The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1898-04-06
The CUBAN WAR.
When It Began and bow It Is Progress

The Cubans have never been the
willing subjects of the barbarous Span
iards, and the gallant struggle they
are now making to free themselves
from the Spanish yoke is only one of
many. According to the Washington
Post it was not until 1s49, after many
previous failures to induce the people
to conspire against the brutal rule of
the Spaniards, that anything like
formidable revolt occurred. This only
lasted about a year and its leader,
Narciso LapeZ, was cruelty put to
death at Havana BY the Spaniards in
1850. The next revolution that
amounted to anything took place in
1868. While there was little fighting,
a harrassing and costly guerilla war
was carried on for ten years, and
Spain was glad to gain peace at the
price Of certain concessions. The
present revolution was commenced
February n, 1895, and Marti and
Gomez landed atSaban Ia Mar, April
II, on the southern coast of Cuba and
organized provincial government.
Fighting began Immediately, and
Marti was killed in charge at Das
Rails on May 19. About this time
Msceo and other patriots joined the
insurgents, whose ranks had swollen
to thousands by this time. During the
first half of 1895 there had been little
more than guerrilla fighting, the in
surgents keeping away from the large
bodies Of Spanish troops and making
dashes, here and there, on supply
trains, and this chiefly in the province
of Santiago de Cuba, to which the
trouble was confined.
In July Campos, with 5000 men
and Maceo, with 5000. met near Pera-
lejo. It was pitched battle and the
Spaniards were defeated. Among
their dead was General Santoclides.
who fell in sight OF Campos It was
with difficulty that Campos escaped
capture. Gomez, during the summer.
operated IN Puesto Principe province.
In September he was appointed COM
nlander-in. chief ofthe insurgentforces
and soon after he sent Naceo with
1900 men to the west. In November
he Joined them, and On December 8
they defeated Col. Segura; on Dscem.
her j. ..ney routed the battslions Of
Canarias and Trevino, and on Decem-
Der 81, by q victory at El Desquite,
they cleared the war TO the province
of Mantanzas. Caupos met them at
lEl Coliseo on the 23d and was defeated.
This succession of insurgent victo-
ries lead to a demand fo- the resigna-
ton of Campos, and Conovas sent
Weyler. Gomez and Maceo sep
arated and confined themselves to at
tacks on the subsistence trains sent
out to the scattered Spanish forces.
On February Is. 1896, Weyler issued
his DEGREES Of concentration. Under
these, all who were not in the insurgent
camps were ordered to concentrate in
the nearest fortified towns, their hous-
es were burned and their crops de-
stroyed, so that they could not feed
the insurgents. Of the effects of
these DEGREES there are different &C
counts, but it is agreed that an i'm
mense number have per:shed by star
vation.
On December Z. 1896, Maceo was
aubushed and killed in Habana
province. He was succeeded by Cal
ixto Garcia. who had landed in Cuba
the preceding March. Gomez won
the battle Of Saratoga and gained con-
troll OF Santa Clara province. He was
reported to have defeated the Spanish
again in February, 1892, at Juan
Crillo while Garcia won the battle OF
Victoria de las Tunas. These victories
resulted in a strong feeling against
Weyler, although his recall is said to
have been due to the influence Of
President Mckinley. After the death
of Cano7as Weyler was recalled, and
Gen. Blanco was sent to take his
place, the new commander reach ed
Cuba November 90, 1897 This is a
brief history of the efforts that the
Cubans have made to rid themselves
of their Spanish oppressor, and it GER
tainly should be pleasant news to
every lover of liberty to be assured
that at last Cuban independence is in
sight.