On August 21, 1958, Fidel Castro wrote: ‘Major Ernesto Guevara is appointed chief of all rebel forces of the 26th of July Movement operating in Las Villas Province, whether in rural or urban areas. ... Militarily, organizations with military forces operating in the province shall be invited to integrate one army corps in order to structure and unify the military effort of the Revolution, to organize local fighting units and to designate officers of the Rebel Army up to the rank of Column Major in order to carry out the plan.’ This battlefield dispatch, penned by Che on November 6, 1958 and sent clandestinely to Faure Chomon, deals directly with the taking of Cuban army prisoners and Guevara’s insistence on a military trial for two who have been identified as assassins. If found guilty, he states that they should be shot. Noviembre 6/58 -1.10pm Faure: Juanito me manda a decir que tienen 7 guardias capturados. 2 de ellos, 1 teniente y 1 sargento, que a uno le dicen Centella y al otro Puas al parecer 2 asesinos. Enviamelos para aca y haceles un jucio ya que de ser asi hay que fucilarlos no queda de otra. A los demas ponganlos en libertad la justicia del 26 de julio debe llegar a todos para no caer en debilidades. Saludos Che * * * November 6/58 -1.10pm Faure: Juanito sent me to tell you that he has captured 7 guards. 2 of them, 1 lieutenant and 1 sergeant, one of them with the nickname Centella and the other one Puas apparently 2 killers. Send them here and make a trial because if this is true you have to shoot them there isn’t another option. The rest of them set free the justice of the 26 de july must reach everyone so as not to fall into weakness. Regards Che This letter was dispatched to Faure Chomon (see attached photo of Che and Chomon), who founded the Escambray Guerrilla Front, until becoming part of the Las Villas Front, under the orders of Che Guevara. He was then promoted to comandante of the Rebel Army. There exists an official letter from Che to Chomon, dated November 7, 1958 - the day after this dispatch. He addresses Chomon as ‘Comrade Faure Chomon, General Secretary of the Revolutionary Directorate’ and begins: ‘The aim of this letter is to inform you of the latest developments in the Escambray mountains.’ Che goes on to speak about the problems the July 26 Movement is having with the Second Front (another guerrilla group) and the upcoming trial of one of his men, Pompilio Viciedo, a deserter, who has killed two guerrillas that were sent to find him. He signs off: ‘Che, Commander in chief of the Las Villas region for the July 26 Movement.’ This letter demonstrates the different levels of communication that were taking place during the counter-offensive. This hastily-written dispatch to Chomon of November 6 is clandestine in nature and carries a sense of urgency, discussing captured prisoners-of-war and possible executions. The November 7 letter is an official, on-the-record missive. Any Che correspondence is exceedingly rare, but dispatches written during battle are almost non-existent. This battlefield letter is unique, in terms of the insight it gives us into Che’s military mind. A full forensic handwriting analysis of the letter is attached (the report covers two letters, of which the offered lot is one).