A CUBAN COLONEL

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 65, 17 March 1928, Page 20

A CUBAN COLONEL

WOMAN WHO FOUGHT FOB - LIBERTY. Cuba is .mourning tho. death of its only woman colonel. J'uana Arias Verdecia, who ■ attained that rahk in tho revolutionary;'forces during tho sanguinary struggle, against Spain between 1868 and 1878, passed away rceontly at Bayaino, states, tho "Now York Times." She had reached, it is said, tho ago tif 116 years, and notwithstanding minor infirmities,' made., her own living by .* raising, fruit and vegetables. Many talrs are, told-of .Colonel Juana's valour,.of iLoW'.shorfought • with'; ■ the forocity o-f a-.tigress and afterwards extended compassion, to her wounded enemies. At tho outbreak of tho revolution tho colonel's .husband, took tho- field, leaving his wifo to superintend the farm. But Juana would :havo none'- of: it— strapping on a machete-she'rodo! to- tho insurgent camp and joined her husband, fighting by his side until ho was made a bngadier.-Th.en, obtaining an independent^ cornmauti,... .sh'eV" became a terror to. thfl Spaniards.," "Mou '.will follow whore a./wojiiJin .leads," sho, is reported..to.;..have-sai<L In the historic march of ■ the Cubans from Oriento to Santa Clara Province, a distanco of several hundred miles, Colonel Juana fought in practically every engagement, . never, hesitating..to,..expose herself to the. enemy-'s'bullets. ■ . • .