The Politics of Intervention

106 THE POLITICS OF INTERVENTION

One incident marred the process of disarmament, as far
as Taft was concerned, and that was the disposition of the
insurgents' horses. During the revolt the insurgents had gath­
ered mounts wherever they found them, and no record of
ownership was attempted. Horse-trading had been common
during the revolt and the alteration of a mount's physical
characteristics was easy. Yet the insurgent generals had prom­
ised to restore "property which was taken by them for military
purposes," and Taft wanted their horses returned. At the
time, Taft was not in the best of humor: "I have to put up with
the strutting about of insurgent generals in their uniforms, and
their complaints by the other side of them, although in my
heart... profane expressions of disgust press for utter­
ance."^79 Taft was in no mood to give the rebels any more
than they had already won. Funston and Ladd did their
best to round up the horses; certificates were drafted in Span­
ish vesting temporary custody of each horse with the in­
surgent possessing it, with "ownership to be determined later,"
but between the drafting and printing this phrase was lost.
Before the Disarmament Commission could correct the error,
the rebel officers hurriedly issued the original certificates.^80
Both Funston and Ladd believed the incident (if regrettable)
was minor, and that rebel possession of the horses was instru­
mental in getting them to go home.^81 Taft thought ques­
tions of private property were most serious, and, greatly
disturbed, he asked Roosevelt if the Provisional Government
could indemnify the owners, and Roosevelt agreed.^82

The most significant repercussion of the horse incident was
that Taft relieved Funston and sent him back to his post
in California, replacing him with the Chief of Staff, Brigadier
General Bell. Although Taft said Funston was no longer
needed in Cuba because there would be no military opera­
tions, he relieved the general for not being respectful of
private property (about eight thousand horses) in violation
of the truce agreements. Taft was through with the unortho­
dox and mercurial Funston: "He has two o'clock courage
and ability to meet an emergency that such courage gives