Guerillas.
The name guerilla was first given to bands of irregular soldiery, or armed peasants, in
Spain, who harassed Napoleon's armies during the
Peninsular War, in 1808-14.
The name is from the
Spanish and means “a little war.”
The guerilla bands were led by bold bandits, who, inspired by hatred of the
French and favored by the hilly character of the country, were successful on many occasions.
However, they were utterly lawless, and ready on the least suspicion of political treachery to turn their arms against the
Spanish leaders.
One of the bands, led by the notorious
General Mina, joined
Wellington, and after having undergone a course of discipline, did good service as regular troops.
From
Spain the name guerilla was brought to
Central America, and thence to the
United States.
Guerilla bands in
Mexico and
Texas were a source of great annoyance during the
Mexican War. In the Civil War guerillas, or “partisan rangers,” as they were called, were commanded by officers duly commissioned by the
Confederate President for such service.
By an act of the Confederate Congress, passed April 21, 1862, it was provided that these “partisan rangers” should receive the full pay of regular soldiers and be paid the full value of all arms and munitions of war captured by them.
This act was repealed Feb. 15, 1864, and provision made for uniting all the ranger bands under the discipline of the regular army.