3-086-480 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The Spanish-American War: Spanish outposts in Cuba - a natural stockade, 1898. War between Spain and the United States. 'One of the most interesting of our War Illustrations this week is that entitled "A Natural Stockade." The "organos" or organ-pipes, as the Spaniards very appropriately call this species of cactus, are met all over the West Indies and Mexico. They sometimes attain gigantic growth (thirty and more feet high and ten to twelve inches diameter), armed on all sides with spines and thorns, and growing so close together as to form an impenetrable wall. It is easy to guess what a formidable obstacle this must prove to a force of infantry. Artillery fire is of little avail to batter down these prickly giants, as the debris on the ground is just as dangerous and obstructive as before. The French in their first attack on Puebla in 1863 found this out to their sad discomfiture.' From "Illustrated London News", 1898.