National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-04-25
Warfare In Cuba.
Even the Wounded slaughtered Ia their
Tracks,

Even the Wounded slaughtered Ia their
Tracks,
OKellcy, the Uoraid correspondent
with the Cuban army gives us the follow
ing description of q Cuban battle He
gays detachment was semitic kill cattle
in poh'erO or cattle farm close to the
town, II service they accomplished with
out interruption. II was evident from
this circumstance that the Spaniards
would not come out to attack the posi-.
ton ut Canadon, so u force Of some
three hundred armed men and about
one hundred af fifty conr0ycrOs and
servants were sent to complete the de-
striction of the cattle farm, with in
siructions to carry of as many of the
cattle as they could catch, and in any
case to kill Ms many rs possible of the
animals, SO M to deprive the town Of
its chief meals of support, These or
ders were faithfully carried out by
Colonel Sanchez and the troops under
his command. BY half-past eight the
l)otrerO was in flames for distance OF
II 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
II line Of march to return to the encamp-
ment. At the entrance of the potrer0
the road is slightly depressed, and a
wood extending in the direction of the
town forms semcircle commanding
completely the outlet from the potrer0,
The Cuban forces had reached this point
when their bugles sounded silence.
Scarcely had the sound died away
when voiley was delivered from II
Spanish ambuscade, distributed in
three divisions. BY n 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 n rapid and well sustained
fire was opened on the Spanish ambus-
cade. 1t 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 rs they sounded an
order. Notwithstanding the disparity
of the forces the Spaniards fought with
valor md tenacity, MS they always fight,
but were obliged to give way before SUI
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-
NAMED 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 of
this awful warfare was, fortunately,
hidden by the dark cloak of night.
The wounded Spaniards who had
fallen had crawled into the woods to
save themselves from the vengeance Of
| their foes. Here the Cubans followed
them, cropping in the dark and listening
for the sigh or groan of the wretched
men to direct them to where the help
less wounded lay. In most cases the
unfortunates were discovered and the
deadly machete finished the work of the
rifle. cave maria, me matar y exclaim-
| ed one poor fellow as the heavy machete
cut his cord Of life, and the appeals for
mercy of the helpless were the more
heartrending that they were made to
ears that were deaf and to hearts steeled
by the bloody memories of four years
of war to the death. 1t was revolving
and disgusting. My heart sickens when
I think of it, and 1 am thankful that
the sight was spared me. Is liberty
worth such atrocity, thought. 1t pains
me to have to record deeds of such dread
full barbarity, but my mission is to tell
the truth, plain and unvarnished.
My instructions are to spare neither
Spaniard nor Cuban when condemna-
ton is demanded, as well as to award
praise where deserved whether for
Spaniard or Cuban. Therefore l must
pronounce this butchery of helpless
wounded and prisoners what it is-bar-
barous and inhuman. The material re-
suits of the victory consisted in three
bugles, seventeen rifles, the boots, clothes
and other effects of the slain, and the
sentiment that the men who had fallen
a few nights before were amply avenged.
The loss of the Spaniards in dead was
estimated at twenty five killed on the
spot and thirty wounded in the retreat,
who had not been discovered in the dark
ness of the night, or owing to the prox-
unity of the town had escaped. The
Cuban loss was one officer killed, two
wounded and six soldiers wounded.
The morning after this success the Gu
bans quilted the encampment, accord
ing to their custom, SO that when the
Spanish troops should come to avenge
their comrades they would find no one.