, 1891-07-11

that composed the garrison of %Iquique, the city
remained without any garrison. AS soon as
the squadron knew this they disembarked their
sailors, and the governor took refuge on an
En- glish war vessel, the foreign Consuls hand
ing over the town of Goni.
On the 18th. at midnight-that is to say, the
day after our defeat at Huara-Viceate Merino
Jarpa, who commanded small lot of 40 sailors
that garrisoned the town, learned that a force
Of 300 to 400 men were coming down from
the Hills beyond MOlle to attack and possess
themselves of the city. In spite of receiving
orders to embark, Merino who had been one Of
the principal figures in the campaign, at once
saw that the abandoning Iquique after the de-
feat at Huara would greatly tend to demora-
Iize the army and to dishearten the defenders
Of our noble cause. He resolved to fight and
to resist, as he knew well how, with all the
energy of his noble soul. He shut himself up
in the Customhouse with his 40 sailors, and
without water and food he fought IL hours,
from 6 in the morning to 6 at night. All the
details of this combat wonld make this letter
too long let it be enoughto say that at 10 Me-
rino had half his men wounded, surrounded by
an enormous fire, devoured by thirst, and their
ammunition used up. Two sailors offered to
go on board to ask help and water, food, and
dAlIlIluIlIJlOu. lucy pdSb0O GnLOuku Gu6 UulCk
Of the firing, threw themselves into the water,
and swan to the vessels of war although wound
ed on the journey. At12 o'clock a column com.
posed of so sharp shooters Of Taltal-all young
men of good p~osition-landed for the protec-
ton of Merino. In the midst of a terrible FIRE
they landed, carrying barrels of water, food,
and ammunition, and firing as they went. You
doubtless know the result of this most brilliant
resistance. Soto capitulated the folio wing day
and we remained the owners of the port and
one half of Robes forces had been destroyed.
1t was at once decided to bring the troops
from Pisagua and concentrate them in I~quique
and to march upon the 500 to 800 men that
remained with Robes. On the 31st arrived
in Iquique 1000 of our soldiers, but the same
day the Arrate division joined Robes, and on
the 24th the division of Cana that brought the
9Th Of the Line and the Angel. We encamp-
ed in the town, protected by the squadron
in case we should be attacked, to organize in
the interval a larger force. Happily in Iquique
we fDuni some am nunition, which raised the
spirits If our good soldiers. On the End of
March we learned that another division that
had disembarked from the Imperial in Antofa-
gasta had joined the BUR regiment, by way of
Calama Quillagua and Cerro Cords and was try
ing to unite with the forces of Robles. At first
we could not bring ourselves to believe that
Balmaceda could be so callous as to order an
expedition by land from Antofagasta to I~quique;
but thinking how little it mattered to the
Father of his Country" that thousands of men
died Of thirst, or in the desert, we understood
that it was indispensable to attack Robes as
soon as possible, for against the united divisions
victory was impossible.
On the 3rd Of March our forces, consisting
of 1850 men, began the forward movement
into the interior. We had managed to form the
following bodies A column of 100 sailors
under the command Of Juan Williams, son of
the Rear Admiral Williams. This heroic
youth is now, we fear, dying of the four
wounds that he received in Pozo Almonte.
All the squadron, all the army, have been
greatly impressed with the sad fate of this
young officer, who is truly a hero, and
should he die he will be a great loss to his
country. AS he was the son Of the rear-admi.
raj, all his companions placed very little con-
fidence in him. When we made the movement
he was on shore, and his father placed him on
board the Huascar that was taken by the squad.
ron the same day, the young man Williams
being taken prisoner. Having expressed a
great desire to join our expedition we accepted
his services. Without doubt he saw that we
did not place entire confidence in him because
of the political opinions of his father. He
made the greatest endeavours fromthe very first
moment to get the posts Of greatest RESPONSE
bility and danger. He fought in all the bat
ties, showing a conspicuous example of valour
and resolution.