Home › Early Incidents of the Present War › Early Incidents of the Present War: Puerto
Early Incidents of the Present War: Puerto
The province of Puerto Principe was still in peace. Only one insurgent band had been raised, and this was soon defeated under the leadership of Pachin Varona, On the 12th of April, he went to San Miguel de Nuevitas, a village whose only garrison consisted of a few men of the civil guard, commanded by Sergeant Martinez. Varona's force attacked them in their quarters, and the besieged made a good defense, until other troops came to their rescue, and dispersed the band, after several of its members had been killed. During the defense there was an unusual incident. The Cubans attacked the private house of Sergeant Martinez, whose son, a boy eleven years old, took a rifle and killed the first man who tried to force an entrance. The father hurried to the house, and arrived just in time to shoot at a negro who was entering, machete in hand; but he missed his mark, and negro brandished his weapon to kill his opponent, when Martinez's wife disabled the intruder by means of a terrible blow with another machete.
Maximo Gomez had made up his mind to invade the territory of Puerto Principe, generally known as "El Camaguey," and, notwithstanding the efforts of the Spanish generals to prevent it, he crossed the boundary line early in June. On the 5th of that month, the old Marquis de Santa Lucia, an ex-Cuban president, left the city of Puerto Principe and took the field, in company with a number of friends, while Maceo, leading a few thousands of his Orientals, also entered that province, to aid in its general uprising. Many citizens joined the invading army, or the new bands that were appearing everyday. Regiments of regulars hurried to Camaguey, and operations were actively conducted, as in Santiago province, notwithstanding the effect of the rainy season, which had already set in.
Gomez proceeded immediately to put his general plan into execution. He ordered all Cuban bands, First, to attack small Spanish posts and get their arms, if possible, freeing every man who would deliver them; Second, to cut all railway and telegraph lines; Third, to keep on the defensive, and retreat in groups, unless his men could fight the enemy at great advantage; Fourth, to destroy Spanish forts or other buildings from which the foe had made any resistance; Fifth, to destroy all sugar-cane crops or mills, whose owners would refuse to contribute to the Cuban war fund; Sixth, to forbid the farmers to send any food to the cities without paying certain taxes.
On his part, Martinez Campos ordered: First, several regiments, divided into detachments, to protect the sugar estates; Second, other detachments placed along the railroads, and on every train in motion; Third, an attack always, unless the enemy's force be above three times the number of the troops; Fourth, that all rebels who surrender, except those having the rank of officers, be allowed to go free and unmolested; Fifth, convoys of victuals sent to the towns that needed them.
Operations were continued week after week, more important now in Camaguey than in Santiago, for the evident wish of the insurgents was to move and spread the insurrection toward the western part of the Island. Among the innumerable encounters which took place during these several months, there is one, July 12th, near Bayamo, of such celebrity that it is treated separately, as a remarkable episode of arms, though indecisive, like all the combats in Cuba. About the 24th of August, the insurgent general, Carlos Roloff, and a party of old Cuban officer, landed near Tunas de Zaza. They had left Key West, Florida. The revolt had spread to the Santa Clara province, also called Las Villas, whose inhabitants were witnesses to scenes similar to those with which every one has become familiar in Santiago and Puerto Principe, but the attack of trains and destruction of property became more frequent and telling, and the provinces of Matanzas, Havana, and Pinar del Rio began at last to be involved in and suffer from the disastrous struggle.
Many fights, but no military event of particular importance, took place during the months of September and October. Maximo Gomez was making preparations for the invasion of the western provinces.
The revolutionary government had been elected by an assembly, composed of representatives sent by all the bands that were in arms. That body deliberated for three days, and elected the Marquis de Santa Lucia for president, and Bartolome Masso for vice-president. Maximo Gomez was confirmed in his office of general-in-chief of the liberating army, and Antonio Maceo as general-in-chief of the invading army.