Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1866-05-08
WADE HAMPTON,
The Bombardment and Destruction of
Valparaiso.

we announce with regret, Us barbaric
act, that on the 3lst of March. the city of
Valparaiso was bOmbarded by the Spaniards.
and the town and twenty million dollars worth
OF property destroyed, nearly all of which be-
longs to American, British, and other foreipn
merchants. The Spanish commander allowed
only four days for the removal of the sick
Notwithstanding the energetic protest Of every
foreign representative. At first the several
commanders OF the British, American, and
rrehch meets, undertook the responsibility of
preventing the atroclty about to take place;
but finally they ali three drew back. and left
the people on shore to look out for themselves.
W hen the day came, on which the lombard
mcnt was to commence, the FOREIGN vessels
all left the haTbor, and the Spanish ships
took up their positions. The Panama Star
gives the following account of the action:
At > y. NJ. the Blanca opened fire on the
custom house, to the cry Of "viva Ia Rcma."
The others followed. each selecting some point
on which to pour its share Of destruction.
For nearly three hours the fire was kent IN.
without intcrmission. at 1910 \. NJ. a
shell from the Nenccdora set fire to the baths
adjoining the Hotel della Union, and the
flames rapidly spread in three streets, but
the Ncncedora did not dcsist. Her shot
continued to rain on that part of the town up
to the last moment of the bombardment with
terrible and fatal regularity.
On tie other side the customhorse took
fire at ll45, but there was no cessation of
firing from the ships; indeed, the Spaniards
knew only one consideration, viz: that Val
paraiso had been given up to them to wreak
their vengeance on it! At Us =. NJ. the
Munancia slgnallcd to dcsist, and the vessels
OF the squadron drew off. The people oftbc
wi had lodi t1o 1 III
during the bombardment, at once rushed into
town to cxtinguish the fires,
The bombardmCnt can only be characteriz
ed rs atrocious. Valparaiso was perfectly
detenseless, without a gun to reply or vessel
to stand by it, and for three hours stood
passively while wholesale destruction was be-
ing perpetrated. Atprcsent all are paralized.
many irretrievably ruined, AID commerce
viii be crippled for long period to come.
And it is said that the work is scarcely more
than begun, as Caldera, Coquimbo, and the
ports of Peru will also be as ruthlessly laid
waste as Valparaiso.
In their case still more damage will be
done, except in the single instance of Callao.
as they are all entirely defeneeless. The
British residents of Valparaiso unite in con-
demning the vascillating policy ofthe British
Admiral, who first threatened to prevent the
contemplated DomDarument, and had the
fullest offers of cooperation from the Ameri
can and French authorities, aud at the last
moment when his eountrymen on shore.
trusting that be would interfere, had failed
to remove their property in the custom house
and stores he drew off and declined to take
any action in the matter whatever. His ex-
ample was followed by those who had offered
aid and they all remained outside and wit
messed the devastation doing without further
word of protest