The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-04-18
VENEZUELA WAR.
Rebels Make a Vigorous Fight
Against Government Troops.
FULLY TWO HUNDRED WE'RE KILLED

And of This Number Three-Fourths
Were Government Troops Led
Into an Ambush by the willy Rev
o1utionist General, Who Then Re-
treated in Safety.
- CARACAS, Venezuela, April 1s.-In
confirmation of the theory that General
Creepo was probably maneuvering to
draw out the government troops comes
the news Of a sharp battle between the
Opposing forAes at Trujillo.
I Trujillo is about 42O kilometres from
Caracas and the country there is of
cough, uneven character, covered with
huge rocks and bowlders and a scatter
ing forest growth.
II is hard to get at the truth about this
affair, as President Palacio stems deter
[m1ned that no news shall go out except
ouch reports as have been arranged
l0nder the supervision of his press censor.
Ut is needless to say that these corrected
accounts all tell of prompt suppression
Nof the rebellion and complete restora-
ltion of peace.
Fully Two Hundred Killed.
From reliable private sources, how
Nead and wounded at the battle of Tru-
Jjllo is estimated at not less than 200, and
of this number fully 150 were govern
hnent troops, while large number of
kwounded were left on the field. Palacios
Troops, under General Cipriano Castro,
tof course, claim to have been victorious,
Though there is considerable doubt on
tory was dearly earned.
General Arnnip who commanded fbo
revolutionists, was not captured, and he
and large number of his II, are left
10 harass the government soldiers
The fight at Trujillo would not be
called battle in the United States. 1t
was more in the nature of slsirmish
and resembled as much as anything the
INDIAN mode of warfare in North Amer
lea in colonial days. 1t was the result
of a forced march made by General
Castro, who had learned that party of
the revolutionists We're encamped at
Trujillo.
Fell Into Trap.
Palacio's troops reached the encamp-
ment just before daylight, and couple
of spies were sent ahead to reconnoitre
Before the government troops was wild
stretch of country. Big powders in
places barred their way, and the forest
trees rendered progress difficult. 1t was
III the midst of this forest that General
Aranjo had pitched his camp A mere
favorable natural encampment could
not have been selected.
The spies shortly returned with the re-
por that all was quiet ahead, and they
spoke the truth, for General Araniofs
men were effectually concealed.
Z Cautiously General Castrols troops ad-
Vanced, but they had proceeded only
about fifty yards when every bowlder
and tree trunk appeared to belch fire,
and volley of bullets tore through the
ranks of the government soldiers, who
taltered for moment, then returned the
fire and charged.
Aranjo's soldiers got in another volley
and then fell back TO the interior of the
forest. Castro's soldiers were thus af-
forded temporary relief from the bullets
of the revolutionists, and from that time
OIL the fight was a skirmish. Occasion
ally soldier. rash enough to expose him.
self, would fall victim to his folly.
Quiet Retreat.
General Aranjo's soldiers, familiar
with the ground, had an advantage, and
after an hours fighting, in which the
government troops suffered severe loss,
the rebel general quietly ordered re-
treat. General Castro ordered a second
advance, but his soldiers found clear
Geld. The revolutionists were gone
This is, in substance, the sum total of
the victory gained by Palacio's troops,
though, according to the official bulletin
SFsued by the president and containing
tre report, not only of this, but of sew
eral other alleged battles, his troops
scored glorious victory. 1t is said on
good authority that some of the battles
mentioned in the reports of President
Palacia's generals never took place.
The truth is that the government re-
ports of the revolution are unreliable. 1t
is not known in Caracas even what the
absolute strength of General Crespo's
army is, and it is probable that Presi-
dent Palaeio, who is now holding his
effice by force of arms, is as much in the
dark as any one as to the movements
aud plans of his formidable opponent.