The Cuban Crisis

by Adrian Musgrave

Overview

In his second book, originally intended for publication in 1898, but delayed by his recuperation from fever and a chest wound received at the fall of Santiago, George Clarke Musgrave tells us about the patriotic struggles of the Cubans, and about the iniquities practised upon them by the impulsive Spanish occupation of Cuba. Sent with a dual commission from an English newspaper and an American journal, he landed in Cuba "a warm sympathiser with Spain." For two years, though, he lived and served with the revolutionaries, learned of their cause and experienced their suffering. Appointed as a Captain on General Garcia's staff, he repeatedly crossed the lines carrying despatches from the insurgent Cuban Government to the Americans. Danger and hardship became his companions and he was twice imprisoned, three times wounded, barely rescued from a spy's death and finally arrested and deported to Spain under threat of execution. Following intervention by the British government he was eventually released from prison in Cadiz, from where he journeyed back to England and on to America to join the United States forces at Tampa Bay for the invasion of Cuba at the start of the Spanish-American war. Thus equipped, he gives us "a plain story of the sufferings and sacrifices of the Cubans for their freedom."
This detailed review of the insurrection from the arrival of General Weyler to the Maine disaster and the ultimate advent of the American forces is thorough, vivid, picturesque and full of incident. The sketches of troops and commanders, lifestyles and politics, characters and manners, are finely drawn and illuminating, as are the comments on the abject failings of the American Army commissariat and the crushing indictment of the oppressive Spanish rule.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940165009358
Publisher:	Adrian Musgrave
Publication date:	08/31/2021
Series:	Wars and Words
Sold by:	Smashwords
Format:	eBook
File size:	894 KB

About the Author

Following nine years service in the RAF, I qualified as a teacher and spent several years as a freelance teacher/trainer before setting up an internet service business. We sold this business in 2004 at which time me and my wife semi-retired, bought a property in Bulgaria and travelled around Europe, coming back to the UK in 2010. A year or so before we returned, my granddaughter had taken up an interest in genealogy and had constructed a family tree, revealing my great-uncle, George Clarke Musgrave. I worked with her on this and with relatively straightforward first stage research, we discovered that George Clarke was a war correspondent and journalist, seeing action with both British and American forces in West Africa, Cuba, South Africa, China, the Balkans and France. A further decade of more detailed research, including trips to most of the locations where he was an active correspondent, gave us entry to his entire library; press reports, essays, letters and diary notes. His articles from the conflicts that he experienced were published in many national and international journals such as: the Illustrated London News, the London Chronicle, the Daily Mail, Strand Magazine, Black and White Review and the New York Times. He also wrote a number of books which were readily published and well received by audiences on both sides of the Atlantic. Unfortunately, these are now out of print and first editions are rare and expensive. I believe, though, that his words should be read and, together with my granddaughter, I am now committed to bringing the library of George Clarke Musgrave back to life.