New-York tribune., 1891-08-30


the better Of II.
chose censorship Of dispatches was established by
Balmaceda, however, and only an inkiing OIL uno
reverses TO his arms could be got through.
The position up to this morning was In breI bsi'
maceda was not in position to make an onensive
movement and devoted his time and energies 10 mAns
his defenoes as strong as possible.
Then all was not harmony in the military cohhcns
OF the President Both Generals Barbor" ana aloef-
reca wanted to have supreme command oi 'ne ioioes
in the field This friction ard Jealousy RESUMED IA
almost an open rupture yesterday anu 'io WV '-N0
worked at cross purposes. A..
General Canto In no hurry 10 move On u'o
enemy because he receiving colstah' aceession'
to his ranks from the people In the snrounons oou
try which Is populated largely by those oouhu ps ~
of blood interest to the leaders Oh 'he
many Of whom are natives OF the province tneh "v
had n strongly intrenched position and could wen
afford to wait
Earlv this morning the boom Of cannon announcer
A., ,ho ,o,n,a AZ valnaraiso that movement beyond
the ordinary skirmishes had begun.
The occasional loud reports OF the heaVy gun. ooo
sweed into one continuous and then Il was known
.,., ,La anal decisive struggle which, at the cost OF
thousands of lives, perhaps, was to decide wneoa
Ralmaoesa or the Junta to be the ruling power n
Chill had begun. mr., ,,oe,s
Excitement was intense in Valparaiso Inc s'ise.'
were crowded with people, women predonIass'
apxousIy waiting for news and talking OF the nno'.nt
s contcst which was in full progress only few miles
away. .r,. ,ove the
General Cauto's position was on the NUS aoo'0 @ 'o
raoetrack at Vina del Mar. outside OF the Guy -,
raiders have been getting bolder and boder as uie ~
passed and have been making excursions ,a .a,,road
the country He had absolute control OF tne
at Santiago ard commanded the ordinary roads, '''0
SANTIAGO was practically In a state OF SIEGE
Affairs had come TO such pass that 1t was noceo'as
for President Bamaceda to make some nio'e o. CIV =.
little after daylight this morning the word was d
&lao
by Generals Barbosa aud AlceEreca, the "o' sna
troons left their breastworks and advanced w s.0
enemy under cover OF heavy fire from tnel
The insurgents were generally armed WIFI ".rot
rifles and used smokeless powder. 1ho
troops were not so well armed ,.,, arce
AS soon as the approaching column got witnh r"ue0
., ,ha Mannlichers destructive fire came from tne in
trenched revolutionists. The ChinanS are pru'o, .
ever whether Government troops or re'oius' rnov
sdyanced with much steadiness to the a'on ,., .h;
were soon near enough to do effective "o,A VIZ IN. a
pieces and the engagement became general 'o. ,,
hou oane and canister and rife bullets tore thfousn
the ranks of the advancing troops unt io vo0u",0 ~
not and desp,te the efforts Of the Officers 'es o'"0
and retired almost In panh' .,, o,.,,.
orcrs worked like beavers to reform their columns
rs soon as they got without tle ranso u WV
Mannlichers and at last succeedeo .h
Then came another attack. In steady ranks Viio
f.ovcrnment troops started on doube-qmcK up lhVo
the torrent of fire and lead which blazed from the r
OF the Insurgcnt army ~.
Early in the second charge General Barposa was so
town and was killed The line wavered, pu' Aepo on
rrben General Acerreoa fell from his horse wouru
&c dearb lie was removed from the field ana
died within an hour - .,o
Another break and then General Csnto gave the
order TO charge With wild yell the CongressionaiiS'
army left their defences and charged on the retcas
enemy Their artillery poured deadly nre in1o lre
ranks OF Balmacedas 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 oi
Canto's regiments and squadrors were OF no aVaii'
The retreat became a rout, the rout paMc' anu
then came utter Generalization. The Government
ravalry made a stand but it was short. Ihey "cio
literally cut to pieces. Valley after voey was poureu
into the demomized mob Of Balmacedisfs.
Whole regiments which had not lost their regimentai
formation went over to the victorious troops of Cano
and Joined in the attack on their late comrades.
These deserters were generally the volunteers WHIT
had been impressed into service by Bain'aceda shcc
the beginning of hostilites Their sympathies have all
along been with the insurgents and they took this'
the first opportunity. to 60 over to them.
The fighting lasted little less than i've hours. ana
its desperate character be judged BY tho ct that
fully 5000 men were killed and wounded The eouh'
try for miles around Is filled with men, many OIL the
wounded, who were this morning the dependence OF
President Banaceda.
The defeat of the Governmnt is absolute and COM
pete There Is no possibility of reoreanization ana
If he does not succeed in making his escape through the
mountain passes which yet open. the chances are
that he will be captured and shot,
Early this morning stragglers from the battlefield
began to come in AS the day wore on they came IN
greater and constantly growing numbers and 1t became
apparent that the Government troops were getting the
worst Of II.
The reports they brought in became moro alarming
Presidentelect vunna took the alarm early and wen'
aboard the German flagship and asked protection OF inc
admiral. which was granted
Then the Intendente Oscar viel sent communica
t,oa 10 Admiral Brown and the commanding officers o
the other foreign fleets in the hsrbor requesting them
send men ashore and protect their citizens as the prob
abilities were that there might be trouble
landing party Of bluejackets and marine nom tif
San Francisco were ordered ashore by Admiral Brow
md took MP a position about the American Consulate.
Tie other Naval officers followed suit. and soon there
wero enough foreign nenof warsmen ashore to protee
the city against any possible outbreak. ~
The streets OF tho city by IL O'Clock were nuie
with dlsoreanized mob Of Balmacodan soldiers. III
execution among the officers had been terrible.
addition to the & SS oCs lad seeS ether anS
wounded. and the fatalities among the line officers ma
asp Was eyideat that the Government had met With
Overwhelming defeat. and an attack on une Guy wa
To avoid the bloodsned which would probably hay
sn sssd vitS tS9 The the FIRE Il se
fendant sent nag Of truce TO eIeneTa Caoto VII. VIII
nS SsnSP Don Carlos Waller Martinez C1nges3O1
ieadsr who refused safe conduct from Balnaoed
ard has remained In santiago since the co9menGee
them In the south, was requested by General cam
until such time as permanent arrangements could
made This he did. , s,,
-, ncb 81 t6c Government officials here as had reas'
40 20 Seieve that thoy had brought down on themselv
IN. Vengeance of the revolutonists.
Senor Walker Martinez left Santiago and joined &c
oral Canto as soon he heard OF the Landing
has
cbortIv after noon the victorious army began
enter the captured city from the his 70 the soutnea
and Kornner mud senior walker-Martinez, were at q
head of the troops. . l.. Az. .u,oxoo.
oil ravolutionIsts in their sympathy, for as me
snreent troops flushed with victory mafonea tS utIu
streets thew were greeted with the widest enthu
esm The people simply wild win eAcite me NE
and the streets resounded with tne.r ssOuoS rc ever