l Thomas
Jordan, a West Point graduate and an ex-officer in the Confederate
service. By the way, the South, with its well-known chivalry, has always
evinced warm sympathy for the unfortunate Cubans. To their glory be it
spoken and remembered!

Quesada managed to reach the interior without resistance. But Jordan,
with only one hundred and seventy-five men, but carrying arms and
ammunition for two thousand six hundred men, besides several pieces of
artillery, was attacked at Camalito and again at El Ramon; he succeeded
in repulsing the enemy and reaching his destination.

Soon after, as General Quesada demanded extraordinary powers, he was
deposed by the Cuban congress, and General Jordan was appointed
commander-in-chief in his stead.

In August, 1870, the United States government offered to Spain their
good offices for a settlement of the strife. Mr. Fish, who was then
secretary of State, proposed terms for the cession of the island to the
Cubans, but the offer was declined. This is only one of the many times
when Spain, in her suicidal policy, has refused to listen to reason.

About this time the volunteers expelled General Dulce, and General de
Rodas was sent from Spain to replace him with a re-enforcement of thirty
thousand men.

General de Rodas, however, remained in command only about six months, he
in his turn being replaced by Valmaseda, again at the dictation of the
volunteers.

Speaking of these volunteers, who it will be remembered were recruited
from Spanish immigrants and who were peculiarly obnoxious to Cubans of
all classes, it will not be out of place to relate here an act of wanton
cruelty upon their part.

This took place in the autumn of 1871. One of the volunteers had died,
and his body had been placed in a public tomb in Havana. Later it was
discovered that the tomb had been defaced, by some inscription placed
upon it, no more, no less. Suspicion fell upon the students of the
university. The volunteers made a complaint and forty-three of the young
students were arrested and tried for the misdemeanor. An officer of the
regular Spanish army volunteered to defend them, and through his
efforts, they were acquitted.

This verdict did not satisfy the volunteers, however. They demanded and
obtained from the captain-general, who was a man of weak character, the
convening of another court-martial two-thirds of which was to be
composed of volunteers. Was there ever such a burlesque of justice? The
ac