Los Angeles herald., 1891-08-24
A Great Battle Raging Near
Valparaiso.
Both Factions Exerting Their
Last Desperate Effort.
The Conflict Already Of Three Days
Duration.
Three Thousand Men Killed and Thou
sands More Wounded-victory Seems
to be with the Insurgents-The
Result as Yet Uncertain.
Associated Press Dispatches.

Associated Press Dispatches.
New YORK, August 23.--The Herald
this morning prints Valparaiso, Chile
dispatch, as follows: Balmaceda and the
Junta de Gobierno are clinched in the
final desperate struggle for the mastery
of the republic OF Chile. The battle
ground is in full view OF Valparaiso.
The conflict has beer raging three days.
The first engagement was at the mouth
OF the Aconcagua, on Friday, and re-
suited in reverse to the government.
The final test of strength is now being
made at vinadel Mar Beach, i've miles
from Valparaiso.
Thursday news came that army OF
500 rebels landed at Quimbro bSv. Bal
maceda was taken by surprise, but soon
got troops 10 the front to prevent, if pos
sible, the rebels from crossing the Aeon
cagua river. Six insurgent war ships
are anchored in Cosnon bay, at the
mouth OF the river. and the rebels at,
tempted crossing under cover OF the
ships gums. The battle lasted nearly all
day.
The insurgent artillery, aided by the
guns from the ships, was too much for
the government troops, and they were
forced to retire, which they did In good
Syder.
Le~~ than 10000 troops were engaged,
and 1000 were killed and wounded, The
commanding general OF the. government
troops chose a strong position on the
beach Del Mar as his second line of
defense, and leaving force enough in
front Of the enemy to check its progress
somewhat. took his place there yester-
day, and went to work to strengthen it
as much as possible.
The insurgents steadily pushed their
way forward, driving the comparatively
small government forces before them.
1t was a constant skirmish for fifteen
miles over broken country. At every
point of vantage the Balmacedans made
a stand, and while constantly forced to
give way before superior numbers, they
retained the advance and gave the main
army chance to better prepare itself
for decisive fight.
At the back OF the government line is
Fort Callao, whose heavy guns did good
work in today's battle, raking the army
by land and preventing the insurgent
fleet from doing anything but long
range firing.
Late in the evening the attacking
army arrived in front of Balmaceda's g
main line of defense. 1t was then too
late to give battle.
In the meantime Balmaceda, himself
in command, went to the front with
over $4,000 available men, while the in
surgents had only about 7O00.@
The warships sent all the available
men with rapid fire guns to aid the
land forces in the attack on Balmaceda's g
position.
Great excitement prevails in the city.
Every one left here is anxiously
watching the progress OF the
battle. A heavy pail OF smoke
hangs like a cloud over the city.
The most powerful glass cannot pene-
trate it, and only occasionally can the
troops movements be even guessed at.
There is constant stream of wounded
being brought into the city from the
front, and temporary hospitals are fitted
up wherever possible. The medical
force of the city has its hands full, and
all the women have volunteered as
nurses.
From the wounded only the most
fragmentary information as to the pro-
gress Of the fight can be obtained, and
it is utterly impossible now to form any
judgment as to which side is getting the
better of it.
Admiral Brown, commanding the
United States fleet, and other foreign
commanders have combined to protect
the lives and property OF foreign citi-
zens. n
Should the revolutionists succeed in
defeating or repulsing the government
troops in the present struggle, they have
to cross small creek which separates
the beach from the village of Vina del
Mar, and on taking possession of the vii
lage, would be in the rear of Fort Callao,
with the fleet on one side Of the fort and
the insurgents on the other, and it would
be untenable.
Thus the northern defense OF Valpar-
also would fall, making the work of cap
turing the city much easier.
1t is the,universal belief that Valpar-
also will be bombarded by the feet