The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-09-03
BALMACEDA BUSTED.
DETAILS OF THE FINAL AND DECISIVE
STRUGGLE FOR SUPREMACY.
Ihu ErssWnile President Flying for Safety
His Army Destroyed and His Capital
in the. Hands of the 1nsur-
gent Army.

today nothing in regard to yesterdays
battle at Valparaiso had been re-
ceived at the headquarters of the con-
gressional party in this city. The
ENJOYS hardly expect any details of
the fight by telegraph today. The
party leaders at Iquique, they say,
have many important matters to at
tend to and no doubt think that the
mere announcement of the result will
answer for the present.
he ENJOYS expect more definite
lows however by tomorrow. The in
5lrgent leaders it is thought, will inn
moliately remove their headquarters
from Iquique to Valparaiso, so as to
he in direct communication with the
army. Pedro Montt, the principal
Cougressional envoy at Washington,
who has been out of the city for some
time returned today. He had not
heard the news of the surrender until
informed of it by Mr.. Foster this
morning. He was almost beside him
self with joy. An inquiry at the
house of Senior Lazcan, the CHILEAN
minister, this morning elected the
sole response that the minister was
not at home,n and there was no one
in the house to represent him.
TIE FINAL BATTLE.
NEW YORK, Aug. 29.-The Herald
a@votes a page to the CHILEAN news
this morning, it's news leader being
the following:
NALPARAIso, Chill, Aug. 2S.-Bal-
maceda's power in Chill is broken,
his army has been crushed after five
hours hard fighting, and is separated
beyond all hope of recognizing. The
rGVolutiOnists have taken possession
~ valparaiso. The future of Chill
has been settled conclusively today by
the great arbitrament of war. With
hanaceda practically fugitive with
out resources, men or money, with all
enc principal seaports of the country
IN ne hands of the congressiOnalists
and the consequent shutting off all in
come from custom receipts and
the country tloclling ell masse to the
standard of the invaders, it is mat
ter Of only a few days when the capt.
tai will fall into the hands Of the rev.
olUrionary leaders.
General Canto and his army won
.oIay's battleby superior generalship,
good hard fighting, assisted by good
fortune in the killing of Balmaceda's
Generals, and the consequent demon
citation of the army and the deser-
ton of the entire republic. Every day
and nearly every hour of the day
since the arrival of the conquering
reyolutionists, there has been skirm-
ishing, in some instances almost
amounting to battles. Early this
uoraing the boom of cannon announce
ed 10 the people that the movement
beyond all ordinary skirmish had be-
gun The occasional loud report of
heavy guns soon increased into one
cputinuous roar and then it was known
hat the final decisive struggle, which
at ghe cost of thousands of lives, per-
haps was to decide whether Balma-
ceda or the Junta was to be the rul-
ing power in Chilli had begun.
Alfairs had come to such pass
lhat it was necessary for President
Ballnaceda to make some move, and
q Little after daylight this morning
word was given to attack the position
held by the revOlutionists, and led by
Generals BarbOsa and Alcerreca, the
Government troops left their breast
works and advanced on the enemy,
under cover of a heavy fire from their
batteries. AS soon as the approach
ing column got within range of the
rifles of the insurgents, a destructive
fire was opened from the intrenched
reVolutionists. The government
troops advanced with much steadi-
ness to the attack. They were soon near
enough to do effective work with their
pieces and the engagement became
general. Shot and shell, grape and
canister and rifle bullets tore through
the ranks of the advancing troops
until it became too hot, and despite
the efforts of the officers they broke
and retired almost in panic. The
officers worked like beavers, to re-
form their columns, as soon as they
got without the range of the deadly
insurgent fire, and at last succeeded.
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 shot down and killed.
The line wavered but kept on. Then
General Alzerreca fell from his horse
wounded unto death. He was re-
moved from the field and died within
IN hour. Another break and then
General Canto gave the order to
charge. With a wild yell the con-
2ressional army left their defenses
and charged on the retreating enemy,
while their artillery poured deadly
fire into the ranks of Balmaceda's
army. The loss of their generals left
them without a head and all the
efforts of subordinate officers to rally
them to meet the onset of Canto's reg
iments and squadrons were of no
avail.
The retreat became rout, the rout
q panic and then came utter demorali-
latiOn. The government cavalry made
I,,+ CHI frhnNy