Evening star., 1897-02-05
WHEN OSGOOD WAS KILLED
sx-Representative Funston's Son Succeeded
to His Command.
An Interesting Story of Life in the
Cuban Insursent Army-Hostiiities
Expected to End Soon.
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence of The Evening Srar
INDEPENDENCE. Kan. Feb. 3, 1897.
Charles F. Scott, editor of the lola Kan
Register. has received an interes ting letter
from Fred Funston. the well-known Kan
sas boy who is now In Cuba fighting for
the freedom of that little island. Fred
Funston is a son of ex-Representative Fun
ston of this part of Kansas. Young Fun
ston was raised in this part of the state,
and the people of Kansas have always
watched his progres with pride. He has
Travelled extensively, and when the Cuban
trouble broke out he cast his fortune with
the insurgents. The letter bears a Jamaica
postage stamp, and was mailed at King
ston- Jamaica 1t reads as follows:
Had Mail Facilities.
''IE Camp. Province of Puerto Principle
Cuba,
November o, 1896
The mail facilities in this war-wasted
island are so bad that there is almost no
use in writing letters at all / have oppor-
tunity to send Hsrpers but twice, and am
not sure that those letters got through
but am going to try my luck in writing to
You, anyhow.
To start with. ] cannot attempt to tell
the one-hundredth part of what / have
scCAI- Aci N4ic SlSHl diu experiences OF my
three months here would fill book. 1 have
been mixed up in some mighty stin fight
ing. but as yet have not been hit and ]
sincerely hope / will not be- / am rather
glad l am in this war. 1t is a game fight
and Is steadily gaining. Next summer will
see Cuba free and independent nation.
The prevailing notion in the states that
a larse proportion Of the Cuban rebels are
retired bandits and ex-toughs is a great
mistake. They are the best people of the
island and men of every rank and profes-
sion are fighting Just as they were in our
civil war. The officers are nearly all men
of education and good family. The Cubans
are unanimous for the war, and all state
ments TO the contrary are Spanish lies
The situation now Is this: The Spanish
troops remain in fortified towns and never
venture out except in large bodies On Oc-
tober 5. at San Miguel. administered a
hot drubbing to one of their columns, and
incidentally / had the pleasure of having a
horse killed under me during the exercises.
The Cubans roam will over the country
watching Spanish columns and convoys, but
rarely attacking the fortified towns.
Osgood's Death.
We recently made an exception 10 the
rule. however, and result have gained
the g eatest and most substantial victory
of the war Gems. Gomez and Garcia be-
sieged the town of Guaymas defended by
" elve Spanish forts, and as most of the
fighting was done by the artillery | had
something of d finger In the pie. On the
second day. the chief of artillery. Maj. Os-
good, the famous foot ball player of the
University of Pennsylvania, was killed and
| succeeded to the command. For days we
pitched SEells into the forts. and on the
night of October % the infantry assa aulted
and captured number of the badly dam
aged forts. II would take day to tell
you all about the terrible night. but the
short of il Is that We dragged cannons by
hand into the streets of the town and COM
PEELED the surrender of the place. captur-
in riff
n-uaition and carrying away the garrison
as prisoners Of war.
Funston Promoted.
"On account of the Kansas funny busi-
ness done by my battery during the siege
i have been promoted 10 major or com
mandante.' they call II in Spanish
and made chief of artillery of all the forces
operating in the eastern half of the ISL
and i have some way managed to get u
pretty big stand in with the leaders of
the revolution. and think my chances of
attaining the rank OF colonel are fairly
good.
Now that the rainy season is over the
conditions OF life in the field are not half
50 bad ! am furnished by the government
and the other to cook. We live on fresh
beef. plantatHs. sweet potatoes and more
or less other vegetable bric-a-bracs pecu-
liar TO the tropics / never had better
health than here. and unless l some time
try TO stop an unusually hot bullet | stand
a good chance of coming home in prime
condition. And / want TO warn you in
advance that 1 am going to be mighty
proud of the fact that l did what 1 could
n my modest and retiring way to boost
the Spanish off this island.
We are all confident that the war will
end IN the spring by Spain giving up the
fight. And then I going home 10 get
a little Kansas ozone and good homemade
pie into my system. ] know that | should
for hjoher nd bap
pie. but / have become imbued by these
scenes of carnage and L can't soar any
more.
Lieut.. Penny a Washington, D. c.. boy.
who is at my side, insists that the apple
dumping is nobler bird than the pie,
but then he never lived In Kansas.
FRED FUNSTON"
Looking Forward to Peace.
NEW YORK. February "a special to
the World from Batabano, Cuba, dated
January II, says:
Ali Cuban property holders will be glad
II the Insurgents can accept the kind of
autonomy Spain is about TO offer. but II
must be guaranteed by the United States.
II Spain be induced TO grant real.
not sham, home rule to Cuba then every
thing will depend upon the acceptance of
the prone-ed terms by Gen. Gomez If he
refuses. the overtures OF Spain and the
dlpiomacy of Secretary Olney will have
Your correspondent is convinced that the
insurgents can hold out almost indefinitely
on the present line. II is not believed that
spain can long maintain the war which is
costing her nearly ten million dollars a
month. But II Spain can be induced TO
make Just concessions 10 the Cubans il is
known that the most powerful people here
Who now sympathize with the Insurgents
and even the great plantation owners who
now secretly aid the rebels will bring
great pressure upon Gomez TO accept The
insurgents now in arms will follow unuues-
uoningly his Iead
The Cubans will win absolute freedom
II true. III time But this means the total
ruin of all interests, American as well as
Cuban.
IL is hoped Spain will see the inevitable
ana Will seize the only means left to her
10 keep Cuba Then will come the indorse-
ment by Gen Gomez and the Cuban gov
ernment and principal leaders
President CicveIand's Wishes.
1t Is known here that Secretary Olney
and President Cleveland wish greatly to ar
range autonomy, and that De LONE the
Spanish minister at Washington, has guar
anteed that Spain will accept the United
states arrangement. Prime Minister Can