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Page 2
Up to the time of the capture of Victoria de las Tunas, the Spaniards
utterly refused to exchange prisoners with the Cubans. They have
insisted that the Cubans were rebels, and have shot their captives
without mercy.
The Cubans have tried in every way to get the Spaniards to treat them
fairly and acknowledge their rights as a nation at war, but have been
unable to do so.
Now the situation is changed, and Spain has at last acknowledged the
belligerency of Cuba to a certain extent.
When it was found that Las Tunas could hold out no longer, an unarmed
officer was sent out to parley with the Cubans. He said that the
commander would surrender if the Cuban General would consent to spare
the lives of the garrison, and grant them their liberty in case an
exchange of prisoners could be arranged.
General Garcia was only too pleased to agree to these terms, and the
forts were delivered over to him.
Eighty-seven Spaniards were afterward exchanged for an equal number of
Cubans.
It is thought that the Cubans will endeavor to improve the advantage
they have gained by holding the city of Las Tunas, and establishing
their government there.
One of the reasons why both Mr. Cleveland and President McKinley have
hesitated to acknowledge the war rights of Cuba was that the Cubans did
not hold one important city in which to establish a government. Their
government was carried on in secret and hidden places, and the army
wandered from camp to camp, without one stronghold to call its own.
Should the Cubans fortify Las Tunas, all these objections will be
removed, and the United States may be able to grant these brave people
the rights they ask for.
Once recognized as belligerents, they will be able to buy what they need
in our ports, and fit out a navy to fight Spain.
The Spaniards are fearful that some such action will be taken. The
Government in Madrid has cabled to Weyler that Las Tunas must be retaken
at any cost.
An attempt has already been made on the town, but the Spaniards were
routed by the Cubans, who still retain possession of their prize.
The Spanish prisoners who were exchanged have been put under arrest for
surrendering. They will be court-martialled, that is to say, tried by
military court, and called upon to explain why they gave up the town.
From the Cuban accounts that have reached us, it seems that they
attribute the victory to the fine work done by a new artillery corps
which General Garcia has just organized. An artillery corps is made up
of a number of cannon, each having its regular number of gunners to
serve it. The artillery is a very valuable assistance in all warfare.
The new corps of gunners had only lately landed on Cuban soil. It
consists mainly of American sympathizers with the Cuban cause. The guns
they serve are two heavy cannon, six rapid-firing guns, and one
dynamite-gun.
The Cubans declare that as soon as the dynamite-gun went into action the
victory was assured.
On the other hand, the Spanish claim that the loss of the city was due
to the poor communication kept up on their side between the posts.
For more than two weeks before the attack on the city, the commander at
Las Tunas had been aware that the Cubans were advancing, and
contemplated an assault on it.
He therefore used the heliograph, and with it flashed the news to the
Spanish stations on the Canto River, asking that reinforcements be sent
him. He was surprised to receive no answer, and again and again the
mirrors flashed his message across the hills. No response was received.
For some unknown reason the commander did not send out scouts and
messengers to find out why his despatches were left unanswered. Not
receiving any response to his messages, it is strange that he did not
send scouts to find out the reason; but the idea does not seem to have
occurred to him that the stations on the Canto River had been captured
or abandoned.
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