The Monmouth inquirer., 1898-12-15

" NJ
GENERAL GARCIA.
suitably worded letter, and Vice Presi-
i dent Hobart sent his card Among those
4 who called were Senators Foraker Mon
4 ey. Proctor and Chandler and Major
Generals Lawton and Wheeler
General Garcia whose name will be
| ever linked with those of other patriots
who have fought against unequal odds
! for the freedom of his country, has had
a most active and varied life, much Of
which has been spent in fighting for the
cause of Cuban liberty, which he had
the satisfaction of seeing accomplished
so short a 1ne before his death. He
was a man of culture and refinement
of splendid education and came from a
! distinguished family of Jaiquani, in Sam
lstiago province. He was born in Cog
quin Oct IA, 1889, and was therefore in
his sixtieth year.
Leader In the Former War.
j General Garcia was educated in Ha-
vana and in Spain. In 1854 he was mar
ried to Isabel velez. General Garcia was
the original conspirator in the uprising
Of the Cubans against Spain in 1868, and
in that war under Gomez he attained
In October of 1858 he captured the
towns of Jaiquani and Baire and re-
cruited many hundreds of patriots. He
! had command of the eastern depart
ment during the revolution after 1873
and won many notable victories, in
cluding those at Melones and Aures.
/ While the revolution was in a critical
state in the other provinces and its out
come was uncertain he maintained 1t
| with vigor in the territories under his
| command. In 1875, while accommodating
with his escort he was surrounded by
1000 Spaniards.
Preferring death to capture and sub
sequent execution at the hands of his
enemy, he attempted suicide by placing
! his revolver under his chin and firing.
The bullet came out between his eye
brows. For months he lay between life
and DEATH but was saved finally by
Spanish surgeons, who possibly owed
Il their own lives to his mercy The
Spaniards, believing him about to die,
i gave him pardon. The hole which the
bullet made was always visible and
shows plainly in the calmness of death.
For his participation in the revolu-
4 tionary movement General Garcia was
i sent to Spain, where for four years he
remaining there until the peace of Zan
Jon. He then returned to the United
i States and together with Jose Marti at
tempted another revolution. He landed
in Cuba with a few followers. but the
country was tired of war and wanted
to try the home rule offered by Spain.
He capitulated to the Spanish forces in
order to save his few remaining follow
ers and was again banished to Spain in
1880, where he remained under surveil-
4 lance until 1896 when the last revolu-
ton broke out in Cuba Then he es-
! capped to France and later to New York.
His Return to Cuba.
His movements since that time and
his active participation in the war are
familiar to newspaper readers. After
coming to this country he endeavored
to get an expedition to the island of Gu
ba in the steamer Hawkins. but this
met with shipwreck in a storm, and the
cargo was lost. General Garcia was the
last man to leave the vessel. Undaunt-
ed by his failure, General Garcia made
, another attempt to ship stores for the
insurgents, this time obtaining the ship
Bermuda. He was intercepted, howev-
! err by United States authorities and
, was arrested on the charge of filibuster-
ing, but was released on SO, 900 bail. He
forfeited this bail and in a final attempt
landed on the eastern coast of the is
| land with one of the largest expeditions
that ever reached Cuba. After landing
he succeeded General Antonio Maceo in
command of the troops of the eastern
/. department. holding the rank of major
general General Maceo marching west
with his men.
At Maceos death Garcia was elected