Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1898-08-18
TIE CITIZEN.
SPANIsH-lNsUR6ENT WARFARE DE-
sCRl5ED BY A CUBAN COLONEL,

! Tho Cuban Soldiers Heroes IN tho Eyes ot
the North II They are PoorJv Armed and
Fedard Weak N \ csumbers-%5ave up Land
and Possessions to Join Insurgent Army.
The Cuban soldiers, poorly aImed
and poorly fed and weak in numbers.
have become heroes in the eyes Of the
kind North. True. we have heroes
among US, and We all try to hgh: brave
| " for our country. We willingly give
up lands, professions ID quiet TO join
the torn ranks Of a. little army; ana
we win many wonderful victories.
These victories are due, 70 great ex-
tent, to the fine qualities OF our own
men-to their dash and skill-put
partly 20 the inexperience OF The troops
sent against Us b. the Spanish govern
me1t Boys Of Il and under are forced
70 take Up arms against men for Whocl
they have no real fee!ins of enmity
They are rushed about through coun-
try they do not know; they are treat
ed like dogs by most OF their ot1cers,
and harassed by Us from daylight I'll
dark Few Of their old troops are iett
to fight US. The! were men OF ne.l'e
and. knowledge Of warfare, ard often
proved tco much for US, nsin for man.
But the new recruits are fighting IN
willingly, in a cause they do lot love-
and if we have any pity to spare from
our own people it is for them.
The Cuban in his early boyhood is
trained IN the use c. the Enachete. IN
time of peace lie uses it to cut cane
and flrewood and as toollin carpentry
work; but when lie Tidesfto war 1t be-
comes more deadly tan .lhe American
army sabre OF the old time rapieT.
Every codn1ryman, White d black,
owns a uachete, so il this respect cur
men are easily armed. Many Of our
cavalrymen are without carb!nes, bat
as the wild charge is thetmost effective
method OF breaking the enemy IN our
guerilla fighting. the MAJ with moth
ing but mis- machete is noa entirely use
less. Wheu the Spanish commanders
hear that We are sCynew iese in the VI
ciniIy and march lnto lie hills 10 sub
due US. our horsemen divide ato small
squads OF ter or twelve a@d our iEEaa-
try lie in ambush. WheA- -he, Spaniards
are near enough TO make SUI targets
we open fire on them from dhe brush.
Sometimes they answer thiA valley ana
charge at the smoke, and sometimes
they turn back and make dash ior
safety IL either case our little band
of hOTsemeB break il upon them from
every side and cut and retreat. The
Spanish officers may try to form their
men into squares, but very often tkeir
attempts are unsuccessful, SO We cut
theu down a. they rul. AAts Is our
way Of coping with the sHbrior NUN
bers OF Spanish regulars aent out to
beat us back into servittde. Some
times the victory is ours. often 1t Is
theirs-for once In the open3their NUM-
bers tell. We would not be able 20
carry our System Of AMBUSH and dead
ly attack into operation but for our re-
lays of scouts, who keep the smain booy
OF our army notified OF every move
ment of the enemy.
Most Of the colored soldiers fighting
for the Cuban cause are in tho infan-
try, being too po6r to own motnts OF
thelr own-and in our army every man
supplies his own hora {. or elae goes on
foot. We have been under arms for
over three years. and during all that
time have known no such thingas pay
day.
Americans have too great fear Of
catching yellow fever in Cuba. The
truth OF the matter Is that our pastoral
districts and our hills are as healthy al
any country in the world, and thar. the
disease RACES only III the vicinity OF
Havana, and there 1t Is partly due to
the carelessness of the Span1ards II
their sanitary arrangements.