Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1885-09-24
CAPTURE OF CANTA.
Defenseless Inhabitants Massacred by
the Victors Without Regard to
Sex or Condition.
Suicide OF the Officer Responsible for
the Defeat-Flight OF the
Survivors.

| Panama dispatch.l
The latest advices from Lima give details
of the battle at Canta on the 18th ult. On
the morning of that day detachment of
Government troops occupying the town Of
Canta, sixty miles from Lima, in the val
lley, running parallel to that Of thu. Rimac.
Caceres army, and after a sharp action of
several hours was forced to fly in disorder.
The Government troops operating against
Canta were $50 men of the line, with one
Calling gun, 90 Cavalrymen. and so mount
ed gensdarmes, the whole force being COM
manded by Col Torres.
Canta had been occupied for several
days, the montoneros or irregular revolu-
tionary forces retiring on the approach of
this detachment. On Friday evening news
arrived of the approach of considerable
division of the enemy, and upon Col. Bus
tamentes advance it was decided 10 defend
the town.
On Saturday at Z a. m. the hills inclos-
ing Canta were occupied by the enemy, ap-
parently 1900 or 1900 strong, and with
about 200 cavalry. The latter were sta
toned at the outlets of the valley leading
toward the coast and to the interior, so that
from the first the Government forces were
effectually corraled. Col. Torres had placed
his men in the barracks, situated in th o
principal square of the town, having also
small outlying squads behind some of the
Caceres artillery, four small field
pieces, opened fire from the hill at Huay-
chullani at half-past z, and in q few
moments the firing became general
The enemy descended the hills and at
| tempted to enter the town, but were re-
| peatedly driven back For two hours the
positions of the combatants were unaltered,
the fire being all the time very heavy.
At midday the defenders of the place
slackened their fire, for their ammunition
| was rapidly becoming exhausted, and for
an hour they received without reply the
volleys of the attacking party.
At 2 o'clock desperate effort was made
to drive the rebels from the town, which
they had then entered, at the point of the
! bayonet. This failed, and then the defeat
was accomplished.
The fight was hand to hand in the streets,
no quarter being given, and the most dread
! ful scenes of carnage occurred. Houses
where some of the defeated soldiers had
taken refuge We're broken open and all
found within murdered without distinction
of age, sex, or character. and then were
burned.
A few Of the most determined of the Gov
- =se-elsSss.en, headed by Colonel
| nent ana MADE ROOu lHelr escape.
Col. Bustamente, to whose counsel the
defeat was DUE seeing that all was lost,
blew his brains out on the field of action.
Col. Torres escaped early in the fight,
| and the Government has named another
officer to command the decimated "Caga-
marica."
OF the five hundred or six hundred men
engaged on the Government side, probably
two hundred escaped by flying TO the
mountains or following Pachas. They are
still coming in in parties of two OF three.
| Very few prisoners we're taken, for, as has
been stated, no quarter was given.
The Cacelists were commanded by Col.
Morales Bermudas, and it is stated 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 the Cagamnrica battalion was
decidedly the finest in the Government
service the partisans of Caceres here are
jubilant over his success.
The 5000 soldiers in garrison at Lima
arc not at all affected by the re-
verse. and their officers are
confident of their loyalty in case of an
attack ON the city. Energetic precautionary
measures are being taken. The church
towers are occupied tonight by strong de-
tachments of ri1emen, and the Prefect has
issued notice Offering q reward of from
90 to 1000 soles to any one who may de-
nounce the existence of conspiracies or aid
the police in their efforts.
The Government forces have been with
drawn from Chosica, and are now stationed
at Santa Clara, fifteen miles nearer to Lima.
Nothing positive is known regarding the
whereabouts of Caceres.