The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-05-13
Omcial Report OF tho BOmbardmcnt Of
Valparaiso.
INrENpENCIA VALPARAyso Anrl L lS66

Omcial Report OF tho Bombardmcnt OF
Valparaiso.
INrENDENclA VALPARAISO, April l, 1866
BY. various telegraphic dispatches have had the
honor communicate TO your Excellency knowledge
Of only the most notable circumstances Of the lombard
mont OF this city, committed by the Spanish forces on
the 3st Of the month just passed. But the enormy Of
this abuse OF dshonorablc to Its perpetrators
will be glorious for the people who have suffered
HLdemands that it should be understood in detail in
order to bring out into perfect relief the fcrocous
character which enemy vangorious and boastful Of
ts loyalty and civilization has commenced to impart to
. which, side conduct with generous
chivary.
With the object Of giving ncontrovertibe authenti
cty the brief resume Of the facts that about
state to your Excellency have asked respectively Of
Che various functionanes and account Of
Ill circumstances which they immediately con.
ocaned in having knowledge Of; and pledge my
self to combine these essential data in concise
and transmit them for your Excelency's Information.
Meanwhile will here endeavor TO recapitulate those
deeds only whose notoriey Is unreasonable and to
which all beaS testimony who will pause to behold
the ravages Of Spanish barbarty engraved indeliby
upon the monuments which commerce and civilization,
during LONG years OF peace and progress had erected in
this fourshng city,
Before relating other acts Of less importance must
aot allow pass unnotced that which stamps this
crime committed by the Spanish forces with execrabe
character than all the others alike the
eommon sentiments OF humanity and civilization Com
mander Mendez Nuhez, with pretence OF sentiments
Viii he far from entertaining in TRUTH had declared
70 the post commander in an Ollie al manner that his
guns would respect the hospitals and other buildings de-
voted to charitable purposes and asked, as means OF
securing this respect that such places might be desg
mated by white flag. In faithful compliance our
part with this formal request OF the Spanish representa-
tive all the institutions of charity that in the most
culinary considered sacred were distinctly desg
mated by white flag These signals, nevertheless
objects towards which the enemies batteries threw great
Numbers of their best AIMED shots The Spaniards fired
upon the Charity Hospital and upon the churches of the
Matrz and the MERGED already converted into ned hos
pitfalls They also fired upon the institution or tho Buen
Pastor and the hospital attached, and finally upon the
temples Of San lgnacio Rccolitos del Baron and San
Francisco and us II seemed 10 them not sufficiently
atrocious TO attack these sacred precincts in any way
they launched upon them alternately solid shot and
Naming projectiles Providence, however, saw fit to
preserve the lives OF the occupants Of these various
houses but their fronts aud interiors exhibit the ravages
OF shot and she'll 1t Is difficult to conceive that the
rcpres5 natives of Christian and European nation should
have so far departed from the line by humanity
military honor, but TO all who may be acquainted with
tho localities there can be no Kind OF doubt that the hos
pitfalls, temples and establishments OF charity were the
objects OF a most unnatural and nhuman design. Had
the spanish Commander intended TO conhnc his offensive
operations the artillery barracks TO the custom houses
20 the house ard TO the railroad station is
altogether incredible that any accidental in direct
ing the guns would have sent many shots widely
astray, so very distant from their mark those
bombarded temples and establishments Of charity which
have named and the conclusion therefore is rress
tble that the shots they received the work OF
horrible and coolly premedated crime.
Is the general conviction that in asking that the
hospitals and other charitable institutions be sgnalled
the Spanish commander meditaied stroke of strategy
which would have rendered very unwise TO have
gregated greater number OF victims at these places.
At all events this imputaton upon who would direct
the firing upon hospitals hardly be thought calum-
NOUS. But Commander Mendez Nuhez has not only
ignored the duties which honor and loyalty impose upon
the representative OF nation, and upon SOLDIER in
his relations enemy but no has also ignored his
duties TO neutrals in equally rcpugnant manner.
The consular corps resident here received, as your
futar bQ prtya pf
Chiians should be preserved from the devastation SO
nqutously projected against tho property OF the State
foreign commerce In bonded warehouses dred with
special preference behold in like condition the various
centres OF foreign commerce In Panchada Cochrane,
Bianco and adjacent and In Government square,
The FIRST shots Of the Spanish vessels directed 10
alternately upon the artillery barracks on Pianchada
street. the Commercial Exchange and on the City
rnor tho roiroad station and On he Suburban viisss
Barou- want OF the precise data. which urgent and
mutitudinous demands of the moment have prevented
from collecting renders II impossible for me 10 COM
municate 10 your Exocency detailed enumeration Of
che damage suffered by public and private buildings but
yet am able TO state as certain the following details and
Tho damage to the artillery barracks is very incon.
siderablc.
The custom houses being fred upoa with all manner
Of proecles red hot balls, shells and as am assured
% were .o xe,y sSoT e snn ape IN
teral Thus hundred and fifty stores Of those con-
shutting the third and fourth sections Of the Custom
Department o. 1855 more than $500 600 have been re-
duced cinders Tho merchandise deposited In them,
70 .shcs detailed spseiacaton 'e Of them. together
with statement OF their value and respective nation
atty S Of ownership viii be presented BY the Collector
exact balance sheet your Exccllcncy rely upon
that ~ 400 600 will DO close approximation TO the
value OF ths destroyed merchandise distributed In re-
spcct 70 nationality IA follows
81 300, 600
Iy ........................ 1000 oOo
a. 300 GOO
The Commercial Exchange, the Ctr Hail and the bar.
HACKS, accidentally occupied by tho artillery wero for
long time tho objects Of Spanish fury most vigorous
airing by all manner Of projectes the use a which is
discarded by enlightened nations against
Thorn FIRE Another Of the mon1mcn,s Of prosrer,tv
upon which, much TO its chagrn, the Spanish artillery
vas NOT able 70 satisfy It's hate was the railroad station
Being protected by strong surrounding wall resisted
most active fire without suffering damage materisl
amount part OF this wall, however was destroyed
the front OF the depot machine shop aud other oces
pierced by many balls, but without producing in
Jury winch could not be easily repaired
According 20 careful approximate estimates II would
about s545. 900 10 completely repair all the public
buildings injured, including the reconstruction Of the
pared with the enormous sums individuals have lost by
Ahe flames especially the Foreigners whose interests the
spanish commander falsely promised 70 respect
thrown into that part Of the city the Hotel de 10
Union, In Panehada street. received new impetus FROM
an active firing Of shot into that part OF the town by thu
Spanish vcsecls with the intention OF preventing the
proach OF the nrc companies TO the doomed district TO
save u from destruction The flames OF this conHagra.
sson thus desisnedly propsssted with the manifest In
ssnton that they should embrace the entire city, rapidly
sssendcd 70 the contiguous buildings, and have con
sumcd very valuable property over considerable dis
nc.,Ion the south side OF Planchnda street. fom the
Hotel Lssye,te 70 Municipal square, end the north
de o. tnc same street from the house Of Edwards TO
snas o. suoercAsaur on both sides OF Cochran street.
en- extent scarcely less than the above; the north
ode Of Banco street. two houses; on Municipal square,
s "s houses On sse east sdc in chve street Two largo