Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1891-08-31

troops, until 1t became too hot, and de-
spite the efforts of the officers they
broke and retired almost in a panic.
Officers worked like beavers to reform
their columns as soon as they got with
out the range of the deadly Mannlichers
and at last succeeded.
A Second Charge.
Then came another attack. In steady
ranks the government troops started on
double-quick up into the torrent of
fire and lead which blazed from the
ranks of the insurgent army.
Early in the second charge General
Barbosa was killed. The line wavered
but kept on. Then General Alzerreca
fell from his horse, wounded unto death.
He was removed from the field and died
within an hour. Another break and
then General Canto gave the order to
charge.
The Rotreating Enemy Charged.
With wild yell the congressionalist
army left their defenses and charged
on the retreating enemy. Their artil-
lery poured deadly fire into the ranks
of Balmaceda's army. The loss of their
generals left them without head, and
all the efforts of the subordinate officers
to rally them to meet the onset of Can
tos regiments and squadrons were of no
avail. The retreat became a rout, the
rout panic, and then came utter de-
moralization.
A Brave but Useless Stand.
The government bravely made stand
but it was short. They were really cut
to pieces. Volley after volley was
poured into the demoralized mob of Bal
macedists. Whole regiments which had
not left their regimental formation went
over to the victorious troops of Canto
and joined in the attack on their late
comrades.
These deserters were generally the
volunteers" who had been impressed
into service by Balmaceda since the
commencement Of hostilities. Their
sympathies have all along been with the
insurgents
Five Thousand Killed and Wounded.
The fighting lasted little less than
five hours, and its desperate character
may be judged by the fact that fully
5000 men were killed and wounded.
The country for miles around is filled
with men, many of them wounded, who
were the dependence of President Bal
maceda.
The Defeat Absolute and Complete.
The defeat of the government is abso-
Lutte and complete. There is no possibil-
ity of reorganization, and if he does
not succeed in making his escape
through the mountain passes which are
yet open the chances are that he will be |
captured and shot. The reports they
brought in became more alarming.
Vicuna Flees for Safety.
President-elect Vicuna took the alarm
early, and went aboard the German flag
ship and asked the protection of the ad-
miral, which was granted.
Asked to Protect Their Citizens.
Then the Inteldente Oscar Viel sent
communication to Admiral Brown and
the commanding officers of the other
foreign fleets in the harbor requesting
them to send men ashore and protect
their citizens.
A landing party of blue jackets and
marines from the San Francisco We're
ordered ashore by Admiral Brown and
took up position about the American
consulate.
The other naval officers followed suit,
and soon there were enough foreign
men-of-war ashore to protect the city
against any possible outbreak.
The streets of the city by II o'clock
were filled with disorganized mob of
Balmacedan soldiers. The execution
among the officers had been terrific. In
to the two generals, Barbosa
and Alcerreca, nearly all the staff Off
GERS had been either killed or wounded,
and the fatalities among the line officers
had also been great
1t was evident that the government
had met with an overwhelming defeat,
and an attack ON the city was momentar-
lily expected.
The City Surrendered.
To avoid the bloodshed which would
probably have resulted from the victori-
GUS army entering the city heated with
the fire of battle, Admiral Vial, the
sent flag of truce to Gen
arol Copto with a propncit;op 10 o,,r