Our War with Spain for Cuba's FreedomWhite, Trumbull
History
Our War with Spain for Cuba's Freedom
White, Trumbull
Cuba -- History; Spain -- Foreign relations -- United States; Spanish-American War, 1898; United States -- Foreign relations -- Spain
"On Saturday, March 21, the dwelling house of the coffee
plantation Estrella was the object of a wanton attack by the
column of Gen. Bernat, operating in that region. The said building
received cannon shots of grape and cannister, breaking the door,
one window, several piazza columns, and greatly endangering the
lives of the families of my brothers, Don Tasio and Don Luis
Farrar, both American citizens. There were two small children in
the house. From my information it appears that the troops
mentioned had sustained fire with a rebel band in Paz plantation,
a quarter-league from Estrella. The rebels having fled to Pedroso
and Buena Esperanza plantations, the government troops advanced
toward Estrella in quite an opposite direction from that taken by
the rebels. On arriving at the borders of Estrella plantation the
Spanish column began firing cannon at the dwelling house, and it
was immediately invaded by the soldiers, who ransacked it,
carrying off wardrobes, all jewelry and men's clothing which they
contained, as well as the sum of about $60 in money. They also
took away everything found in workmen's dwellings, arresting at
the same time twelve of the occupants, whom they conducted to
Alquizar as insurgents. It should be observed that the cannon were
fired solely at the dwelling house of the owners, although there
were twenty other buildings on the plantation, and the place was
entirely clear of insurgents.
"In consideration of all the above, and particularly on account of
the danger to which his relatives were exposed, and also for the
unjustifiable looting on the part of the regular troops in the
service of a constituted government, the undersigned does most
solemnly protest, and asks an immediate indemnity for the damages
suffered, which he values at $5,000, as all work has been stopped
on the plantation and everything abandoned."
A CRUEL ATTACK.
The case of Dr. Deligado is a particularly pathetic one. His home
was in New York, where he was a practicing physician, but he went
to Cuba to take possession of some property which he had
inherited. His father told the story of their sufferings to a
correspondent, and his account was supplemented by additional
particulars from the doctor himself. The elder gentleman said:
"Our plantation is called Dolores, the old name being Morales. It
was about half past one on the 4th day of March when a regiment of
rebels, about four hundred or five hundred men, invaded the place.
They told us they were Maceo's men, and soon after them came
Maceo, with twenty-four women, sixteen whites and eight mulattoes.
I understood that these women were the wives of the officers.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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