Home › The Spanish War Policy › The Spanish War Policy: Maceos

The Spanish War Policy: Maceos

The Spaniards make much of the conspicuity of the Maceos, in the efforts to persuade people that the insurrection is an affair of black men chiefly, and means the conversion of Cuba into a larger San Domingo. The Maceos are said to be, and no doubt truly, very ambitious to advance the black race, and it is the Spanish policy to counteract them by giving black men in the Spanish army that sort of consideration that Mr. Lowell described in sketching Englishmen in their way with Americans, as a "certain condescension." It is believed the veteran soldier, General Calixto Garcia, who bears on his forehead a scar that shows hand-to-hand fighting with sabres, joined the Cuban forces in March, and it is considered that he is an accession of importance to the patriotic cause. The Cuban forces have in the ranks as brave men as are anywhere produced, but they do not have many generals of both experience and capacity, and there is no doubt of the warm welcome Garcia received when he joined the fighting men.