The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-26

!
the proposed construction of a railroad
from the latter city to Santa Cruz on the
south coast. This proposition was intend
ed TO pacify the people of that province
and prevent them from joining the revolt.
| But no sooner did Gen. Maxine Gomez
cross the line from the Oriente into Cam
aguey than Menocal dropped his quad
rant, shouldered his rife and presented
| himself to the commander of the insurgent
forces. Gen. Gomez Immediately placed
him on his staff as lieutenant. and soon
promoted him to the rank of captain for
bravery and ability displayed at the bat
ties of Altagracia and MulatO, which took
place in the summer of '95, and afterwards
made him commandante, or major.
In such high esteem were MenocaPs ser
vices held that he was elected assistant
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 '96 he was transferred to the forces of
| Gen. Calixto Garcia, who had just landed
near Baracoa. Garcia made him his
chief of staff, and in this capacity he as
sumed nearly all of the arduous detail and
much of the responsibility of the fortunate
| campaign of the Oriente in which Gen.
| Garcia became virtually master of the sit
uation in the province of Santiago de
| Cuba
A Meeting with MenOcal.
1t was during this campaign in May
of SO that 1 first met Mario Menocal,
then a colonel, near the Cauto river. 1T
| seems good" he remarked, ito meet some
one once more who has come to the field
| direct from New York. 1t is a great old
| town" he sighed. After a moment, which
| evidently recalled some pleasant recollec-
| ton, he continued: Tell me what is now
/ att he fl.o h
In hearing of rifle volleys which the Span
ish forces of Jiguani were firing at a
! party of Cuban cavalry suggested any
| thing but the awful realities of war.
| 1 told him of the different plays then
running, as well as I could recall them,
while mounted couriers momentariiy
| brought reports of the success of the in
surgent force which was engaged in driv-
| ing away cattle from under the enemy's
| guns in the fortified suburbs of the town
near by.
In the operations which were carried
on in Holguin district soon after Col.
| Menocal did enough work for any five
men. Our hammocks were usually swung
near each other, and night after night Of
ficers and practices were reporting to him
and receiving orders until long after mid
night. We were always up, saddled and
| on the march before dawn.
''Are you never going to take a night
off and indulge in a good rest?" I once
| asked him.
Il shall not care to until Cuba is free"
was his quiet reply.
A Good Horse Bargain.
During the summer of '96 I saw many
| evidences of Menocafs GOODNESS and I'M
erring Judgment at critical moments in
different engagements with the enemy. Al
though quiet, serious man he greatly
enjoyed a joke, even at his own expense.
One morning previous to my departure
from Gen. Garcfa's command for the
headquarters of the provisional govern
ment some two hundred miles distant I
rode alongside of Col. Menocal and noticed
him cycling my horse very carefully.
That's a splendid animal you're riding
| Reno" he remarked.
YES isn't he a beauty" replied.
where did you get his mouse colored
majesty" he asked.
Il traded a new dollar and a quarter
machete for him last night"
at was a good bargain. He'll carry
you from one end of the island to the
other if you take care of that little sore
under the saddle"
How did you discover that there is a
| sore under my saddle?'
"Oh, easily enough. That pacifico trad
ed you my reserve horse, that's all" he
replied.
I at once offered to restore the property
to its rightful owner, but he would not
have it so.
HE is just what you need. Don't say
a word, the joke is on me, that's ALL"
Aside from the excellent work inaugur-
ated in the police departments by its new
chief Menocal is serving as a valuable
object lesson to that large body Of Him
formed and pessimstic Americans who
not only doubt, but, with singular as
surance, assert that all talk about the Gu
bans governing themselves for at least
several years to come is idiotic.
A BIue-Eyed Cuban.
When a few days ago in Havana 1 re-
ferred one of these doubling individuals
a New York ex-alderman. to some of the
new chiefs executive work which mer;ted
approval he exclaimed: why. he's no
Cuban; he's got blue eyes and he speaks
English.
1t is true that Gen. Menocal speaks
English, perfect English, and that he has
blue eyes, but ne is nevertheless a Cuban
born in Havana. The Menocals have been
| conspicuous as leaders in every revolu-
| ton against Spanish rule in Cuba since
| the people of that unfortunate country
commenced to send their sons to the
United States to be educated The mother,
sisters and daughters of the Menocal fam
| lily are tQuhly PdLIlpIC WITH the IfldHe
| members. 1 can recall but two women
Carload Aguero and Concha Agramonte
| Sanchez, who sent her five sons to the
field whose enthusiasm for the cause of
independence quite equals that of Cen
Menocal's mother She sent her four sons
all she had, to battle for freedom and
when at Marianao she visited the general
a few days ago joy and pride were pic
tured in every hneament of her handsome
| face.
MenOcaIs Patriotic Mother.
LAS chief of police" she said, Mario
can do much good. OF course, 1 am
proud of him: he has fought for Cuba
since the first battle cry of liberty was
sounded by Jose Marti. Were he not my
son 1 would exact OF him a renewal or
his promise never to desist in his efforts
until our island republic is firmly and
honorably established under the protec-
| e l,n Ty4f