The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-08-24
Three Thousand Soldiers Killed
and Wounded.
THE REBELS SEEM VICTORIOUS.
Baimaceda Retreating in Good Order
With His Forces.
valparaiso Turned Into . Hospital
Women Acted as Nurses-Great Anx-
iety of the Inhabitants Foreign
Property to Be Protected,

New YORK, Aug. 23.-The Herald this
morning prints Valparaiso, Chile, dis
patch, as follows: Bamaceda and Juncta
de Gobierno are clinched in final and
desperate struggle for mastery of the re-
public of Chile
The battle ground is in full view of VAL
paraiso. 1t has been raging three days.
The first engagement was at the mouth of
the Aconcagua on Friday, and resulted in
a reverse for the government.
The final test of strength is now being
made at Vinadelmar beach, FIVE miles
from Valparaiso. Thursday news came
that an army of 500 rebels landed at Quain-
lero bay. Balmaceda was taken by sur
prise, but soon got troops
to the front to prevent,
if possible, rebels crossing the Aconcagua
river. Six insurgent war ships were
anchored in Cosnon bay, at the mouth of
the river, and the rebels attempted cross
ing under cover of their ships guns. The
battle lasted nearly all day.
The insurgent artillery, aided by guns
from the ships, was too much for the gov
ernment troops and they were forced to re-
tire, which they did in good order. Less
than 10000 troops were engaged and nearly
5000 were killed and wounded.
The commanding general of the govern
ment troops chose strong position on the
beach of Delmar as his second line of de-
fense, and having force enough in front of
the enemy to check his progress somewhat,
took his place there yesterday and went to
work to strengthen it as much as possible.
Insurgents steadily pushed their way
forward, driving the comparatively small
government forces before them.
1t was a constant skirmish for fifteen
miles over the broken country and at
every point of vantage the Balmacedans
made 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 the decisive fight Late
in the evening the attacking army arrived
in front of Balmaceda's line of defense. 1t
was then too late to give battle.
In the meantime Balmaceda himself, in
command, went to the front with over 3d.
600 men while the insurgents had only
about 1000.
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.
Il
with rapid fire guns to aid the landing of
forces in attack on Balmaceda's 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
af
being brought into the city from the 'front.'
and temporary hospitals are being 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 frag-
mentary information as to the progress 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
American feet, and other foreign COM
manders have combined to protect the
lives and property of foreign citizens.
Should the revolutionists succeed in de-
feating or repulsing the government troops
in the present struggle they will have to
cross a small creek which separates the
beach from the village of Vina del Mar,
and on taking possession of the
village, would be in the rear
of Fort Callao. With the fleet on
one side of the port and the insurgents on
the other, it would be untenable. Thus
the northern defense of Valparaiso would
fall, making the work of captur-
ing the city much easier. It is the uni
versal belief that Valparaiso will be
bombarded by the feet should Balmaceda
fall and the victorious army make land
attack. II on the other hand Balmaceda
gains victory, the feet will cover the re-
treat of the insurgents, and if necessary
re-embark the troops.
All the government officials here feel
confident that Balmaceda will drive the
insurgents back and if he does not entirely
destroy them, compel the remnant to re-
embark in their transport, and return to
the north. The fall of Valparaiso would
mean practical collapse of Balmaceda's
power, as the outside forces are now en-
gagged. There would be no forces TO op-
pose the march of the insurgents to
Santiago, and they would, with that city
as base OF operations, soon overrun all
the southern provinces.
On the other hand the defeat of the in
surgents would mean a result little less
decisive. for the rebels have put forth all
the strength they have and while Balma-
ceda would not be able to follow up a victory
and take possession of Iquique and the
northern provinces until the arrival of the
new ships Errazuriz and Pinto, it is hardly
likely that the Junta could recover from a
crushing defeat on Del Mar.