Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-15
SPANS SOLDIERS.
SMALL IN PHYSIQUE AND POORLY
PROVIDED FOR.
YET NOT LACKING IN COURAGE.
II Properly Led, Quite Capable OF
Giving q Good Account OF Tne"-
seIve.-Habara. Volunteers as Dis
tinxuishcd from Spanish Regular.
washington Post.)

| dressed, fairly drilled, and usuaiiy Po"'0
and obIieing. Their arms and accoutre-
mepts were always in good conditioh' anu
| they seemed to be in the best OF spiii'S'
| They carried Mauser rifles and wore
uniform of light material. something hxe
| the old-fashioned check apron or our poy'
hood days. The coat resempieo fN'i
| folk jacket, and was usually held IN place
by a black belt. Their hats were OF
| fine chip straw, with broad brims. Inc
| left side of the brim was pinned 10 the
| side OF the crown with rosette' carry
ing the Spanish colors. The oflcers wore
fine Panama hats, with the same rosettes
| and no plumes. Their uniforms were not
of the same material Of those of the pri-
Yates. but were of a steel-gray color.
| The sleeves were richly braided III sol"' |
and similar braid appeared upon the
coat-collar. Rank was designated ny lno
quantity of braid on each sleeve ana col
lar.
All the officers and many OF the prl-
Yates sported a profuson OF medals.
These were decorations AWARDED eltheI ioi
length of service or for gallantry Inc |
most of these decorations carried u
creased pay. but so inhnitesimai as 10
be lud!crous. one soldier exhlDitsu q
cross which brought I'm Sl.72 year IN cd
ditiOn to his regular pay. In one cdSe
an officer exhibited an emblem grahteu
for service in the field, which produced
as high as $3.50 a year. All who received |
honors were evidently very proud OF
them, whether the remuneration was
great or small. Generals carried iaaiaccd
canes aside from their swords me cane
Is an indication Of their rank. Ihe com
manding officers carry them IN dlslInS
their regiments. Besides tie drill there
was an inspection every morning
INSPECTION OF THE REGIMENT.
For the inspection the regiment was
brought to rear open order. the front |
rank facing about, and confronting the
rear rank. The inspecting officer started |
down the right of the line, the regiment |
standing at parade rest. The compa- |
MES came to arms port as he came down |
the line. From the start to the hnish ne
held his sword in his right hand at an !
angle of forty-ive degrees, the nit be |
ing within three inches of his nose. Each |
captain and ranking lieutenant attend
ed him as he inspected their company. |
Occasionally he stopped and worked the |
locks Of the different rifles with his LETT |
hand, keeping his sword in his right, ana |
still carrying it at an angle of forty-1ve
degrees. At times he upbraided the men |
for negligence of attire. Meantime the !
companies awaiting inspection smoked
cigarettes, gaZed at the ladies in the WIN |
dows of the hotels, and bought tid-blts
from the huckstefs who beset the line
The iabbering was incessant until the in
specting officer reached the company; !
! then all were as motionless as statutes.
| The privates seemed TO look upon the IN
specting officer with awe, while the COM
iii at;da eay 10
men when he was approaching. There
| was no crowd around the regiment, and
| nobody, aside from the soldiers them
| selves seemed to take any interest in the
| inspection. After the inspection the COM
| handing officer took his station twenty
| feet away from the regiment. and issued
| his orders in loud voice. The regiment
| came TO close order. and moved of by
the right flank at a very quick step to the
call Of the bugle. All the privates were
young men. ranging apparently between
the ages of l6 and q.
Such was a morning scene in Habana
| These soldiers were Spanish regulars
| The volunteers are an entirely different
| organization. Thei. uniforms are of a
| different cut and texture. and they never
appear in public except on special occa-
sions. They probably drill at night in
| their armorles. They are composed OF
| the numerous mercantile and manufac-
| turing establishments in Habana. Their
| officers are the proprietors and tho sons
| OF the proprietors. They look spick. span,
and neat. and have all the elan Of
| the National Guard of the State Of New
| York. They exhibit no disposition to
| enter the field i'm search of the enemy |
but maintain their right to remain in
Habana and man the fortifications, if
| necessary, while the regular troops are
| sent TO the front.
| SOLDIERS, SOLDIERS, E cry
WHERE.
Men in uniform are found on every |
| street. The officers swarm in the res |
| taurants, drinking light wines. and feed |
| ing on OLA podrida. and other Spanish |
dishes well seasoned with garlic There !
| are usually ladies at their tables and |
| cigars and cigarettes are always in form. |
| The generals were as numerous as gene |
| rails in washington in 1862. when Orpheus |
| c. Kerr said that negro threw a stick |
| at a dog in front of Wizards and had the /
! misfortune 10 spatter mud on two major !
| generals four brigadiers. and twelve |
| colonels The Spanish generals seemed |
| to be we'll supplied with money. They |
| aired their uniforms in carriages at all |
hours OF the day and as the sun went |
! down appeared in profusiOn along a |
favorite drive on the seashore, toward |
Banes.
Many soldiers We're seen at country |
towns along the railway between Ha- |
bana, Matanzas. and Sagua lie Grande. |
When the train stopped at a depot
corporal and twelve men were usually |
drawn up on the platform at parade
rest. Whether this was 10 maintain or
der or as a mark OF honor 10 travelling |
officers could not be ascertained. POSI-
bly, II was 10 take charge Of supplies
shipped by train. At least half Of the
passengers were officers None appeared
to have passes, but all bought their
tickets the same as other travellers.
Each train had two ironclad cars, one
Immediately behind the locomotive, and
the other at the tail end of the train
There were usually a dozen soldiers in
each of the cars. These ironclads were
provided with benches and racks for mus
kets The guards amused themselves with
conversation and card-playing while the
train was In motion. Each car was un-
der the command Of sergeant The
trains were frequently attacked by the
Insurgents, although pilot engine pre-
ceded each train a quarter OF mile.
During the congressional visit two at
tacks were made between Habana and
Matanzas There was no direct assault
T. upon the train, however. The insurgents
we're concealed in thckets, and opened
ire from ambush.
SOLDIERY IN THE FIELD.
At times they used grenades filled with
l,raop,fta Tha SnauiSh soldiers showed |