me by persons who are well acquainted with it, is peculiar and
dangerous. They fire a volley, receive the enemy’s fire, throw away
their muskets, and rush in with cutlass or poniard.
The long narrow shape of the island of Cuba, which bears a strong
resemblance to a lizard with the head looking eastward, is favourable to
its defenders, since it facilitates the cutting off of the invading
force. It will be a great advantage if General Concha’s arrival takes
place previously to any attack. He is the very man to command under such
circumstances. Quick of eye and ready of resource, he will inspire the
troops with confidence, and raise the courage of the Cubans. Amongst
these he has, what no captain-general of Cuba in our time has had, a
strong party—persons who are attached to him, like his mode of
administration, prefer him to any other captain-general, and will stand
by him to the utmost with all the influence and power they may possess.
This is a principal reason why he readily and gladly accepted the
destination towards which he is now steaming,—if indeed he has not
arrived there, since his departure from Corunna took place upwards of a
fortnight ago. The Spanish government—and indeed Spaniards generally, as
far as my means of observation extend—entertain a sanguine belief that,
with the troops at his command, and with the moral and physical support
of the majority of the dwellers on the island, Concha will so handle the
intruding annexionists as to make them heartily repent their unprovoked
and unjustifiable aggression.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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