Connecticut western news., 1873-05-02
Warfare in Cuba.
Even tho Wounded Slaughtered i'm their TrmeRxa.

Even tho Wounded Slaughtered i'm their
 O'Kelley, the Herald correspondent with the Cuban army gives us the follow ing description of Cuban battle He says detachment was sentto kill cattle in potrero or cattle farm close to the town, service they accomplished with out interruption. It was evident from this circumstance that the Spaniards would not come out to attack the posi- tion at Canadon, so a force of some three hundred armed men and about one hundred af fifty conUoyeros and servants were sent to complete the de- struction of the cattle farm, with in
 structions to carry off as many of the cattle as they could catch, and in any case to kill as many as possible of the animals, so as to deprive the town of it's chief means of support. These or ders were faithfully carried out by Colonel Sanchez and the troops under his command. By half-past eight the petrero was in flames for 8 distance of league, and the cattle either dead or driven into the woods. The soldiers and the unarmed men were laden with the meat, and orders were given to form line of march to return to the encamp- ment. At the entrance of the 1ootrero the road is slightly depressed, and 8 wood extending in the direction of the town forms & semicircle commanding completely the outlet from the potrero. The Cuban forces had reached this point when their bugles sounded silence.
 Scarcely had the sound died away when volley was delivered from a Spanish ambuscade, distributed in three divisions. By miracle none was touched, and the Colonel, dismounting, ordered the men to advance. In a mo- ment the sacks of meat fell to the ground, and rapid and we'll sustained fire was opened on the Spanish ambus- cade. It was their turn now to be sur prised; for the Cubans possessed plenty of ammunition, and were confident in their numbers. The Spanish forces did not number over one hundred and fifty, and by strange freak of fortune their three buglers had been shot, one after another, as soon as they sounded an order. Notwithstanding the disparity of the forces the Spaniards fought with valor and tenacity, as they always fight, but were obliged to give way before su- perior numbers. A movement of re- treat in the face of Cuban force is disastrous. The moment the soldiers perceived that the Spaniards were re- treating they advanced with rush, and the defeat was turned into rout. Then the horrors of the situation were de- veloped. The Spanish soldiers, lost in the woods in the darkness, fell an easy prey to their enemies. So dark was the night thatit was necessary to inquire whether the person encountered was an enemy or friend before striking.
 This did not last long, for what re- mained of the Spanish troops were in full flight for the town, which, fortu- nately for them, was close at hand. The most terrible and inhuman feature oi this awful warfare was, fortunately, hidden by the dark cloak of night.
 The wounded Spaniards who had fallen had crawled into tho woods tc save themselves from the vengeance o1 their foes. Here the Cubans followed them, groping in the dark and listening for the sigh or groan of the wretcheC men to direct them to where tho help less wounded lay. In most cases the unfortunates were discovered and the deadly machete finished the work of the rifle. ''Ave maria, me matar l" exclaim ed one poor fellow as the heavy machete cut his cord of life, and the appeals fol mercy of the helpless were the more heartrending that they were made tc ears that were deaf and to hearts steele6 by the bloody memories of four years of war to the death. It was revoltine and disgusting. My heart sickens whe1 I think of it, and I am thankful tha the sight was spared me. Is liberty worth such atrocity, Thought. Itpaini me to have to record deeds of such dread full barbarity, but my mission is to tel the truth, plain and unvarnished.
 My instructions are to spare neither Spaniard nor Cuban when condemna tion is demanded, as we'll as to award praise where deserved whether fo Spaniard or Cuban. Therefore I mus pronounce this butchery of helpless wounded and prisoners what it is-bar barous and inhuman. The material re suits of the victory consisted in thre
 bugles, seventeen rifles, the boots, clothe and other effects of the slain, and tn sentiment that the men who had fallel 8 few nights before were amply avenged The loss of the Spaniards in dead wa estimated at twenty-five killed on tn spot and thirty wounded in the retreat who had not been in the dark ness of the night, or owing to the prox imity of the town had escaped. Tn
 Cuban loss was one officer killed, tw wounded and six soldiers wounded The morning after this success the Gu bans quilted the encampment, accord ing to their custom, so that when tn Spanish troops should come to aveng their comrades they would find no one