The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-09-30
A BATTLE IN PERU.
The Capture ola Town by Gen.
eral Caceres' Rebels.
A Hand-to-Hand Fight in Which
No Quarter was Given,

The latest advices from Lima give details
If the battle of Canta OH the 18th ult. On
The morning Of that day detachment OF
government troops occupying the town OF
canta, sixty miles from Lima. in the valley
running parallel to that Of tho Rimac, was
surprised by division Of General Caceres
army, and, after sharp action of several
hours was forced to fly in disorder. The gov
ernment troops consisted Of $50 men
If the line battalion "Cajamarca," the crack
:orps OF tho Peruvian army, with ono Gatling
.un, fifty cavalrymen of tho "Hussars of
Junin," and fifty mounted gcndarmcs under
Colonel Pachas, the whole force being COM
manded by Colonel Torres Of the "Caja-
marca." Canta had been occupied for sew
eral days, the Montoneros, or irregular
revolutionary forces, retiring on the
approach of this detachment On
Friday evening news arrived OF
the approach of division of the encmy.
council of war was held, and the opinion was
that the place should be evacuated; but 9TH
crs, among them Lieutenant Colonel Busta.
mente, declared that it was necessary to hold
the position and defend it. The arguments
brought forward by Bustamente prevailed,
and lie assured his comrades that victory was
certain.
On Saturday at "A. N. the hills enclosing
Canta were occupied by the enemy, appar.-
emily 1900 or 2,Oy0 strong, and with about
POO cavalry. The latter were stationed ut
the outlets of the valley leading toward the
coast and to the interior, so that from the
first the government forces were effectualiy
coralled. Colonel Torres hud placed his men
in the barracks situated in tho principal
square Of the town. und mounted the machine
gun OH one of its towers, having also
small outlying squads behind some of
the walls in the suburbs. Caceres'
artillery, four small field pieces, our-pound-
ers made ut Arequpa from locomotive aXles,
onened fire from the hill at Huaychulani at
7:3O, and in q few minutes the firing became
general. The enemy teployed i'll skirmiShing
order, descended the hills, and attempted to
enter the town, but were repeatedly driven
back. For two hours the positions Of the
combatants werc unaltered, neither could the
Cacerists gain ground, nor did the Govern
ment troops yield it, the fire being all the
time very heavy.
At midday the defenders of the place began
to slacken their fire, for the limited amount
of ammunition they possessed, 100 rounds per
man, was becoming rapidly exhausted, and
for all hour they received without reply the
yolleys of the attacking party. Perceiving
this, the revolutionists brought down their
guns from the heights, seeking to
open at !lort range against the bar.
racks, but the remaining resources OF
the defenders were called upon, and
the artillery was forced to retire At2P;
n. tho lucles of the Cajamarca' called all
of the troops to the plaza, where they werc
formed. and adesperate attempt was made to
drive the rebels from tbe town, which they
had then entered at the point Of the bayonet.
This failed and thea the defeat was accom-
plished The fight was hand to hand in the
streets. No quarter was given, and the
most dreadful scents Of carnage occurred.
Houses where some OF the defeated soldiers
had taken refuge We're broken open, ana all
found within were murdered, without dis
tinction Of age, sex, or character, and then
we're burned. A few Of the most determined
of the government cavalrymen, headed by
Colonel rachas, cut their way through their
opponents and made Their escape Tho ma
chino gun had been dismantled and thrown
into the river before the enemy could reach 1t.
Bustamente, to whose counsel the defeat
was due, seeing that all was lost, blew his
brains out on the field Of action. This officer
was the same who, some months ago, as
snultcd in the streets Of Lima Don Rafael
CSnrvaro the consul-general OF Holland,
when Int for Canevaro's tlcxterity with his
car. h" would have b.en cut down by the
sabre OF his assailunt Colonel Torres escaped
early in the action, and the government has
named another officer to command the deci-
mated "Caiararca." or the 500 or GO0 men
engaged OH the government side probably 200
cscnned by flying to the mountains OF follow
ing Pachas
The Caccrists were commanded by Colonel
Morales Bcrmuilez, and it is said that Caceres
with his staff, arrived at Canta the day after
the battle. The losses Of the revolutionary
forces are not known. From the fact that
In, Ca jamarca battalion was decidedly the
.in.st in tho government service, the parti-
san, of C;;ccrcs are iubiiant over his success.
Tie i,pn soldiers in garrison at Lima aro not
at al! afTcrtcd by the reverse, and their Oil.
GERS are confident OF tioir loyalty in case OF
an atta"k on the city.