The people of Paso Keal say this report is true, as far as it goes, but that Luque neglects to add that he then attacked the hospital, and murdered twenty-eight wounded men, firing at them as they lay on their cots, through the windows, and finally breaking down the door, and killing the rest with the bayonet.

Under date of February 8th we have an account of the operations of the Spanish General Sabas Marin, who left Havana a short time before.  His campaign in search of General Gomez was disastrous, and the official reports of Spanish victories were misleading.  There were losses on both sides, but Marin accomplished absolutely nothing of what he intended to achieve.

The first misfortune which overtook the Spaniards was the rout of Carnellas, on the very day on which Marin left Havana, Gomez sent a detachment under Pedro Diaa to intercept him, and this force reached Saladrigas in the early morning.  In this section the country is cut into small fields, divided by stone fences, and facing the road there is a high fence, with a ditch in front of it.  Diaz placed 400 infantry behind this fence, and waited himself with 1,000 cavalry back of a hill close by.  When the Spanish forces appeared, the advance guard was allowed to pass, and as soon as the main body was fairly in the trap, volleys were poured into them, literally mowing them down.  At the sound of the first gun, Diaz led his thousand horsemen upon the enemy’s flank and rear.  The charge was irresistible.  Half of Diaz’s men did not even fire a shot, but yelling “machete,” they rode furiously upon the Spanish lines, cutting their way through, and fighting with terrible effect.

The Spanish issued no official report of this battle.  So far as the records show, it never occurred.  One of the Spanish officers, who fought in it, conceded a loss of 200 men, but it is probable that twice that number would be nearer the correct figure.

Americans in the Cuban army.

Colonel Frederick Funston, who returned to New York in January, 1898, told an interesting story of brave Yankee boys serving under General Gomez and General Garcia in Eastern Cuba, and also gave an account of the sad death of W. Dana Osgood, the famous football player, formerly of the University of Pennsylvania.

Colonel Funston was with Gomez’s army when they attacked Guimaro.  They had with them a twelve-pound Hotchkiss rifle and four American artillerymen, Osgood of Pennsylvania, Latrobe and Janney of Baltimore, and Devine of Texas.

They attacked Guimaro in the morning, at ranges of from 400 to 600 yards, the infantry being protected by a breastwork of earth, in which openings were left for the guns.

The Spanish garrison consisted of 200 men in eleven forts, and they maintained a hot fire all day.  Gradually, however, the Hotchkiss rifle, the fire of which was directed by Osgood, made the largest and nearest fort untenable, and it was abandoned by the garrison.  No sooner had the Spanish forces left it than a band of the insurgents took possession, and from this point of vantage the fighting was continued with renewed vigor.  As soon as darkness came on one of the Cuban guns was moved forward and stationed in this fort, and on the following day a storm of shot and shell was directed at the other forts.