this.
OF course, he has been judging the Gu
ban by somewhat superficial observa-
ton. He has seen the tattered patriots
swinging in their hammocks by the
roadside, regarding the marching regi-
ments and trains of artillery as they
passed with Indifferent, lackluster
eyes, and he has concluded that green
cocoanuts and coffee comprise their
highest ideal and sole ambition.
On the other hand, the Cuban has a
profound admiration for the Amer
icanos. He shows this by emulating
their drill and by the air Of pride with
which he wears discarded soldier
blouse. He has learned to say "good
morning" and "hard tack' and is begin
ming to understand that 80 cent piece
is worth more than three nickels. He is
willing at any time to whip out his
machete and knock off the top of CO.
coanut for one of his deliverers from
Spanish misrule, and he will climb a
hA ,ka 4
consideration.
1t would be unfair and untrue, how
ever, to say that the Cubans are un
grateful for the Intervention of the
Americans. Some striking instances to
the contrary have come under my no.
tice within the last few days. A Cuban
muleteer recently brought up load of
provisions for our party from Siboney,
nine miles distant from Ell Paso, and
Observation-Disclosures ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ed to accept payment for the service
Another sent word to man who had,
as he supposed, hired his mule that he
would like to have the animal back, for
his family were suffering hunger and he
had to work for them. He was offered
money, bat refused to take it, saying,
II would not be good Cuban if l
should sell my help to you, but let me
have my mule if you can spare him"
Again, ragged young negro came
into camp the other morning with q
basket of ripe mangoes, which he offer
ed to group of soldiers. One of them
took mango and held out nickel. 1t
was beautiful thing to see the courte-
GUS smile with which the young gentle
man waved aside the proffered coin. cit
is my gift, senor," he said. 1T is very
little, but it is my gift, and hope you
will take some." And the soldier did
On the whole the Cuban is not bad
fellow. He is amiable if trifle blood
thirsty, and obliging, although afflicted
to great extent with the 'manana"
habit. The number of wounded insur-
gents that have been brought in is of
itself proof that they will fight, and it
seems impossible that they would choose
the life of constant privation and dam
ger they now do for the mere pleasure
Of hacking an occasional Spaniard to
pieces. They must necessarily be actual
ed ty motives of patriotism.
When we were ON board the Yucatan,
a visiting naval officer from Sampson S
fleet was asked what the Cubans looked
like and how they were armed. His re-
ply was, "They look like the devil, and
they are armed with anything they can
GET" 1t was a sufficiently accurate de-
scription. Nearly all of the insurgents
of Santiago de Cuba are negroes, with
perhaps a slight infusion of Spanish
blood. The more Spanish blood man
has the higher as a general thing is his
rank, though this is indicated to great
extent by the dress of the officer and his
degree of cleanliness. Castello's uni
forms are washed quite frequently, and
as he shaves daily he presents very
strong contrast to most of his command.
No one under the rank of lieutenant
wears shoes. A sort of canvas moccasin
with rope sole is worn by the inferior
officers and some of the men, but they
are getting scarce. Sixty per cent of the
men are barefooted, and the rest fasten
rawhide sandals on their feet with a
thong around the great toe in the an
tique fashion. Their trousers are of
some cotton material, originally white,
and open to ventilation by every breeze
that blows. Usually fringed remnant
of undershirt and a roughly plated hat
of straw complete the costume, but
many of them march naked to the waist.
AS for arms, every man has his ma
chete, which ranks next in general utili,
ty to the hairpin, and anything in the
way of gun that will explode powder
and carry ball. 1t has been q perpet-
ual wonder to every one who has seen
these troops or bands how and by what
system they obtain ammunition fol-
their pieces. They have old Spring.
fields, muzzle loading rifles fired with
percussion caps; Winchesters, Reming.
tons, Martinis-almost everything but
Indian matchlocks-and their ammuni-
ton belts are always full.
In addition to arms and ammunition
every man carries a basket of plated
rushes, holding about 100 pounds
A.. l.,