Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-05

deras' fame was being spread throughout
the province of Pinar del Rio, he was en-
camped most of the time up in the noun
tains surrounded by retinue of women
who waited upon him and attended his
wants as though he were a Veritable Turk
and they the women of his harem. Maceo
finally ordered him out of the province, and
to comply with the order the old fellow
found he had to cross VIEWERS famous
| trocha, which separated that province from
Havana 1t was a risky undertaking. for
the trocha was considered impossible, but
undaunted, the old negro penetrated the
swamp to the south of Atemisa with half
a dozen faithful followers, and under cover
of the darkness of rainy night succeeded
in getting across. This success 50 elated
him that he at once dictated a letter to his
secretary, or least soon as he could get
hold of some paper to do SO, notifying Cen
eral Weyler that he had crossed his famous
trocha. This letter was delivered to- Wey-
Ter in Havana, and it being supposed that
Banderas had got into Havana province
with his army, a Spanish column was sent
in pursuit.
The column, of course. never found the
WHY old negro. who made haste to join Go
meZ, who was then bushwhacking around in
the central part of the island OF course
he had many tales of heroic fights to en-
terrain Gomez with. and if there was any
proof required of his valor. he had only to
cite the number of men with which he had
made the invasion and point to the few with
which he had returned. Gomez compliment
ed him, wished he only had other generals
like him and finally told him to go home
to the eastern end of the island and recruit
another army.
First Meeting With the General"
The writer first met this renowned gen.
eral after he had recruited this army
and returned to Gomez. 1 was with Co
mez. The Spaniards had been chasing us
around the brush on the prairies in the vi
cinity OF La Reforma for a number of
weeks, scarcely giving us days rest at a
time, when a courier arrived announcing
that Qu1ntin BanderaS was coming with his
rev army of recruits numbering over 9 900
This news delighted Gomez, and he declared
that he would send them down into Pinar
del Rio to avenge the death of Maceo, who
had then been killed and buried near Punta
Bravo. Several days passed and we hea rd
nothing further of Quintin and his army
The Spaniards getting after Us again chased
us through a long strip of forest, and We
came out just at nightfall upon the OLD
cattle ranch of La RefOrma. justly cele-
brated throughout the Cuban Instruction
Down on the prairie in the deepening twi-
light we could see a small body of men ap-
preaching. vedette came galloping I'D to
Gomez and announced that General Ouin-
tin Banderas was coming with his escort to
salute him, and in answer to Gomez he
said that the army of recruits was in camp
over the brow of the hill which rose be-
yOnd.
Presently the negro general rode up. at
tended by his escort of some thirty stall
Wart but ragged negroes. He was mount
ed on mule, and as he got down he turned
and shook hands laughingly with Gomez
Gomez replied facetiously to something he
SAID ana the two went into the woods.
where they held d conference After a lit
tie while old Qlintin came out and going
over TO General Lacrets hammock he was
nteraliy seized by that general, who, jump
ing out OF the hammock, tumbled him into
IL Lacret piled the old negro with uues-
tons and strong black coffee '.joIlyjng''
him all the time. while his negroes stood
around with loud. merry outlaws, till late
parture.
The next morning we were informed that
We were to pay our respects to General
luintln Banderas' army of recruits by WIS.,
lung them with our entire force. Gomez-s
army at that time consisted of one hundred
and thirty armed men. OF course we ex-
pected Quintin to have more, bearing in
lnlnd the report of his coming with over
2,ooo A couple of men were sent into the
woods to cut flag stats and pack saddles
were rummaged through to find our flags
ana the two beloved flags which were so
carefully guarded from the Indictment
weather were bent on the poles.
The Army Appears at Last.
When all was ready we mounted our
horses, and led by old Gomez with a stand
ard bearer on either side waving the flag.
and bugler, we formed column of twos
as We rode across the prairie As we climb
ed to the brow of the hill the bugler blew
a call and presently back came the note of
another bugie from the other side 'of tho
hill, and just over the hill there was the
army Old Quintin sat on his muIe with
hags hyins In front of his mounted escort,
and on his left was a ragged black line Of
infantry. Some had hats on their heads
some had.hat brims around their heads and
some wore the topsVof hats without bring
AS for clothing, there was even a ereatar
scarcity of this than there was Of hats
Some had their black. velvet like skins
draped with bits of discolored cotton which
might have been once upon time a shirt
but that time had long since passed: whiIs
others appeared perfectly content with a
piece OF a sugar sa cking around their loins
Ihey carried guns of all shapes and
sizes and ages; and they Were doing their
best to carry them perpendicularIv AS far
faces, they were so black with tho sun
shining behind them they could sea rceJv ha
seen at all. They stood two deep and there
were probably over two hundred of them.
And that was all of General Ouintin Pan
deraS army.
We halted in front of them, forming
double line OF mounted men. and then Old
Gomez RODE out hourishing his Santo Do
mlngo scimitar He brought his steed TO a
standstill In front of the negro army and
In hoarse voice shouted Attention."
Each one of those negroes gave jerk; the
uouoie ~" ldiriy QulVered and then they
stood absolutely still like wooden men. I
don't believe they even winked Gomez
then proceeded to address them.
Banderas' Speech to His Men.
few weeks later we heard of him to
the south Of Sancti Espiritu where making
a circuit, he tore up the railroad and then
took to the mountains which lie to the
north of Trinidad. From here it was re-
ported to Gomez that the old negro had
gathered his followers about him and made
a speech to the effect that hitherto the
oiaeks had been doing all the fighting.
while The whites We're able to dress fairly
well, and go about holding the principal
offices. and he thought it was about time
that the blacks should begin to think about
fighting for themselves
AS soon as Gomez heard of this speech
with his usual astuteness he sent a mes.