Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-01-16

the Terrific Velocity OF Mauzer
Bullet-Old Soldiers, Who Dld
Service in the Ten Years War,
Are Being Replaced by Younger
and More Progr assive Fighters,
Who Do Not Depend Alone Upon
Guerilla Warfare - Men Shot
Through the Brain Recover En-
tirely.
New York. January 15.-Lieut. Col.
Frank Funston, son of former Con-
gresham, Of Kansas, who recently ar
rived here from Cuba to enter hospi-
tai for treatment, to-day gave out some
additional statements concerning the
instruction. Concerning the battle OF
Victoria de las Tunas he said:
THE battle of Victoria de las Tunas
was fought without blunder On the
part of the Cubans On our side they
had five pieces in action all through
the siege. including the dynamite gun.
The Spaniards had two Krupp guns,
which were handled valliantly, but
with poor results. This is the case
with all the Spanish artillery. They
have coed guns and the men hgnt
well. but they are miserable marks
men. Our guns are manned entlrely
! bv Americans, who can do considera-
bly, more execution.
while Gen. Garcia was the chief in
command at Victoria de las Tunas,
Mario G. Menocal, the youngest gener-
IN, bn
and directed all the movements. He is
young man of go, son Of wealthy
Cuban family. and a graduate of Cor
nell University He has lived in the
United States nearly all his life. He
is a brilliant leader, with brains as
we'll as bravery He is a cousin Of
Civil Engineer Menocal, of the United
States army.
Col. Funston made some interesting
statements in regard to the dynamite
gun. Notwithstanding the execution it
has wrought in all the battles in which
it has been used, he says the best all
around piece of ordnance in the battery
is a 3-inch Driggs-Shroeder rifle. The
dynamite gun while remarkably eff
fective against the brick forts which
are the rule in the Spanish fortifca
lions, is utterly useless against
staunch wall of masonry. At Victoria
de las Tunas dynamite shells were
sent against wall feet in thickness
at range of 80 yards and were abso-
lutely without effect. The reason for
this he ascTibes TO the sensitiveness of
dynamite. 1t explodes at the slightest
contact and before it really strikes the
wall solidly. The force of the explo-
sion, aside from its natural trend
downward. is spread over a great area
The light brick walls, however, crum-
bled away like dust before it, and when
she'll landed on the roof of one of
the forts it smashed it to splinters.
The Cubans. he said, are chary about
sending their artillery into action Be-
| fore they do SO they wish to have a
reasonable assurance of victory. 1t is
hard matter for them to get large
guns, and they are in constant fear
some OF those they have may be cap
| tured.
Discipline, he says, is strict among
! the Cubans and yet there is free in
| tercourse between officers and men.
AT Guamairo" said Col. Funston. THE
| Cubans captured $50 prisoners, ana 800 at
! Victoria de las Tunas. The injured were
! returned to the Span1ards. while of the
| farms, raising supplies for the insurgents
I while the officers are kept busy in the
! towns. with practical liberty, but still I'M
| der surveillance"
! Ore of the difficulties OF the Cubans. he
/ says, is the character of most of the old
| leaders. They are veterans of the ten
| years war. who know nothing and will
| learn nothing but guerilla warfare They
! q Iii. t.
! fortified towns. But these men are being
| gradually replaced by q younger genera
ton. Sons of well-to-do Cuban families,
| men of means. ability and education. are
| coming to the front Notably among these
men are Col. Carlos Garcia, son of Gen.
! Calixto Garcia; Col. Valiente and Gen.
| Menocal. Jesus Rabi. who Is operating in
the east in conjunction with Garcia, is a
veteran OF the last war. Rabi. says Col.
Funston, is a tall, handsome and pictur-
! esque looking man, one Of the best of the
| Cuban Indians.
! The Nauser bullet he says. is not at all
| dangerous Il is long. hard. and is carried
| with terrific velocity. As a result, it VIII
pierce bone without breaking it. making
a hole no Iarger than itself. He says he
knows Of several cases where men were
brain and recovered entirely. Because Of
| this the Cubans have little fear Of the
Mauser bullets in an ordinary engage
! rlent. The rapidly with which they are
| fired, however, makes them dangerous in
nlachete charges. because then one is apt
/ TO catch several OF them. As a result.
nachete charges have practically gone
out Of style iii Cuban warfare Some Of
| the Spanish regiments are armed with
| Remington rifles. The Remington bullet
makes a fearful wound. and the Cubans
| always make il a poinl before battle to
! find out. If possible, whether they are go
! ing against Mausers or RemIngtons.
| The Cubans. he says. are well supplied
| with everything but clothes, and that the
| jungle fever, similar to that which pre-
walls in Panama. affects the Cubans just
| as much as it does the Spaniards. The
army in the east. he said, is composed of
| about half blacks. including mulatoes,
and half white, while only one-fourth Of
the army in the west is made up of ne
| groes.
| Col. Funston confirms the news that the
| Cubans are now in absolute control of the
| Cauto River, as well as the territory in
eastern Cuba. The Spamards have made
desperate efforts TO secure control of the
river, but have always failed. He tells of
! one case wnen the Spanish started gun
| boat up the river carrying Calling gun
| ard about q score or so Of men. The idea
was IN beat the banks Thoroughly hlt the