The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-12-05
THE BUAsCAR,s LAST FIGHT.
THE MOST DESPERATE NAVAL CoMBAT
on RECORD-HOw ADMIRAL GRAU
WAS KILLED-TERRIBLE EF-
Feet OF THE SHOTS OF THE
CUIIIAN IRONCLADS.

Feet OF THE SHOTS OF THE
GILLIAN IRONCLADs.
A correspondent at Lima. Peru, gives
the following particulars OF the terrihc
fight between the celebrated Peruvian
q1nboat Huascar and several Chilian
ironclads
Ont of the Huascar's crew Of two hundred
and sixteen men. rank and file, only eighty
six mostly wounded, survive the brlef and
terrible action of Mexilones de Bolivia.
Admiral Gran and the next two officers III
rank, Capt Aguirre and Lleutenaht koorl-
p1ez. were killed outright. From the mo-
ment that the Chilian ironclad appeared on
the horizon steaming rapidly toward the HUI
ascar from the northward, whilst the Blanco
Fncalada was steadily pursuing the ram
from the SOUTH Admiral Grau perceived
clearly that his ship was doomed, but brave
man as he was, no thought of surrender en-
tered his mind and the whole ships COM
pany assumed theiT appointed stations for the
struggle with a conviction that no human
power could extricate the Huascar from such
Overwhelming forces as those presented by
the Chilian vessels.
From the decks and tops of the two vessels
the fire of musketry and gattling guns was
incessant and on the Huascar the effect was
becoming painfully apparent. At 1880 A.
NJ one hour and eight minutes after the
commencement of the fight, the Huascar had
discharged her turret pieces twenty-five
times against the COchrane, the latter reply
ing with thirty shots. At this moment the
other Chilian ironclad arrived on the scene
and Immediately opened fire, first directing
her attention to the Huascar's 5 hghtlng turret
and the little tower near the smoke stack,
which is the battle station OF the commander
The Blanco'S guns were eNcellently Wen
served and their effect terrible The tower
was carried away, and Admiral Grau taken
down below for the care of the surgeons,
with one of his legs torn of, as IS stated
While in the cabin, solid three hundred
Dound shot from the Blanco struck the ram
i'm the stern, destroying the steering gear,
and passing directly through the ship left
gaping aperture large enough for boat to
enter This shot killed the brave admiral,
his aid, Lieutenant Ferre, and several others.
Captain Elias Aguirre assumed command OF
the slip on the death OF the admiral, and
took his station in the gun turret. But on
this point the two ChilianS had concentrated
their fire. The turret was hit by heavy
shell, which passing through port exploded
inside disabling one of the two guns, killing
Aguirre and all who were serving the piece.
The HuaScar was now practically at the
mercy Of the eenemy-ungOvernable and with
half her offensive power destroyed, her ON
GERS and crew decimated but the national
flag was still flying in defiance, and no one
even whispered of surrender. Captain Mel
itOn Carvajal took the command after
Agurre's death, but was instantly carried
below, dangerously wounded First Lieu
tenant Rodriguez, succeeded him, and mo-
ment afterward shared the fate of the admi-
raj and Aguirre Lieutenant Enrique Pala-
co.'s followed Rodriguez in the command,
and although severely wounded continued in
charge until the end of the bloody drama.
Still the HuaScar discharged her sole re-
naming cannon at long intervals, as the very
turret itself, only thirty feet i'll diameter,
was choking uD with the debris Of the shat
tered gun and the bodies Of the dead and
wounded. Below in the dark passages and
narrow compartments OF the ship the scene
was frightful. The dying and those who had
persisted were heaped indiscriminatcly to-
getheT and every few moments shot from
the enemy came crashing through the sides
of the doomed vessel. The forccastle was
completely shot away, the mast cut in two,
and the mitrailleuse in the tops inutiliZed.
| The smOke-stack and chimney were riddled
! with balls, the propeller struck and foued
( one gun disabled, and as before stated out OF
/ two hundred and sixteen men who went tC
action, only eighty-siX We're alive. and the
/ majority of these hOTS dJ COMBAT. five com.
manderS had succeeded each other in then
/ perlOus post. Three were dead, one gTieye
I ously wounded, and the fourth barely able
/ to maintain his trumpet. The ChliianS
thought that the time had come to close, and
sent a boarding party to complete the victory.
( But the brave fellows on the lluaScar rallied
and drove them back with loss. This was
the expiring effort. Flesh and blood could
( do no more. Indeed human vigOr and bra
I NtLS ii''N "iOiiSt''u ti't StC"uy HlioNhH "iiti
/ had overcome the iron bulwaTkS of the his
tOric ship. The Chilians again boarded and
the HuaScar was theirs. The enemy lowered
: the flag which had waved so tIiumphantly
along their coast and witnessed many a gal
! liant exploit of the dead admiral The sur
vivOTS of the fight were taken on board the
/ Cochrane and Blanco; from their letters t.
/ their families in Lima, from which most OF
my data is derived, they were treated with
/ kindness and consideration by their captorS
( who accorded the funeral honorS due to hi,
/ rank to Admiral Grau in MeXillOneS. The
. ChilianS with uncovered heads stood ovei
the grave of a man, who though their per
siStent and most active enemy, had Won theil
esteem and respect by noble daring and true
. humanity.