Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-24
FIGHT WITH CUBAy RaxnYrs
HOW Mai. Harrison Captured the No.
torious Outlaw Leader Trocan,

From the New York Tribune.
Major Duncan B. Harrison of the 9th
United States Volunteer Colored Infantry
says he knows that there are bandits in
Cupa, because he has killed them The
major has recently returned from CHlba-
where he served during the entire cam
palgh. his military record bears the fol-
lowing statement over the signature of Col.
g. }. Crane, who commanded the regiment
Largely instrumental in suppressing bri-
gandage in Santiago province, Cuba, In
command Of expedition of 9th Regiment
which had combat with Cuban bandittt near
Santa Ana, Cuba, resulting In killing four
bandftt, wounding five and CAPTURING
eleven, including the notorious leader. Pru-
dencia Beai, alias Trocan. Received flesh
wound in right leg. Service honest and
Ia1th1ui. Always Jealous and energetic, a
loyal assistant"
The story of the fight with the banditti
mentioned In the military record was told
by Major Harrison to a Tribune reporter
last evening at the Hotel Imperial Here
1t Is in his own words:
On the night of March 20, 1899, a band of
pand1ttl ambuShed two of the wagoners of
our regiment and murdered them One of
lhe men was virtually shot to pieces 1
don't believe 1 have ever seen a body so
Gutrageously mutilated. The following day
1 started out with twelve picked men and
succeeded in capturing five bandits at Santa
Ana, the largest sugar plantation in the
province of Santiago. l sent back a ser
geant and four men with the prisoners re-
questing that reinforcements be sent to me
at once, as l had positive information that
there were from 100 to $50 men In the han
ditti contingent. With the remaining seven
men pushed on for three days and four
nights to San Tomaso a banditti stronp-
nold ABOUT e1ghfy-Slx miles distant from
santa Ana. AT San Tomaso we raided all
the shacks Of the bandits capturing seven
more prisoners. We had considerable skir
mishing at long distance during the Trin
and finally becoming convinced that the
bandits had doubled on us and taken the
mountain roads to Palma Saviana, 1 made
detour over the mountains back to Santa
Ana, where l rested my men and nnIes
and placed the prisoners behind the bars
The achievements had not yet arrived
In the meantime a band of thirty-two
Dand1tu, led by the notorious ROGUE broth
ers; Chino, or China, so-called because. al
though a Cuban, he looks exactly like a
Chinaman, and the celebrated bandit leader
Prudencia Breal, alias Trocan, or Big
stump, had made detour and endeayored
to surround us. They opened fire with a
volley, keeping well under cover In the
brush about a hundred yards distant on
the other side of the Yarang river. I or
dered my men to dismount and Immediately
deploy as skirmishers. We returned the fire
by volleys. The bandits were all armed
with Mauser rifles. using smokeless powder,
except two men. One of these had a REM
ingten carbine. .43 caliber, and the other
carried Springfield rifle, AS caIiber. Both
OF them used black powder, and it was only
when they fired that We could locate the
band.
I'VE drove them back, forded the stream.
killed four of the bandits. wounded seven
and captured eleven, with their ponies.
horses and ammunition. Finally We drove
them to the open, and gave them four solid
volleys before those who were left of the
band mounted their swift ponies and got
away. They were forced to tie several of
their wounded comrades to their horses.
After picking up the wounded and burying