The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-12-31

Senor Jose N. Lenus, Envoy Extraordinary
and Minister Plenipotentiary of the Republic OF
Cuba" at Washington, has received by special
messenger, ofllcial news froui the Cuban leaders
on the island, OF their military operations be-
tween August and October 4.
THE ATTACK on LAS rUNTAs.
Their story Of the attack on the town OF Las
Funtas in the middle Of August differs wldely
from that received from Spanish sources. AZ
cordng to these dispatches the attack was maui ~
by an army of 1000 men, supported by one piece
OF artillery, all under the command OF the JUDAH
ceneral-in chief, on the 10th OF the month. inc
forces were divided into sevaral columns, anG
the attack was made from the north. soutu ana
east. After fighting several hours, during wnlcn
the artillery was used necessarily, the Cuban
column-to quote from the report
.With the cry OF Vird cuba LibrP, advanced
amid rain Of shot in line as unshaken as
thonph moved by single man. After des.
pcrate hand-tohand fight, the enemy was loreed
from the houses of the town, which tRey laa oc-
cupied, and retreated within thelr eltreHcA.
ments. The sun then rose TO Illuminate tue nrst
triumph of Cuban arms on that glorious day;
The population was in our power. One hundred
and fifty OF the enemy had taken refuge III I,i rne
prison and converted 1t intoa real fortress. Inc
remainder OF the garrison leu 10 .e aTa; ;rn
across all the avenues leading into II. Iney hau
located their artillery In the church anu nlgn'
strong house. At 10 A. NJ we captured the prison.
The enemy, after assasslnatldg large nunioeI
of prisoners whom they had confined there
long time previously abandoned their eXtempore
fortress and fled TO the grand plaza. They lelt
seventeen OF their dead soldiers, nlty-ouu mus
kets and large number OF carriages u iais nIeo
ouantity 9. caps and other material OF war; also
a battle flag, which was left unrolled. FIRING
was kent up necessarily, and the enthusiasm Oh
our troops increased with each charge" II,
Bat their successes were not thc cloleIunneia VI
fnh 10
when the Spanish soldiers had been driven from
the heights, their flag had been shot away anu
their fire had been for Willie silenced, tne alnh
milton Of the Cubans began 10 grow scarce. ~
was then resolved TO make an entrance through
the sides Of the houses. The WORK OF tearing
down the wall was begun hut just when Dreach
was nearly made. the commander'ln.chielg ga.e
orders to retreat. lie having been ADVISED VI Tue
approach OF relnforcements Of fresh troops. Inc
dispatches report that the troops were at nrst
determined to disobey the order, so confident
were thew OF speedy victory. The retreat, OF
course, was made in s'good order"
EXECUTION OF PRISONERS.
The Cubans carried Off upward OF two hundred
arms from the military hospital, dozen or more
nags and quantity OF small things twenty
seven prisoners taken were shot III retalatlon
Cubans having been killed by the enemy withln
the walls Of the prison. The enemy confessed 10
a loss OF one hundred and two killed; the Cubans
OF twenty killed and eighty seven wounded.
Many OF the Spanish troops were killed by the
bursting OF shells.
THE POLICY OF ASSASSINATION.
1t is asserted that the plan OF General Caballero
de ROdas is to get rid OF the Cuban chief by assas-
slnation. Brigadier-General LUIS Flguerdo, II rs Is
said was the first selected Tor the assiissihs VI
this point the official report says:
al Spanish soldier, who had deserted anu Jolll-
ed his command, became inspired with q love Tor
the General, AID voluntarily confessed INA. 'Ie
object of his enllstlng was to assasslnate him. IL
is unnecessary to say that the lntenueu assassiii
was executed
Other attempts to assassinatc are thus reported:
About the middle OF July four men deserted me
camp OF General Modesto Daz. After two months,
absence they presented themselves In the camp OF
General Louis Marcano, successor to General Dlaz,
In command OF the Bayamo Dstrict. They sai'i
they had remained on the ManZanil!o roads anu
laid ambushes for small bodies OF Spaniards A
few days afterward General Marcano was pro-
vlded with camp guard to take the place OF BIS
escort which he had sent oil 10 recOnnoltre, anu
these four men were OF the nnmOer. one Vi tneiii
was made sentinel. In the middle OF the night
the sentinel gave an outcry as signal 0l alarni.
All at first supposed that they had been surprised
by the enemy, for these four men rushed upon tue
general. The one in advance was Hllleu ny zap
tain Nicholas Chaa, when the other then fled.
The Marcano brothers each received two serious
wounds. Not long since another murderer pre-
sented himself to the general inchief, expressing
n desire TO join his escort. The villanOus appear
ance O: the man caused his being searched, when
a passport was found in his shirt signed by the
secretary OF General Delodas lie is now await
ing trial as u spy. From notices received from
Manzano 1t Is asceraneu that tne Spanish au,
thorties have sent more men to murder General
Modesto DiaZ.
sKIRMIsnEs AND BATTLES.
Successes OF the Cubans in several skirmlshes
are rcported, in which invariably the loss OF the
enemy was great, while that OF the rcvolutionistS
was marvcllOusly small. The camp OF General
Marcano, at Buena Vista, was attacked from the
front and rear on the morning OF the 22d OF Sep
tember, and after lighting four hours or more the
enemy abandoned the field, leaving forty horses
and some ammunition. Before leaving, the ene-
INV burned large number OF houses and killed
thirty countrymcn who had taken refuge in them.
The town was soon after entirely abandoned by
the Spanish troops, who made their camp at
Puerto ell Padre.
WOMEN KILLED By THE SPANISH.
1t is asserted in the dispatches that the Span
ish have murdered women and children III THIS
section and committed other atrocities.
"Before leaving they assassinatcd numerous
citizens whom they had taken from the neighoor-
hood. Among them were seven ladies and nve
children Our enemy, In his impotence to con.
uuer relates these atrOcious deeds as victories,
and reports all persons assassinated as Killed In
battle Among thousands OF barbarous acts OF
this class the case OF Don Juan Sanchez YZaguirre
a distinguished lawyer OF Manzanillo may ue
mentioned. lie had been prostratcd for long
time with a lung complaint, aud had retired
with his family 10 his estate, near Sagua. HIS
house was attacked. lie could not nee. All
enemy, n volunteer, once his friend, endeavored
to save him, when both were shot. y few days
after the occurrence the Spanish troops discov-
cred some families in the mountains, and de.
spoiled them OF all their wearing apparel. The
widow OF Senor lZaguirrc refused 10 give up
her jewels voluntarily, ana was brutally forced
TO resign them. They then compelled her 10
sign a letter OF thanks for their kind attentions
which has since been extensively published
This letter OF thanks was addressed 10 the Span
ish chief, Juan Lopez del Compile, the same who
killed her husband.
The dispatches, in the absence OF General Ccs-
pedcs, are signed by "Edwardo Agramcnto. scc-
re;ary OF foreign relations at Guarmano.