West Virginia daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1894-1902, 1902-07-01
The NEW CUBAN ARMY
Composed of Rural Guards and
the Artillery Corps.
BOTH WELL DRESSED AND ARMED

BOTH WE'LL DRESSED AND AkMhD
Former Body, Which Was Trained
by Captain sIocum of the United
states Army, Numbers 1900 Men
and the Latter 2OO-Gencral Gomez
to Re Commander In Chief.
The army Of Cuba as republic is
very different one from that Of Cuba as
Spanish colony, writes Dorothy Stan
hope, the Havana correspondent OF the
New York Times, under the date Of
June 10. The neat looking solt$r OF
the rural guards (the cavalry and the
smart looking member Of the cuerpo de
artilleria ARTILLERY corps remind one
but little of the Cuban soldiers that !
saw in the winter of 1S9S-G9. What a
motley assemblage it was! Men of all
ages, from the gray bearded veteran of
several wars to the young boy scarce
ly out of knee breeches, ragged, many
of them, and carrying the most varied
collection of weapons it has ever been
my fortune to see. In contrast to these
are the well dressed, armed and disci-
| plined artillerymen and equally well
appearing rural guards of today, who
marched in the procession at the inau-
guration Of the republic.
The rural guards, which constitute
the cavalry arm, were originally organ
lied as suburban police and are still
serving in that capacity in the country
and small towns from Maysi to San
Antonio. At present they number LOO
men, but it Is expected that the Cuban
congress will enact law authorizing
an increase of a thousand more. They
were trained by Captain Slocum of the
United States cavalry. The uniform Is
Khaki with yellow pipings, leather leg
gings and campaign hat. The officers
wear yellow shoulder straps. The pri-
Yates are paid $42 American money a
month. They are expected to feed and
clothe themselves. A first lieutenant
receives 500, a second $S5, a captain
S125, captain and adjutant $3.50 and a
| major $500.
Only within the last few months have
the rural guards been considered part
Of the army. The body that was Or
ganized as the Cuban army Is the
artillery arm, known as the "cuerpo de
artilleria." The cuerpo de artilleria
was organized in October, 1901. Cap
tain Dwight E. Aultman Of the artil-
lery corps was selected by the military
governor as the commanding officer,
and he in turn chose six noncommls-
stoned American officers from the ar
tillery companies in the Havana garri-
son to aid him in the work.
No sooner was the notice published
in the newspapers that a military force
| was to be formed than men from all
parts of the island signified their inten-
ton to enlist. Young men from all
walks of life, some raised in luxury
and others at the pillow, presented them
selves for enlistment. The two COM
panies constituting the $50 men OF the
! corps were white, much to the dissatis-
faction Of the black race, who at once
sent a delegation to General Wood to
tell him that the colored race wished
| to be included in the new army, 1t hav-
ing always fought in Cuba's cause.
Then General Wood issued another or
der for the enlistment Of q company Of
fifty colored men.
The three companies have been sta
toned together in Cabana fortress,
where there are quarters for several
| thousand soldiers and where there were
a large number during Spanish times.
The colored company has now gone to
Columbia barracks. where 1t Is guard
ing property.
General Alexandra Rodriguez is COM
mander in chief Of the Cuban army,
both artillery and rural guards, with
rank of brigadier general. He is vet
eran of several wars and was at one
time an American citizen. He has
been very prominent in Havana affairs,
having been mayor Of the city as late
as 1900. While no fault is to be found
with his leadership, General Maxine
Gomez is to be made chief, with rank
of major general, while General Rodri-
Quez remains with the rural guards,
and General Castillo, so it Is rumored,
becomes chief Of the artillery. General
Gomez yields a very great influence
over the Cuban people through the
length and breadth of the island. Just
now this consideration Is powerful
one, for the strongest leaders are
| needed.