Due to its nature as a generally poorly equipped and vastly outnumbered force, the Liberation Army had to depend on their strategies to win them victories. Such strategies did not purely rely on the force of arms, but also on the terrain, weather, and tropical diseases. The terrain was the native land of the members of the army, and thus would have granted an advantage. Furthermore, the Cuban soldiers were naturally immune to many of the diseases that the Spanish weren't. Most of the Spanish casualties from all three wars were from disease, but that's not to discount the tactics and strategies of the Liberation Army's leadership, who were effective at planning and executing many combative actions.
Infantry The infantry of the Cuban Liberation Army fought in open order, generally negating the effect of Spanish artillery fire. Infantry units engaged in surprise attacks and ambushes and moved around extremely quickly, only coalescing into larger bodies of men when it was necessary. In the
Campaign of La Reforma, the guerilla cells formed by Major-General Máximo Gómez were able to inflict an average of 40 daily casualties upon Spanish forces. One of the tactics used to achieve this was the shooting of Spanish camps from safe and hidden positions. Although these actions seldom resulted in bullet injuries or deaths among the Spanish troops, it deprived them of sleep, weakening them both in physical battle and in battle against disease and the elements. Major-General Antonio Maceo also made heavy use of infantry in his operations in Oriente and Pinar del Río. Due to the mountainous terrain these areas, cavalry forces were relegated to a support role for the infantry. By presenting the threat of a cavalry charge, the Spanish formation is forced to form square, providing the perfect target for infantry riflemen and cavalry
carabiniers.
Cavalry One of the most depicted branches of service of the Liberation Army in media is the cavalry. The cavalry was responsible for several tasks throughout the wars fought by the Liberation Army. Before the
Battle of Dos Ríos, Spanish columns led by Colonel José Jiménez de Sandoval were spotted by Cuban cavalry
scouts and his vanguard harassed by mounted
skirmishers. Besides scouting and skirmishing, cavalry was also used in charges and in pursuing routed enemies. Soldiers of the cavalry used both firearms, such as carbines and revolvers, as well as machetes. The Major-General
Ignacio Agramonte is known for his cavalry force, which operated in Camagüey. He learned the tactical use of machetes from
Máximo Gómez, who himself made extensive use of cavalry, and organized his horsemen into some of the most famous cavalry in Cuba between the years 1871 and 1873. He also used information presented at historical and military lectures to inform his organizational decisions. The men were organized into
maniples, units smaller than regiments, which were stationed in a particular respective area. When necessary, a messenger could summon the maniple to assist in combat elsewhere. Agramonte, nicknamed "The Major" by his American subordinate officer
Henry Reeve, trained his men to be extremely maneuverable, being able to rapidly respond to orders given by the
bugler. By splitting off into various maneuver groups, Spanish square formations could be disorganized or undone. This leaves the Spanish infantry open for a decisive charge after the various groups join once again. So effective was "The Major's Cavalry" that there was a small window of time between 1871 and 1873 where the Spanish only controlled four villages in all of Camagüey. Perhaps one of the most famous cavalry charges of the Ten Years' War was the
Rescue of Sanguily. Thirty-five riders, including Ignacio Agramonte and Henry Reeve, charged against 120 Spanish light cavalry. The objective was to rescue Brigadier Julio Sanguily, who was captured by the Spanish horsemen. Without losing any men, they inflicted 11 mortal casualties, rescued Brigadier Sanguily and five other prisoners, and captured dozens of
horses,
saddles, a
tent,
bullets,
revolvers, and
sabers. It should be noted, however, that the machete charge was extremely circumstantial by the time of the War of 1895. Maceo's tactic of cavalry feints was more popular at this time.
Artillery In the Ten Years' War, Carlos Roloff made use of rudimentary leather guns in the first few military actions after the uprising of Las Villas. Similarly, on 13 June 1870, Captain Francisco Valladares commanded a battle which included the employment of leather guns. In the battle, these were used at short range against infantry, one of them causing five casualties and routing the enemy. Leather guns were produced in very limited numbers and were more intended as a psychological weapon rather than a physically effective one. In the War of Independence, Calixto García used Spanish Krupp guns to assault fortifications and towns. It was also important to raid Spanish-held towns, convoys, and fortifications. These attacks could bring back important materials such as medicine and food, besides, of course, weapons. It was the responsibility of the Medical Corps to establish field hospitals when circumstances permitted it. In order to attract students and practitioners of medicine, military ranks would be granted. Field hospitals were typically located near prefectures, where they could easily acquire supplies for the injured and sick. If medicine ran out, the medical staff could resort to herbal remedies grown in the prefecture. Unfortunately for hospital staff and injured soldiers, hospitals were a prime target for local guerillas who were working for the Spanish army. == Notable Military Officers ==