Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-06-06
THE SIEGE OF CARTAGENA.
Barbed Wire an Effective Military De
tense-The Price of Cats.
Nelo York Tribune Letter


CARTAGENA, May 16.-Philip, of Spain,
looking westward from his palace win
dows at Madrid one evening at sunset, re-
piled to an inquiry of one of his courtiers
that he was trying to see those walls of
Cartagena which had cost so much
money. 81 am sure" said the King,
"that they must be of silver, and will re-
fleet the setting SUM-" President Nunez
has reason to be grateful to the royal
Philip tor building those same
walls so high and strong, for after a siege
of three months the rebel army of
Gytan has retired discounted and baffled
from the attempt to take the city. Ad-
miral Jouett, with the flagship Tennessee,
arrived here on May 10. He was accom-
panied by the Alliance, the Powhatan
being already here. The Admiral had
been so successful in his efforts to arrange
matters between the rebels and the gov
eminent troops at Panama without blood
shed that he brought Gen. Reyes down
here TO meet commissioners from the
rebels who should arrange terms Of sur
render, for it was known that the rebels
desired to give up the fight If they could
make terms advantageous to themselves.
The isthmus and the interior being in
the hands of the national forces, the
rebels had been making great efforts to
get into Cartagena in order that they
might hold it as place to treat from. On
the night of May I, Gytan mustered all
his forces for a general and final assault
on the city. His fleet of five armored
steamers and bark moved up as near
the city as the distractions would allow,
and opened fire The fleet was command
ed by an American soldier of for
tune named Eckert. About midnight
Gytan landed $500 men on the
beach back of the city, and made a rush
for the walls, which at that point were
no5 more than fifteen feet high. The at
tack was intended to be a surprise, and
the men swept up the beach rapidly and
silently. They were in double line Of bat
tie, the first being provided with scaling
ladders. One wing was led by the de-
strOyer of Colon, Pedro Prestan. Along
the ramparts not light was seen and not
a sound was heard. The attacking party
was within few yards, indeed a part Of
1t was within few feet Of the walls when
the first line struck some lines of barbed
wire which had been stretched along the
beach, and became tangled up in IT.
Across narrow causeway leading
straight up to the walls no wire had been
stretched, and along this causeway those
who were not entangled in the wire
poured in solid column. Instantly 100
locomotive headlights flashed out along
the ramparts and Calling gun, trained
full on the causeway, opened its murder
Gus fire. A thousand rifles and several
pieces of artillery opened fire at the same
time. Thirty0f the attacking party scaled
the walls and were made prisoners. The
rest fled recipltately or fell dead where
they stood. On the causeway and en-
tangled in the barbed wire dead bodies
lay thick when the sun rose next MORN
ing. In killed. wounded and prisoners
the rebels lost 800 men. Gytan Withdrew
the remnant Of bis forces 10 the impregna-
BILE fort OF San PHILIPPE, and on the morn
ing OF May 10 embarked on his fiotilla for
Barranquilla. The first gun that was
fred against the city Of Cartagena was
fred BY Eckert. The last gun that was
fred frcn the city on May killed him.
As Gytan was steaming out of the BOcO
Chico he met Admiral Jouett coming in.
The Admiral sent for him TO come aboard
the flagship. He came, surrounded by
his chiefs, but not accompanied by Pres
tan. That rebel and incendlary, he said,
was at Barranquilla. The Admiral told
him that the entire country was in the
hands OF the national troops. If he went
10 Barranquilla and continued the fight
he would cause the death Of many people
and the loss OF much property, but would
10 a short time be compelled to surrender
aud be At the mercy OF bis conquerers. If
he surrendered now he would ret honor
able terms. Gytan said he would go 10
Barranquilla and send back commits
soners empowered 10 arrange terms with
Gen. Reyes. So here we are now. waiting
for the commissioners, who are expected
TO be here tomorrow.
When the forces Of Gytan raised the
siege Of Cartageua the inhabitants were
on the verge OF starvation. Cats were
selling az S. apiece in the market the
morning we arrived here. SantO Domin-
20 Via was not captured by the rebels
as WAS reported, but escaped to the in
terror and joined the national army which
was moving to the relief Of Cartagena.
This army, 1000 strong, Is now within a
days march Of the city.
In regard to the present state OF affairs
at the lsthmus IL is the opinion OF every
one that every American sailor and
marine who possibly can 80 home should
20. The government troops are fully able
70 take care OF the transit and the remo-
val Of the American troops would not
only be acceptable 10 Colombians, but
would save the lives Of the troops them
selves.
KNOW rays ELF, by reading the ''sci-