The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-04-11
/. pynNlXe OF AsrlNlvA1E:
what an Eye witnes. saw-rhs Terrible De.
Atsnstlon of Iifa

What an Eye witness saw-Ths Terrible De.
struetlon OF Life.
NEw ORLEANS, April 10.-Mr. Mitchell,
ofthe firm Of Rogers & Ballantine; has
| just reached here on the steamer Austria,
Ian direct from Colon. When he reached
Panama on the 9th he found battle i'm.
minent. He says; The rebel camp was
situated among the hills three miles from
town, and at night their camp fires could
be plainly seen from the deck OF the ship.
The Government troops occupied two
strongly built churches with two towers
that overlooked the town, and which had
the General commanding the rebels mott.
fed all foreigners that the next day he in.
tended TO attack the town. His intention
was carried out, and on the 26th the rebels
fmarctrd down 70 the square III front ofthe
Grand Pacific Hotel and the fight began
in the open streets. The Government
troops held their ground, and after a fight
of several bours duration the rebels, II Is
claimed, exhausted their ammunition and
retired To- the hills. On Sunday, 29th OF
March, we.leit Fanama and returned to
Colon, and found that the town was still
in the hands OF the rebels who had taken
a position on the hills two miles from
town. On Monday night the Government
troops attacked the rebels at Monkey Hill,
who tore up the track OF the railroad and
cut the telegraph wires. The rebels, how
eyer, were driven back into the town, and
tile hght began On the streets and caused
the greatest terror among the citizens, and
persons could be seen closing stores and
fleeing In every direction. In q short
time tho rebels were forced to seek shelter
behind their bariicades, and their fire was
directed against THO troops fran behind
these harricades, from windows and house;
tops, The battle ragged for eleyen hours.
Suddenly smoke was seen arising from
the rebel barricade, and as thaye was Q
strong wind blowing at the time, the fire
spread rapidly in all. directions. Up to
this time the eight was confined TO one
portion Of the town, but qs y spread the
rebels began to SCATTER and rptreat, and as
they appeared In the streets they were
fired upon until the fight ragged all over
the town. This fire swept from street to
stsaet and from the buildings to the docks
and whaFves. Dleydp ot women and chill
dren could be, seen moving from place Ia
place among the whistling bullets, and
chose who managed to escape being shot
down iA the streets sought protection on
board the ships IN the hprboF, Int 2 great
number persisted in the aames. " also
saw large number Of civilians ;whq were
killed By stray bullets befoye they gould
seek shelter. 1t would be impossibie TO
estimate the number of lives lost in the
conflict, t9r tbs tessqp that the day after
the battle, when the rebels had tetteated,
I visited tho town and saw the streets
strewa With dead bodies and also the
charred remains oi those y4o hsa been
burned TO death,
From whatiI saw the loss will not fall
short Of $40, ,o0G, 900 or Sl2, 100000. because
only three Or taar shPntses Sess Ieit 20.
injured. The Panama railroad lost 1--WE
wharves, its office and freight depot, 2SQ
box cars, 200 coal cars loaded With coal,
and 100 empty fat cars aud a great deal Of
track which had heen destroyed by rebels,
The Royal hail Packet Company lost q
wharf and some other property. The
action OF Preston in burning Colon Is
heartily eppdemned by Colonel Dizperi,
the Commander Of tae Fehel forces about
Panama, as that oil common GflgaAd,
and he says that Il is captured he will
be shot. The rebels are now In possession
OF all the towns In the interior, end when
the Australian left Colon, Friday eyenlng,
we hoard they had captured Panama.
Gteat distress prevails st Colon.
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