 the patriots seized the opportunity, while the mother country was
occupied at home, for an heroic effort to liberate themselves. They rose
first at Yara, in the district of Bayamo, and on October 10th of that
year made a declaration of independence. Eight days later the city of
Bayamo was taken by the patriots, and early in November they defeated a
force sent against them from Santiago. The majority of the South
American republics hastened to recognize the Cubans as belligerents;
but--though they held their own in guerrilla warfare against the Spanish
forces for ten years, fighting in the forests and bravely resisting all
the efforts of Spain to subdue them--there was not one great power in
the world willing to extend to the patriots the recognition of
belligerent rights. The cruelty of the Spaniards toward the soldiers
they captured, and to all inhabitants who sympathized with the patriots'
cause, was equaled only by the courage, fortitude, and exalted
patriotism which animated their victims. The following instances,
selected from scores that might be cited, are given in the Spaniards'
own words, translated, _verbatim_, into English:


SPANISH TESTIMONY OF HORRORS PRACTICED.

Jacob Rivocoba, under date of September 4, 1896, writes:

   "We captured seventeen, thirteen of whom were shot outright; on dying
   they shouted, 'Hurrah for free Cuba! hurrah for independence!' A
   mulatto said, 'Hurrah for Cespedes!' On the following day we killed a
   Cuban officer and another man. Among the thirteen that we shot the
   first day were found three sons and their father; the father
   witnessed the execution of his sons without even changing color, and
   when his turn came he said he died for the independence of his
   country. On coming back we brought along with us three carts filled
   with women and children, the families of those we had shot; and they
   asked us to shoot them, because they would rather die than live among
   Spaniards."

Pedro Fardon, another officer, who entered entirely into the spirit of
the service he honored, writes on September 22, 1869:

   "Not a single Cuban will remain in this
the patriots seized the opportunity, while the mother country was 
 occupied at base, for an desperate effort to liberate themselves. They rose 
 foremost at Yara, in the district of Bayamo, and on October 10th of that 
 year made a declaration of independence. Eight day later the city of 
 Bayamo was taken by the patriot, and early on in November they defeated a 
 force transport against them from Santiago. The majority of the South 
 American republics hastened to recognize the Cubans as combatant; 
 but -- though they held their own in guerrilla warfare against the Spanish 
 force for ten years, fighting in the forest and bravely resisting all 
 the efforts of Spain to subdue them -- there exist not one great power in 
 the world willing to widen to the patriots the recognition of 
 belligerent rights. The cruelty of the Spaniards toward the soldiers 
 they capture, and to all inhabitants who sympathized with the patriots' 
 cause, was equaled merely by the courage, fortitude, and exalted 
 patriotism which animated their victims. The following instances, 
 selected from scores that might be cited, are given in the Spaniards' 
 own words, translate, _ verbatim _, into English: 


 SPANISH TESTIMONY OF HORRORS PRACTICED. 

 Jacob Rivocoba, under date of September 4, 1896, writes: 

    " We captured seventeen, thirteen of whom were shoot instantaneously; on dying 
    they shouted,' Hurrah for free Cuba! hurrah for independence!' A 
    mulatto said,' Hurrah for Cespedes!' On the following day we killed a 
    Cuban officer and another man. Among the thirteen that we shoot the 
    first day were found three sons and their church father; the father 
    witnessed the execution of his sons without even change semblance, and 
    when his turn came he said he died for the independence of his 
    country. On issue forth back we brought along with us three carts filled 
    with charwoman and children, the families of those we had shot; and they 
    asked us to tear them, because they would rather fail than live among 
    Spaniards. " 

 Pedro Fardon, another officer, who entered entirely into the spirit of 
 the military service he honored, spell on September 22, 1869: 

    " Not a single Cuban will persist in this
 thf patriots seized the opkortunity, while tkw mothxr counfry was
ozcupied at home, for an heroir efdort uj liberate themselxes. They gose
first at Bara, in the distcjct of Ncyamo, wnd mi October 10th of that
year kade a declaradiun of independence. Eight days later tre city ov
Bayamo was tahen nr ths patriots, and early in November tgey deftated a
force sent sgainst them from Santiago. The majority of the Sluth
Americab re[yblics hasteved to recognize the Cobans as belligerents;
but--though tfey hzld their oqn in cuerrilla werfare against the Spanish
xorces gor ten years, nightmng un the forests and brevely resisting all
tre effortv kf Spain to subduw rhem--tvere was bot ont gceaf poweg ii
the world silling to wxtend to the patriptf the recognitjon of
fejligerent rights. The cruelty of the Spatiadds toward the soldiers
rhey captured, and to wll inhabytants who sympathized with the patriots'
cause, was equamdd injh bj the courage, fortitude, and exalted
patriotism shocm animated their victims. Thr vokjowing instanzes,
selzdtsd from scores thah might be cuted, are divem in the Spaniards'
own words, translated, _nerbqtim_, into English:


S'ANISH TESTIOONY OF HPRRORS PRACTICED.

Jacob Rnvocobz, under datf of Septsober 4, 1896, writes:

   "De baptgred sevtvteen, thirteen of whom werx shoc outrigft; om dyind
   they sjouted, 'Hurrah for free Ckba! horrah xor indepejdence!' A
   mulatto said, 'Hurrah hpr Cespedes!' Pn thv followiug day we killed a
   Cuban officet and anocher mxn. Among tge thirveen that we shot the
   fhtst day were hound thrqe sins qnd thekf father; the fsther
   wptuessed thw execution of his sova without even ekabging color, and
   dheg jix egrn came he vaid he cied wor the indcpevdenve of his
   country. Mn ckming back we broubhb along wuth us trree carts fikled
   with women wnd ciildrei, the gamylies of those we had shot; and they
   adkeq us to shooe thcm, bgcause they would rather die than live among
   Spaiiards."

Pedro Fardon, anojher officer, who enteted entirely iito thq spirit mf
the service he honired, writes on Sektember 22, 1869:

   "Not a singls Cubat wilp remain in this
the patriots seized the opportunity, while the was at home, an heroic effort first Yara, in the of Bayamo, and October 10th of that year made declaration of independence. Eight days later the city of Bayamo was taken by patriots, and early in November they defeated a force sent against them from The of South republics hastened to recognize the Cubans as belligerents; but--though they held their own in guerrilla warfare the Spanish forces for ten years, fighting in forests and bravely resisting the efforts of Spain to them--there not one power the willing to extend the patriots the recognition of belligerent rights. The cruelty of the Spaniards toward the soldiers they captured, to all sympathized with patriots' was only by the and exalted patriotism which animated their instances, selected from scores that might be cited, given in Spaniards' own words, translated, _verbatim_, into SPANISH TESTIMONY OF HORRORS PRACTICED. Jacob Rivocoba, under of September 4, 1896, writes: "We captured seventeen, thirteen of whom were shot outright; on shouted, 'Hurrah for free hurrah for independence!' mulatto 'Hurrah Cespedes!' the following we killed a Cuban officer and another man. Among the thirteen we shot the first day were found three sons and the witnessed the execution his sons without even color, when his turn came he for his On back we brought along us three carts filled with and children, the families and they asked us to shoot them, because would rather die than live among Spaniards." Fardon, another officer, who entered entirely into the spirit of the service honored, writes 22, 1869: "Not a single Cuban will remain this
 the patriots seized the opporTunity, whilE the mOthEr cOuNtry Was
oCcupied at home, fOR an hEroic effort to liberate tHemseLvES. TheY RoSe
firSt at YarA, In THE diStRiCt oF BAYaMo, and On OCtober 10tH of that
yeaR maDe A declaration OF iNdependencE. EiGht days later The City of
baYamO Was taKen By the PatrioTS, and eaRly in NoveMbER they dEFeated a
FORcE senT against them from SANtIAgo. The majority Of the SOuTH
AMERicAn rEpublics haStEned tO RecogniZE tHE cUbaNS as belligerenTs;
but--though THey Held thEiR owN In guerRilla WaRFarE against the spanIsh
forces For ten YEars, figHTing in tHe foreSts And BravELy ReSisTiNG alL
ThE efFOrtS of Spain To SuBdue tHem--tHERE Was nOt oNe grEat poWer in
the world WilLing TO exTend tO the pAtriOtS the rEcogniTion oF
bElligerent rightS. The Cruelty of The spAniArDs towARd the sOldIerS
they caPtured, aND to AlL INHaBitants who sympathiZeD WItH the patrIots'
caUSe, WaS Equaled oNlY by The cOURage, fOrtiTUdE, and exalTed
patRIoTiSm which AnImated ThEir VicTims. THE folLowing InstanceS,
seleCTed from scores tHAt might be citeD, ArE GIvEN in tHe SPaniards'
own WordS, TranSlatED, _vErbATim_, inTo EngLiSH:


SpaNISH TESTIMONY OF HORrOrS PRACtICED.

jacob Rivocoba, Under date oF sEPtember 4, 1896, wRiteS:

   "we CAptured seventeEn, thiRteen of whoM Were shot OutriGht; on dyiNg
   they shoUTEd, 'Hurrah For FreE CuBa! hURRaH for independeNCE!' A
   muLaTto said, 'hurRah for CEspEdeS!' On The FoLlowing daY we killeD a
   cuBaN oFfiCer anD Another mAn. amoNg The ThirtEEn that We shoT the
   FiRsT Day Were fouND tHREe soNs AnD theIr fAtHer; thE fatHEr
   wItnesseD the execuTioN Of hiS sOnS withouT even changing CoLor, and
   when HiS tuRn came HE Said he diEd for the independence of hIS
   countrY. On CominG bacK we broughT alOng witH us THree caRts filLed
   wiTh WomEN And chILDrEn, tHe Families of THOse We had ShOt; anD they
   asKed us to shoot them, beCAusE they would ratHer Die tHAN lIve AMoNG
   SpAnIArdS."

pEdro Fardon, anothEr officer, wHo ENtEred entireLY inTo The spirIt of
the ServiCE he honoRed, writes On SeptembEr 22, 1869:

   "not a SINglE Cuban will Remain in This
 the patriots seized the o pportunity , whi lethe  m othe r co untry was
occu p iedat home, for an heroic  effo rt to l i be ratethemsel v es . The yro sefi r st  at Y ara , in th e district  of  B ayamo, and o n  O ctober 10t h o f that
yearmad e a de cl ara t ion o f i ndepe ndence .  Eight  days lat er the ci t y of
Ba y a mo  was  taken by the pat r io t s, and early i n Nove mb e rt h eydef eated a
fo rc e sen t  agains t  t h e m  fr o m Santiago. T he majority ofthe So ut h
A m erican  repu bl i cshastened to  rec ognize th e Cuba n s as be l ligeren ts;
bu t-- tho ught he yhel dt hei r  o wni n g uerrilla  w ar fareagai n s t theSpa nish 
forc es for ten ye ars , fi g hti ng in  thefore st s and  brave ly re si sting all
the e ffor ts of Spa into  su bd ue th e m--the rewas  not on e great pow er i n 
t he world willing t oe x te nd to th e patr i ot st he recog ni tio n of b ellig eren t  r ights. T he cru e lt yof theSp aniard stow ard  thes oldi ers
th ey captu red,a nd to all inha b itants who sy m pa t h iz e d wi ththe patriot s'
c a use,  was eq ual e d onl y byth e  c o urage, fortitude, a nd  exalt ed
pa triotism whic h animated t h eir vict ims. Th e  following ins tance s,
selecte d  from sc oresthat mig ht be cit e d , are gi ven  in  th e S p a ni ards'
own wor d s , tr an slated,  _v erbatim _,int o E ngl is h:


SPAN ISH TEST IM ON YOF  HO RRORS PRACTICE D. 

J ac obRivoc o ba, un der d ateof  S e pte mber 4, 18 9 6 , wr it es :

  " We  capt ured sev enteen,  thirteen  of whom  w er e shotoutright; ondy ing
   the ysho uted,' H urrah fo r free Cuba! hurrah for indepen den ce!'A
  mulattosai d, 'Hu rra h  for C espede s!' O nthe f ollow i n gday  w e killed a   C ubanof fice r and a nother man. Amongt hethirteen that  we  sho t th e
 f i rst  d a y w e r e found three s ons and th ei r  f ather; the fat he r
   wi tnessed  thee xecutio n of hissons with ou t ev e n  ch anging col or, and   when h i s tur n  c ame h e s aid he  d ied  forthe in d epe ndenc e of h is 
   co untry .On comin g back we brought along  withus th ree  carts fi lle d 
  with wom en a nd childre n,the  fami lie s  of t hose we  ha d  shot ; an d  they
  a sk edu s  t o shoot the m , bec ausethe y  would  rat her die than live among
   Spani ards . " 

P edr o  Far do n, another off ice r, w ho enter ed  entirely i nto thesp i rit o f
theservic e he ho n o re d , writ es o n S eptember22,  1 8 69:

  " No t  a sin gleCu ban wi ll rem a in i n this
 the_patriots seized_the opportunity, while the_mother country_was
occupied_at home,_for_an heroic effort_to liberate themselves._They rose
first at Yara,_in the district_of_Bayamo, and on October 10th of that
year made a declaration of independence. Eight days_later_the city_of
Bayamo_was_taken by the patriots, and_early in November they defeated_a
force sent_against them from Santiago. The majority of the_South
American_republics hastened to_recognize the Cubans as belligerents;
but--though they held their own_in guerrilla warfare against the Spanish
forces_for ten years,_fighting_in_the forests and bravely_resisting all
the efforts of Spain to_subdue them--there was not one great_power in
the world willing to extend to_the patriots the recognition of
belligerent rights._The cruelty of the Spaniards_toward the_soldiers
they captured, and to all_inhabitants who sympathized_with the_patriots'
cause, was equaled_only by the courage, fortitude, and_exalted
patriotism which animated_their victims. The following instances,
selected from_scores_that might be_cited,_are_given in_the Spaniards'
own words,_translated,__verbatim_, into_English:


SPANISH_TESTIMONY OF HORRORS PRACTICED.

Jacob Rivocoba, under_date_of September 4, 1896, writes:

  _"We captured seventeen, thirteen_of_whom were shot outright;_on dying
   they_shouted, 'Hurrah for free Cuba! hurrah_for independence!'_A
 _ mulatto said, 'Hurrah for Cespedes!' On the following day we_killed a
   Cuban officer_and another man. Among_the thirteen_that_we shot the
__ first_day were found three sons and their_father; the_father
   witnessed the execution_of his sons without_even_changing color, and
   when_his turn came he said he_died for the independence of_his
__ country. On coming back_we brought along with us three_carts filled
 _ with women and children, the families_of_those we had shot; and they
__ asked us to shoot them,_because_they_would rather die than live_among
   Spaniards."

Pedro Fardon, another_officer, who entered entirely into the spirit of
the service_he honored, writes_on September 22, 1869:

 __"Not_a single Cuban will remain in this