The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1891-08-24
ENGAGED In BATTLE
The Chilian Armies Fighting
To-Day Near Valparaiso.
THE TELEGRAPH WIRES ARE CUT.
A Report That 5000 Men We're Killed
and Wounded Yesterday,

President Balmaceda Commanding His |
Troops--The Roar of Artillery Heard in
Valparaiso Women Volunteer as Nurses
THE American Fleet Protecting the
Property of Foreign Citizens.
VALPARAISO, Chill, via Galveston Aug
24-President Balmaceda and the Junta
de Gobierno are clinched in the final des-
perate struggle for the mastery of the Re
public Of Chill.
The chosen battle ground is in full view
of the city of Valparaiso, and thousands
of anxious eyes are watching from every
point of vantage the battle which is to
decide the fate of the country.
The battle has been raging practically
for three days The first engagement was
at the mouth Of the Aconcagua on Friday
and resulted in reverse to the govern
ment The final test Of strength is now
being made at Vina del Mar beach, directly
across Valparaiso Bay, and less than five
miles away.
All day long yesterday the insurgent
forces pushed their way steadily forward,
| driving the comparatively small govern
ment force before them. 1t was a con-
stant skirmisb for fifteen miles, over
| broken country. At every point of
! vantage the Balmacedists made a stand,
and while they certainly were forced to
! give way before superior numbers they
| retarded the advance and gave the main
army at Nina del Mar chance to prepare
, itself for the decisive fight.
! 1t was not until late in the evening the
! attacking party arrived in front of Bal
| maceda's main line of defence. 1t was
then to late to give battle.
BaImaceda in Command.
! Tn the meantime President Balmaceda,
with every available man in this depart
ment with himself in command went to
the front He had over 1900 available
! fighting men, while the insurgent forces
had been reduced to lers than 1000
The most intense excitement prevails
in this city The roar Of heavy artillery
| and the sharp rattle of small arms re-
sound through the streets and are re-
echoed back from the high hills surround
in the city
| Everybody who is left here has sought
some place overlooking the battle ground,
and thousands of people are watching the
desperate struggle which is being fought
! under their very eyes
Bringing in the wounded.
Inere IS a constant stream OF wounded
being brought into the city from the
front, and temporary hospitals are being
fitted up wherever possible. Nearly all
of the women who had not left the city
have volunteered their services as nurses,
and they and the full medical force of the
city have their hands full.
From the wounded and their attendants
only the most fragmentary information
as to the progress Of the fight can be OBJ
tained and it is utterly impossible at this
writing TO form any Judgment as to which
side is getting the better of it.
A report has just reached here that 3 zoo
men were killed and wounded in yester
days fight.
Admiral Brown, commanding the
American fleet here, and the commanding
officers of the other foreign naval forces
have combined to protect the lives ant
property Of the foreign citizens, and il
case of an attack on the city