The record-union., 1897-01-15

then the shots came faster and faster,
until a line of flame appeared in front Of
each works. Now the cannon belched,
and up in the citadel the Gatling gun
hurled its leaden rain.
In the face of the awful fire not
Cuban faltered Bandera kept in the
lead. His horses leaped over the near
est earthworks. He slashed at the
fleeing garrison with his machete. His
men were right behind him. Horses fell
all about, wounded and killed, throwing
their riders headlong. Suddenly BAN
dera's machete fell from his hand. He
leaned forward on his horse. He
swayed for moment, and then top
pied over.
Members of his staff stopped and dis
mounted. They CROPPED their way in the
smoke to their chieftain, and found him
wounded in the abdomen. His surgeon
was among the first at his side. Tear
ing open the duck suit he saw in a mo-
ment that the wound was mortal, so
they propped up his head and made him
as comfortable as possible.
EaI lhworks Notifications and bal'ri-
cades gaveway under the furious charge
the way, but the ranks were instantly
closed and the onslaught continued. In
fifteen minutes after Bandera fell the
victorious Cubans passed the last OBJ
struction. Every Spaniard who had
both legs left was fleeing to the west,
only to come under the murderous fire
of Rabi's men.
Twenty minutes after Bandera fell a
messenger came back. The negro
chieftain had asked for a cigarette, and
was smoking with his last breath.
Santa Clara has fallen!" cried the
messenger. The enemy has been
routed"
There was a puff of cigarette smoke,
a shiver ran through Bandera's body
and he was dead.
Most of the Spanish garrison and
General Luque escaped to the south.
Many fell at the hands of General Ra-
bis men. The sun was not far up when
the victorious Cubans We're in posses
sion. Gomez took the quarters LuQue
had occupied, and received reports of
the battle.
The news received last night said the
losses were Spanish estimated killed
and wounded 900, prisoners 100, cannon
captured IS, battle standards t. rifles in
the Spanish arsenal 5000, with plenty
of ammunition. Cubans killed and
wounded, 1,500, which is 600 more than
the Spanish loss.
Gomez gave his men only a nights
rest, and then, leaving a garrison of
/ 800 men, pushed on to the westward.
ABSOLUTE INDEPENDENCE ONLY.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 14.-Senor Con
Zalez Quesada, the head of the Cuban
Junta in Washington, was informed to-
day that a story had been published to
the effect that Secretary Olney and Min
lister de LONE had drawn up articles to
end the Cuban war on the lines pro-
posed by General Gomez, Senior Que
sada emphatically denied that any such
action had been taken or could be ap-
proved by the Cubans. He said the
story was absolutely false, as General
Gomez had never proposed any reform
whatever, nor was there a Cuban in the
island that would accept anything but
absolute independence.
To make this denial stronger Senior
Quesada quoted from the brief sub
mitted to General Gomez some time ago,
which is now law, and he said that any
one in Cuba bringing overtures of peace
based on anything but independence was
to be considered as a traitor, and would
be summarily dealt with, and further
that any treaty of peace with Spain
which must necessarily have for it's
basis the absolute independence of the
ir-Ia % l. =
Government Council of Cuba and by an
Assembly of Representatives convened
expressly for that purpose.
Senor Quesada to-day received a letter
from President Cisneros of the Republic
of Cuba, dated Cubitas, December 21st,
which inclosed some new postage stamps
Of the Cuban Republic. He read ex-
tracts from this letter in which Presi-
dent Cisneros expressed his qualification
that the people and Congress of the
United States continued to show their
sympathy for Cuba. He said he was
preparing an appeal in which the Gov
ernment Of the Cuban Republic would
ask for the recognition of the independ-
ence of the island. He further stated
that they were preparing to renew an
offensive campaign. General Gomez
had left to enter Santa Clara with rein
forcements and good supply of NUM-
tions of war. Gomez route would be
further west.
President Cisneros also said that their
condition was most prosperous, and if
they had an abundance of munitions Of
war. not only of rifles but of cannon and
dynamite cannon, railroads would be
destroyed and all the few remaining
earrisoned towns in the interior would
be abandoned by the Spaniards, who
would be reduced to the coast
President Cisneros concluded that they