THE CUBAN INSURGENT CAMP. THE MILITARy STAFF.

Otago Witness, Issue 2308, 26 May 1898, Page 24

THE CUBAN INSURGENT CAMP. THE MILITARy STAFF.

Mr Mu*gra,ve, the speetel correspondent of a I Tjourlo;! daily, who has. jutfe been drpocted [ rroaji Ocba by Marshal Blanco, sends some . iutereat-ing particulars of the state of sflNus in ■ r the Cub&n insurgent camp, which he visited. , Dealing with tbe military organisation of the , island, he «»ye : — «' On the «t*ff »re many men , of unrloubttd ability. The' Artillery and | "Engineer Corps, which are dow becoming , formidable, are directed by AEeericaui with a , previous army training, while comnsjeaions are bt!d by some ei-Frpncli «ffefter?, also the sons of both British arid Usited Statts^ Consuls aad . Euglish' planters' soks from other West ' Indian Islands. The medical department ha* ' many eminent doctors, including Dr. Clark, aa Ecglish surgeon, and. graduates of the . , j Havana Medicol College. Thus, compared to | i the low cWse riff-raff that have formed part of | the Spa Dish forces in this iblartd, the Cuban* j find favour with all vhc know them weU. With such men in Easfc CubA it is absurd to give credence to tbe recent stoiiefr of women and children outraged and burnt alive in the recent capfcureß of JDss Tnnee, Guimaro, and Gaisa. I fcave eeen many Cuban families -who were in these cities, and they deny the atrocities in toto. They all say thoy rejoiced at the advent of the Cuban forces aiid freedom from Spanish rule and starvation. The three cities are entirely destroyed, to prevent recapture by tbe Spaniards," aB tbe Cnbtuos have not tbe ammunition for a prolonged siege. Tha Spsnith prisoners taken there have mostly decided to remain where they have conaide \ rale, treatment and plenty to eat. They are not asked to fight, but cultivate vege'o&bles and form a rnoyt ustful * impedimenta.' fn one respect I think General Garcia used unnecessary eeverity in taking these t-owns. I refer to the execution of the guerilla baud who had preTjously been implicated in hospital ridde. These fiendish brutes deserved bo osetcy, and every one waa a murderer, or worse ; but, revolting as I know their crimes ■to be, wholesale execution was severe, <!esj>U.e cur own methods meted to tha mutineers in India for similar atrocity. Some less sanguinary -methods might have been adopted.