28 



CUBANS OF TO-DAY 



War) to place themselves at the command 

 of Hernandez and Marti for the rising of 

 the twenty-fourth of February, 1895. At 

 the outbreak of the war he was the first to 

 leave the coast of Florida in command of an 

 expedition with arms and supplies. Three 

 months later he returned with another ex- 

 pedition, running all manner of risks and 

 disembarking under the fire of the Spanish 

 guard in the harbor of Varadero de Cardenas. 



His knowledge of the topography, ge- 

 ology, and botany of the country served 

 him in good stead and was of great value 

 to the army. He placed the mines in the 

 River Cauto, entrance to the Bay <3f Puerto 

 Padre, and in various other places of special 

 peril and observed, hidden along the shore, 

 the Spanish gun-boats escorting troops and 

 supplies. 



He won the rank of Major by gallantry 

 in the face of the enemy in the attack of 

 Guaimaro and that of Lieutenant Colonel 

 in the famous battle of Jiguani, and General 

 Funston said of him that he was one of the 

 bravest and most skillful of the Cuban 

 officers. 



HISPANIC NOTES 



