The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-04-01

rife. and presented himself to the
commander of the insu:Sent forces.
General Gomez Immediately placed him
on his staff as lieutenant. and soon
promoted him into the rank of captain
for bravery and ability displayed at the
battles OF A,taEracla and MuIto. which
took place In the summer Of '95, and af-
forwards made him commandante. or
major
In such high esteem were Mcnocal's
services held that he was elected as
sistant secretary of war by the Cuban
assembly. which met In the following
September. The young officer. however,
preferred the more active duties Of the
field. and IN the spring OF 1896 he was
transferred 10 the forces of General Ca
lixto Garcia. who had just landed near
Ba:acoa. Garcia made him his chief of
staff, and in this capacity he assumed
nearly all OF the arduous detail and
much Of the responsibility OF the fortu-
nate campaign o. the Oriente IN which
General Garcia became virtually mas
ter of the situation in the province of
Santiago de Cuba.
| 1t was during this campaign in May
Of 1896 that first met Mario Mcnocai
then colonel. near the Cauto river
ut seems good.' he remarked, ito meet
| some one once more who has come to
the field direct from New York. 1t is
great old town." he sighed. After n
moment, which evidently recalled some
pleasant rccollcctions. he continued:
Tell me what is now on at the Broad
way theaters." This within hearing OF
rifle voleys which the Spanish forces
Of Jiguan! were firing at n party Of Gu
ban cavalry. suggesting anything but
the awful realities of war.
l told him of the different plays then
running as well as could recall them,
while mounted couricrs momcntarily
brought reports of the success OF the
insursent force which was engaged in
driving away cattle from under the cne-
my's guns in the fortified suburbs OF
the town near by.
| In the operations which were carried
on In Holguin district soon after Colo
| mel Menocal did enough work for any
| five men. Our hammockS were usually
swung near each other. and night after
night officers and practices were report
Ing to him and receiving orders until
| long after midnight. We were always
up, saddled and on the march before
| dawn.
Are you never going to take a night
off and indulge In good rcst?" l once
asked him.
II shall not care to until Cuba Is
free" was his quiet reply.
During the summer of 1896 ! saw
many evidences Of Mcnocal's GOODNESS
and unerring Judgment at critical times
| In different engagements with the enc
| my. Although quiet, serious man, he
greatly enjoyed joke, even at his own
| expense. One morning previous 10 my
departure from General Garcin's COM
mand for the headquarters OF the provi-
s!onal government. some 200 miles dis
| tant, l rode alongside OF Colonel Memo
cal. and noticed him cycling my horse
very carefully.
THAT'S splendid animal you are
riding, Reno" he remarked
Yes, isn't he n beauty" I replied.
where did you get his mouse colorctl
majesty" he asked.
81 traded n new dollar and n quarter
machctc for him last night"
1T was n good bargain. He'll carry
you from one end Of the Island to the
other II you take care OF that little sore
under the saddle"
How did you discover that there Is
n sore under my saddle?"
"Oh. easily enough. That paclfco
| traded you my reserve horse, that's
ALL" he replied.
| at once offered to restore the prop
crty to Its rightful owner. but he would
| not have 1t 30.
He is just what you want. Don't
say n word. The Joke Is on me, that's
ALL"
| Aside from the excellent work inau-
guratcd In the police department by lts
new chief. Senocal Is serving rs nm OBJ.
1cct lesson TO that large body OF we'll
Informed md pesslmistic Americans.
| who not only doubt, but with singular
assurance, assert that all talk about the
Cubnns governing themselves for at
least several ycars to come Ia ldIotlc,
When few days ago In IInvann. r
| referred one Of these doubling indiyId.
uals. New York cx-al1crman, TO some
OF the new chiefs executive work
which mcrited approval. he exclaimed:
why he's no Cuban: he's rot blue cyes
and he speaks English"
It's true TINT General Menoral ks
English. perfect English. md that he
has blue cycs. but he Is nevertheless n
Cuban. born in Havana. The Mcnocnls
| have been conspicuous M lcadrrs In
every revolution against Spanish ruIc
! In Cuba since the people Of TINT Hnfor.
tunntc country commenced to send their