The Republican journal., 1898-06-02
Campaigning in Cuba.
The Insurgent Army Divided into Sma
Bands.

The Insurgent Army Divided into Small
Bands.
Mr.. Emory W. Fem, late major in the
Cuban army, has written an article for
the June Century, entitled, ''Ten Months
With the Cuban Insurgents Mr. Fem
says:
Our operations were confined to the
province of Santiago de Cuba, a large
proportion of the inhabitants of which
are blacks, descendants of native Africans,
imported in the days of slavery. Most of
the men are of medium stature, with broad
shoulders and we'll developed muscles.
They are peaceful in disposition, seldom,
if ever, quarreling among themselves, and
are brave and fearless in battle. AS no
attention has been given by the Spanish
authorities to their education, less than
one quarter of the country people in this
province are able to read and write; but
they are gifted by nature with a large
amount of intelligence. Their homes are
hardly more than roofs. The families are
large, often numbering from sixteen to
eighteen. Children under five years sell
dom wear clothing. Lamps are almost
unknown, candles being generally used.
Vegetables are plentiful, and meat is
now furnished to the families by the per-
feet, an officer OF the civil government
appointed for each township to protect
and care for the families, also to furnish
horses, Vegetables, and other articles nee
essary for the troops in his vicinity. As
the Cuban soldier relies mainly upon vege-
tables, and when the enemy is not near
at hand, often camps in the same place
for weeks at a time, it is necessary, in
order not to exhaust the supply, to divide
the forces into small bands of from fifty
In l,1IpAraI t,,np apoprHjpu TO ri ra,
stances. The vegetables chiefly used are
green plantains "a banana, but not the
variety sold in this market, green ba.
nanas, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, and the
nutritious yucca. These vegetables are
either boiled OF roasted on the GOALS.
The camp is usually chosen in an open
ing near a road, where fresh water may
be had and grass found for the horses, the
officers and assistants being, as a rule,
mounted. If the camp is for a short time
only, no huts are built; but if it is ex-
pected to remain for several days, the sol
diers erect small shelters. A majority of
the officers are provided with a large
piece of canvas. which is stretched as a
roof over their hammocks. The ham
mocks are hung to trees, or to posts
driven into the ground. Each soldier
does his own cooking but each officer is
attended by an assistant. Fires are start
ed with flint and steel, 40 matches being
used, except, perhaps, for a short time
after the capture of town. The princi-
pal fire wood is cedar.
As soon as a camp site has been selected,
guards are placed, but only on the roads,
as the Spanish troops never enter the
woods. The horses are then unsaddled
and taken to pasture, hammocks are hung,
IL Il i
supplied with vegetables are allowed to
lock for them, and, while usually they are
to be found near at hand, it is sometimes
necessary to go several miles before find
ing them. At night staff officers are re-
CURED to do guard duty near headquarters,
to receive any messages that may arrive,
and to see that all is quiet in camp.
Reveille is sounded on the bugle at day
light and every one, officers included, is
obliged to turn out Coffee or samantha
(Sweetened water) is then made, and
about one hour later roll call is sounded,
after which the soldier has very little to
do but rest until P. NJ, when roll call
is again sounded. Retreat is sounded at
eight, when every man must be in camp
and at nine "silence'' is sounded, and all
remove their clothing and retire for the
night
The Cubans eat but two meals day,
one about II A. NJ, and the other about 6
2. NJ. They often march by moonlight
and many of their attacks are made at
night while the Spanish forces never
march or attack except by day. In
Spanish camp the horses are not unsad-
died during the day, and at night the men
often do not remove their clothing, and the
entire camp is well guarded.
Medicine is scarce, and feveris common.