The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1885-04-22
THE BURNING OF COLON.
Fearful Battle on she Streets-Wn
men and Children Shot while in
Flight.

Fearful Battle on shc 6treets-V'o-
men and Children Shot while in
Flight.
Mr.. w. J. Mitchell, who arrived 81
New Orleans on Thursday from Colon.
gives = description Of the scenes wit
messed by him on tho Isthmus. He vas
at Panama on March 25th, when the
general commanding the Rebel forces
notified all foreigners that he intended
to attack the town next day. His inten.
ton WAS carried out, and on March rs
the Rebels marched down from the hill.
to the square in front the Grand Pacific
Hotel, and the fight began in the open
streets. Tho government troops held
their ground, and after = figh. Of several
hours duration, the Rebels, it il claimed
exhausted their ammunition and retire.,
to the hills.
"On Sunday, March 29th," said Mr..
Mitchell, I've left Panama and returned
to Colon, and found the town still in the
hands Of the Rebels. who had taken 20.
sition on Monkey Hill, three miles from
the town. On Monday night the Gov.
eminent troops attacked the Rebels 2,
Monkey Hill, TAo latter tore up the
railroad tracks and cut the telegraph
wires. The Rebels, however, were driv.
en- back into the town and tho iyht be-
gan in the streets, causing tn ET:. tester
FOR among the citizens. Persons coul..
be seen closing their stores and f!-e:rsin
every direction = places of safety. In
ashort time tho Reaeis xere forced to
srek shelter behind barricades, and their
fire WAS then directed against the troop.
from these d.fenses. tho windows and
houscstops,
"The battle ragged from 8 O'Clock in
the morning until l O'Clock, and during
that time the rife and artillery fire uas
incessant. Suddenly smoke was seen
arising from = point inside the Rebel
barbados, and as there was . strong
wind blowing At the time, the fire spread
rapidly in all directions. Up to this
time the fight had been confined to ono
portion OF the town, but ~ the firc spread
the Rebels began to scatter and retreat.
As soon IS they appeared on the streets
they were fired upon, until the fight,
ragged all over the town. The fire swept
rapidly from street street, and from the
buildings to the docks and wh.rvcs
crowds Of women and children could be
seen moving from place to place amid
the ,whistling bullets, and those VINO
managed to escape being shot down in
tho street sought protection OH board the
ship in the harbor, but a great number
ofthem persisted in the flames.
I'VE ALSO" continued Mr. Mitchell,
SAW . large number Of civilians who
were killed by stray bullets before they
could seek shelter. It would 10 im,os-
s'hle to estimsts the nurabcr of lives
lost in the conflict. On the cay afser the
battle, when the Rebels had retreatei
into the interior, we visited tho town
and saw the streets strcwn Wit, dead
bodies and the charred remains If thcse
who had been burned TO DEATH"
He estimates the lest at from ass t.
twelve million dollars, Only Mree G,
Tour shanties in the suburbs being nm
injured. The Panama Railroui lost five
"harves, It's Offices and freight DEPOT.
ESQ box cars, leo coal cara io;d.d with.
Goa and $50 empty fat cars. and also ?
grsatdesl Of track, which hsd been torn
PIP aud burned. The Royal Mail Packet
COMPANY lost . wharf and other proper
+.
Mr.. Mitchell states that the cirsum-
stances leading to the arrest of the Uni.
ted States consul and an officer Of the
Ratena were AZ follows: On. Of the
ceeSnnsrs Of the Pacific Mail Line came
70 Colon with . large number Of gun,
consigned to order. Prcstan. the Rebel
commander, held . hill Of laden for the
arms, and asked the agent Of tac line Of
steamers, the United States consul and
IN officer Of the Galena to issue an or
der for the delivery Of the arras. The
order was refused, and Prestan had IT,.
three oflc,sls arrested .nd locked u,
inside ofhis barbados. H. then threat.
susd to have them shot unless they
signed the order. This was done uulsr
protest, and they were released. Blu,
n the meantime the American wa,.ship
had taken the Pacific mail steamer to an
anchorage in the bay. and then returned
Ind took possession of the wharf. This
movement prevented Prestan from sc.
curing the arms, but had no been aware
OF 1t before he released the prisoners
no, doubtless, would have had them
shot. The action Of Prsst:n in Lurr;ns
Colon is heartily condemned by Aizpura
'esmmsnder OF the Rebel forces about
Panama, Is the act Of a o,nmon brigand.
aud he says that If h. is captured he