years Cubans of liberal tendencies had sent their sons to be
educated in the United States, very many of whom had been
naturalized before returning home. Cuba was but ninety miles from
Florida, and much of our coastwise shipping passed in sight of
the island. The people of the United States were aroused to
sympathy and to a desire to be of assistance when they saw that
the Cubans, so near geographically and so bound to them by many
commercial ties, were engaged against a foreign monarchy in a
struggle for freedom and a republican form of government. Ethan
Allen headed a Cuban committee in New York and by his historic
name associated the new revolution with the memory of the
American struggle for freedom. The Cuban flag was displayed in
the United States, Cuban bonds were sold, and volunteers and arms
were sent to the aid of the insurgents.

Owing to the nature of the country and the character of the
people, a Cuban revolution had its peculiarities. The island is a
very long and rugged mountain chain surrounded by fertile,
cultivated plains. The insurgents from their mountain refuges
spied out the land, pounced upon unprotected spots, burned crops
and sugar mills, and were off before troops could arrive. The
portion of the population in revolt at any particular time was
rarely large. Many were insurgents one week and peaceful citizens
the next. The fact that the majority of the population
sympathized with the insurgents enabled the latter to melt into
the landscape without leaving a sign. A provisional government
hurried on mule-back from place to place. The Spanish Government,
contrary to custom, acted at this time with some energy: it put
two hundred thousand soldiers into the island; it raised large
levies of loyal Cubans; it was almost always victorious; yet the