The morning call., 1892-06-26

O'Higgins an aground, through midship-
man Ia charge gong asleep. COehrane had
TO show his resources as carpenter aud
pump-mender and he did patch mp the
frieate sufficiently to make it keep the sea.
He consoled himself with the fact that the
attack on VRldivia would be a hayonet
affair, and that thereafter the OHiggins
could be repaired in the river. The
very powder of the O'Higgins got wet Hav-
ing mustered his forces by transfer to
other vessels, Cochrane managed his at
tack on Valdivia with consummate artihce.
The Spaniards of course supposed nobody
could attack the place. That was one point
in Coehrane's favor. He landed his men in
boats at a point which was not particularly
strong locally and then from fort to fort he
chased the panic-stricken Spaniards, whose
Imagination gave them wings, and in very
short time, with an inferior force, he bad
the whole place under his thumb. All this
was done with seven men killed and 10
wounded. The Spaniards were bayoneted
by the dozen In their flight. An immense
quantity of stores fell into the hands of the
Chilenos. and Valdivia was lost as Span
ish anchorage. OF course the tables were
turned upon Cochrane's enemies when he
returned to Valparaiso. Even enemies
But he had to encounter Latin snakes
enough some time sfterward.
In 1920 a grand expedition was deter
mined upon. A fleet was dispatched again
against CallGc, and likewise an army Of
1920 men for operations on the Peruvian
coast against the Spaniards under General
San Martin. Soon after the sailing Of the
squadron, San Martin began TO make il evil
dent that he had 10 plans, at least no
honest ones. San Martin was looking out
for himself in bis own way by intrigue. and
COohrane discovered that II any fighting
was to be done he alone must undertake IT.
The one was at sea and the other on land,
and San Martin contented himself with
magnificent inactivity, and the other fretted
under opportunities wasted. Finding that
nothing could be done with San Martin
ashore, acting either like q coward or
a S0t, CochraDe resolved to make the
navy at least active. The harbor at Callao
had been much strengthened since his for
mer visit. There were 500 pieces Of artillery
mounted on the batteries ashore, and the
Esmeralda WAS crowded day and night with
the best sailors and marines. A boom, with
chain mOorings, protected the harbnr. and
armed blockade ships also gave protection.
The haIbor was patColled at night. There
were p gunb0ats. Notwithstanding the diff
hculties, C0chrane saw In them means of
success. He resolved to cut out the ESme-
raida and all the rest of the shipping in the
harbor. and would easily have succeeded
had his orders been obeyed
For the work of cutting out the whole
feet volunteered. This was toe generous
assistance. Cochrane selected 100 seamen
anu % iDdIiUtS. 4UeSe were Dlhcet III lUuI-
teen boats, which were placed alongside and
astern the flagship, and all the other ships
OF the squadron weTa.Sent to sea in order TO
luil suspicion. Each man was armed with
a cutlass and pistol. and TO distinguish MIN,
wore white dress with a blue band on the
left arm. AT 10 o'clock at night Coch-
rane himself led the attack. with Captain
CTosbie as flag captain and the second diyi-
sion OF boats under the command Of Captain
Guise. The orders were TO use cutlasses
and observe the strictest silence, and the
oars were muffied. The enemy had not
the smallest suspicion. AT an opening
in the boom through which the boats passed
q guard boat was encountered. COchrane,
in an undeTtOue. threatened everybody with
death II the least alarm was made. No
alarm was made The boats were in few
minutes alongside the ESmerada. and the
DOarders were on deck in several lines stimuli
taneously. With the exception Of the SEN
tries the Spanlards were completely taken
by surprise. The cutlasses were slashed
about Ia fine style in three charges, aud
there was final rally on the quarterback.
10 escape slaughter mum berS OF men leaped
overheard and others took Jump into the
hold. CochTane himself Jared badly in the
attack, and, as consequence Of not being
able to direct affairs completely. the expedi-
ton was not rs successful as IL should
have been. In boarding as the leader a
sentry knocked him back by the butt of his
muskeT, and he fell into his boat and
Lholepin pierced his back, giving him
severe wound, from which he suffered for
many a day. But that did not discomft
COchrane. Up he got on the frigate's deck,
and then only 10 receive a bullet wound in
the thigh, but he kept command as long as
he could keep his feet to a plank.
The attack was planned splendidly. Every
man had his station A minute after board.
ing the f0retOp was hailed. The answer
came down gayly in the right KEY. The
To hafffa fba of ba
batteries C0ehrane adopted brilliant bit
OF strategy. Two foreign men-of-war were
In the harbor. One was English and not
friendly TO UOehrane, and the other WAS
American the Macedonian, and the officers
and crew were friendly to him. On the
night OF the boat attack the English crew
DID what they could to sound an alarm, and
TIE American crew did what they could TO
keep the secret of the attack quiet. C0ch-
rane had taken the measure of ali the cir
eumstances cleyerly. 1t was an understand
ing with the shore batteries that in case of
attack the foreign vessels of war should
hoist particular lights COchrane knew this.
and as soon as he had possession Of the Es-
neTalds he hoisted those particular lights.
The Spaniards were baffied They did not
want TO fire npon the foreigners. What were
they to fire upon when their own vessel was
foreign, and the foreigners were as they
were? They stopped firing TO ja6her. And
meanwhile, not feeling secure, the Mace
DOMAIN and the Brtlsher set topsalis and
scuitied out of hsrbor Unfortunately,
through his thOlepn accident. Cochrane
was on his back aud could not take advan-
tage of his favorable situation So half
hearted English captain, who bore no good
will to COchrane. cnt cable and set topsails
on the Esmeralda, ana thus the clearing
cut OF the harbor of Spanish craft was
spoiled 1t was a brilliant bit of work
spoiled by tile dunderheadedness OF roast
beef cOmpatriOt.
Soon afterward. through the blockade of
CallaO, Lima had TO surrender and San
Martin constituted himself Protector of
Peru /. He had done nothing, but he
wanted to reap all. AS events turned out
he was worse than the Spaniards to Peru.
NJ