Louisiana capitolian., 1879-12-06
A Heroic, Struggle.
The END or THE HUAscAR !!

The Lima correspondent of the
Panama Star & Herald says:
At about 9 o'clock on the morning
Of the 9Th, the Cochrane had ap-
preached within 5000 metres Of the
Peruvian ship, then we'll in shore, a
very short distance north of the Point
of Mexillones.. The Blanco was still
a few miles distant, but coming up
under full steam. Grau opened fire
on the enemy with his turret guns, Of
two 300 FOUNDER Armstrong rifles,
and the Cochrane, carrying six guns,
of the same calibre, in casemates,
instantly replied. At first the shots
were wild and almost all passed over
the object aimed at. Admiral Grau
evidently desired to improve the
short time remaining to combat the
Cochrane alone, and with the full
force of her engines the Huascar sped
against her huge antagonist hoping
to ram. To no avail, however, for
the Ccc!lranc, with her twin screws,
easily evaded the shock, and turning
in her own length, let the Huascar
sweep swiftly by. As the latter,
however passed under the stern Of
the Chilian, she let drive her turret
guns, at a point blank range, and
then returned to her former position
in-sl,ore, with her prov toward. the
enemy and her stern, the weak and
most vulnerable portion Of the ram,
guarded from the Chilian fire. The
cannonade proceeded without inter-
mission. From the decks and tops ST
the two vessels the fire :pf musketry
and Gatling guns was incessant, and
on the Huascar the effect was becom-
ing painfully apparent. At zoos A.
NJ, one hour and eight minutes after
the commencement Of the fight, the
Huascar had discharged her turret
pieces Is times against the COchrane,
the latter replying with 30 shots.
At this moment the other Chilian
iron clad arrived on the scene and I'M
mediately opened fire, first directing
her attention to the Huascar's fight
ing turret, and the little tower near
the smoke-stack, which is the battle
station of the commander. The Blan-
co.'s guns were excellently we'll served
and their effect terrible. The tower
was carried away, and Admiral Grau
taken below for the care of the
surgeons, with one of his legs torn off,
as is stated. While in the cabin, a
solid 3OO-pound shot from the Blan-
co struck the ram in the stern, de-
stroying the steerage gear, and, pass
ing directly through, the ship, left q
gaping aperture large enough for a
boat to enter. This shot killed the
brave Admiral, his aide Lieut.. Ferre,
and several others. The Huascar was
now unmanageable, and from the
proximity of the enemy, about ao6
metres only, it was impossible to even
fit up some temporary steering appa-
ratus, as their musketry and mitrail-
leuses literally swept the deck.
Capt. Elias Aguirre assumed command
of the ship on the death of the Ad-
miral, and took his station in the gun
turret. But Oh this point the two
Chilians had concentrated their fire.
The turret was hit by a heavy shell,
which, passing port, exploded III
side, disabling one of the two guns,
killing Aguirre and all who we're serv-
ing the piece. The Huascar was now
practically at the mercy OF the enemy
-ungovernable and with half Of her
offensive power destroyed, her officers
and crew decimated, but the national
flag was still flying in defiance, and
no one even whispered of surrender.
Capt. Melton Carvajal took the
command after Aguirre's death, but
was almost instantly carried below
dangerously wounded. lst Lieut..
Rodriguez succeeded him, and a mo-
ment afterward shared the same fate
of the Admiral and Aguirre. Lieut.
Enrique Palacios followed Rodriguez
in the command, and although severe
" wounded, continued in charge until
the end of the bloody drama. The
enemy had never slackened their fire,
approaching sometimes within bis
cnit's throw from the ram, they pour
ed in the deadly hail from their heavy
guns, and at such close quarters the
thin plating Of the Hnascar, only four
and a half inches of iron amidships,
taperipg to two and a half at the bow
and stern, was no obstacle whatever
to the 3OO-ponnd projectiles launched
against it. Still the Huascar dis
charged her sole remaining cannon at
long intervals, as the very turret itself,
only 30 feet in diameter, was choked
up with the debris of the shattered
gun and the bodies Of the dead and
- II Al