The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-03-28
NED CAMPBELL
Writes of Very Interesting trip In Cuba.
AMARRo, SANTA CLARA, CUBA,
Headquarters 3lst Mich. Vol. Inf.
March %, 1899.
DEAR FOLKS

DEAh L
just got back yesterday, from a six
days trip through the country, east of
here where detachments of the 31st
Michigan are stationed. Lieut.. Harry
Bryan of the 1st Ohio Vol. Inf. was
with me on this trip.
Went from here to Sagua la Grande
where Co. D, 31st, Capt. Smith, is sta
toned. This is one of the prettiest little
towns on the island. 1t has fifteen
thousand inhabitants, the buildings are
very substantial ones, have all been
painted up since the troops came in,
and everything is being cleaned up very
fast. Lieut.. Fisk, of the 9th Ohio who
has charge of the Cuban rations in this
department., has his headquarters here.
They have quit giving rations to the
Cuban army and only give them to the
women and children. If any of the Gu
ban soldiers want rations, they must
work for them, which is very good
way to do.
Capt. Rodman with Co. I, 9Th Ohio,
was in charge here until week ago,
when they went back to Cienfuegos.
From here took the train for Plecitis
at Sitiecito, where 1 had to change cars
and was to meet Lieut.. Bryan. The
train was an hour and half late so l had
to put in this time as best could with the
natives, none of whom could speak Eng
lish, but I proceeded to get myself
into their good graces, SO 1 lined them
up along the side of the street and took
their picture. From that on, anything
they had in the town was mine, for
there is no way to get the good will of
the people quicker than to take their
pictures. At last the train arrived and
I met Bryan on the train and we went
on our way, but our train was so late
that we missed connection at CANA
juani and so had to stay here all night.
We found very good hotel run by a
Spaniard, who could talk English. He
charged us one dollar, Spanish silver, for
dinner and bed; we left before break
fast as they only eat two meals day
here-breakfast at 10 a. M, dinner p.
m.
This place has five thousand inhabi-
tants. There are only two Yankee
soldiers stationed here; they belong to
the Signal Corps; one is telegraph
operator, the other is lineman. They
say it is rather lonesome by themselves,
but anything in town is theirs for the
asking.
We arrived at Plecitis and went out
to the camp which is in command of
Capt. Ross Granger, Co. A. 3lst Mich.
We had only been in the camp short
time, when the interpreter came out to
camp and told Capt. Granger that the
Mayor wanted to know who those
troops were that came in on the train
troops, mind you, and there were
only four of us. He seemed very anx-
ious to find out if we were all right.
He must have thought we looked dam
gerous, but the Captain told him we
were his friends, so that settled it.
Having decided that we wished to
visit sugar plantation that was near
here, we drew on a Colonel of the Cuban
Cavalry for mounts and guide. The
Colonel has his regiment of twenty-five
men camped near.
He furnished us with four mounts and
a Lieutenant from his staff, who could
speak English, for guide. This Colo
mel was taking great risks, for he would
have been in bad shape if he had been
attacked by the enemy during our
absence. We had twenty per cent. OF
his fighting strength with us.
barracks where one hundred Cuban
soldiers are stationed and on the way
out to this plantation, this dusky Cuban
warrior regaled us with his deeds OF
daring-the hair breadths escapes he
had had during his four years service
in the army. According to his count
ing he had been in two hundred and
ninety-two skirmishes and eleven pitch
battles and was with General Gomez
when he made his second invasion into
the western provinces.
He pointed out to us where there was
very hard battle fought. 1t lasted fol
two days. and was one of the hardest
they had. 1t was caused by the Span
iards attacking the Cubans when they
| were trying to get away with two hun.
dred and fifty-two cattle (mark the two
which they had stolen from the plan
| tation. The Cubans had two hundred
and seventy-five cavalry and infantry
the Spanish forces numbered near five
hundred cavalry and infantry. At the
close of the second day the Spaniards
retreated to the city and left seventy
rifles and one hundred horses to the
Cubans. The loss to the Cubans in thi:
fierce fight was seven killed. ffteer
wounded; Spanish loss thirteen killed
and thirty wounded. And all Of thil
fight was in the open field.
After about an hour and half rid,
we arrived at the plantation and tyins
our horses in front of the superinten
dents house we went in to pay ou
respects to him. He was not in jus
then, being out on the plantation, bu
his wife was there and she made thing
very pleasant for us; gave us lunch an
asked us back for breakfast.
They bring the cane from the field
on the railway and in OK carts. Thes
carts are drawn by two, three and fou