General Cabañas invaded the territory of Honduras in the last days of May, with a force of between 1,400 and 1,600 soldiers, and without encountering difficulty he reached Comayagua, then capital of that Republic; but having been attacked by the forces under the command of General Guardiola numbering 400 soldiers, the Salvadorans suffered a defeat, and many of them were immolated without mercy to the wrath of the victor. The brave Cabañas made the last charge with five officers to encourage the withdrawal of his troops, and upon returning to Salvador he asked that a War Council be formed to justify himself, since the withdrawal of the Salvadorans was due to word having spread of having been cut by the Hondurans.[5]