The Pacification of Cuba 129and water connections with most of the island's population
and agricultural centers.
Before passing from the manner in which the Army of
Cuban Pacification established its posts, it must be noted that
however inconspicuous the soldiers were supposed to be, they
were generally garrisoned inside each city proper (except in
Havana), often in the old Spanish barracks.
The Army of Cuban Pacification used practice marches by
its scattered units to impress the campesinos with the potential
of American arms. Each garrison commander was ordered to
keep at least one column constantly on the move about the
countryside.^15 The explicit purpose of the marches was to
demonstrate "to the lawless that order must be maintained
and to assure the people that they will be protected from
robbery and disturbances."^16 Acknowledging his comman
ders' complaints that the burden of the marches on men,
animals, and equipment was becoming intolerable, General
Barry, in the spring of 1907, modified the march orders.
March schedules were reduced to allow more time for gar
rison duties, marksmanship, and field exercises. The number
of marches was decreased, but their duration was increased
up to three weeks.
When the marches began there was some fear in the United
States, reflecting widespread misconceptions about climate and
human physiology, that too rigorous exercise would exhaust
the soldiers' "store of power," the danger to the white man
in the tropics. A New York Times editorial gently criticized
the Army for believing men could become acclimatized,
warning against "native foods" and too much labor in the
sun.^17 The marches, however, did not bring the Army to
physical ruin. To dramatize his men's hardiness, General
Barry ordered two troops of the Eleventh Cavalry to make a
forced march back to their post from maneuvers near Havana
in April, 1908. The force, in close order and full equipment,
rode 110 miles in thirty hours without losing a trooper or
mount.
The practice marches continued until the end of the
occupation. In 1908, the Army made ninety-two marches cov