Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1893-01-12
A REVOLUTION.
An Interesting Story of an Exciting
Crisis
In the History Of the Argentine Republic
Told By a Man Who Witnessed
The Struggle.
(Concluded.)

(Concluded.)
At this point, as though in mockery
of the golden morning with its sugges-
tions of peace and good will, occurred
the ghastliest and most cruel episode OF
this needless and unfruitful strife. The
cadets from the Military College, who
were more faithful to their country than
those who had sworn their fealty and al
legiance, were being brought in to aid
the government forces. These cadets
were in large part the sons of the best
families of the country; young, promis-
ing and we'll educated, the pride of a
thousand homes. They desired to sus-
tain the administration legally establish
ed, although their sympathes might be
and often were-in direct opposition
to the seourge of corruption which will
be the lasting reproach to what should
have been long and steady step in the
hitherto prosperous march of the young
nation. Being mistaken for insurgents.
the youths instead of receiving the well
come they deserved, were met with a ter
rible and deadly fire from guns that should
have been friendly. Seeing the mistake,
the boys held their fire and signalled,
asking that the attack on them should
cease, but owing to the mists and smoke
which enveloped them, the signals either
could not be seen or were taken as in
tended for subterfuge to allow them to
pass within the ranks of the insurgents.
This awful mistake cost the lives or
limbs of many of the best sons of the couu-
try, and lost to the government valua-
BILE assistance at the very moment when
it was most needed
This occurrence, however, had salu-
tary effect in that on its becoming known
throughout the day of Sunday, many of
both parties urged that truce should be
concluded upon some grounds, since up
to this time, the larger number of slain
had come from the ranks of the police
men, who were doing service for which
they were not intended, aud also large
proportion of the killed were innocent
spectators or citizens endeavoring to
reach their homes. Several times during
the day of Sunday the white flag waved
over the strongholds of the opposing
forces, and overtures were made looking
to a solution of the pending trouble. But
the government by this time had sue
ceeded in massiog strong bodies of loyal
troops in another public square known
as the Plaza of Liberty, ard situated
three squares to the north aud in
straight line with the Plaza Lavalle.
Here also was the improyised fieadquar
tiers of the government, and here were
collected large number of heavy field
pieces and quick-6ring guns. The gov
ernment felt that they had the insur-
gents at their mercy, and would listen to
no terms but those of unconditional sur
render. These terms to the leaders of the
revolution meant disgrace as having led
a lost cause, and meant also the end of
all hope of advance in the ranks of the
army. In fact, the terms proposed by
the government required that all officers
above captain should be disranked. To
any Argentine proposal of this nature
would be met not only with defiance, but
with determination to die before con-
ceding. These times of parley were
taken advantage of by the Society of the
Red Cross, to gather up the dead and to
carry the wounded to the hospitals of the
city as soon as there was room for them,
or to temporary establishments where
everything possible under the circum
stances was afforded. Each time upon
the lowering of the flag of truce the fir
ing weut on, but both parties recognized
that the useless fight weuld be better ter
if terms could possibly be agreed
upon.
The great event of Tuesday, the 2Sth,
was the bombardment of the city by the
men-o war lying at harbor about three
miles distant. OF these vessels, several
were of the latest pattern. and fully
equipped with modern machines of war
fare. Up to this time the navy had re-
manned faithful to the government. AS
the first shell screeched over the city the
terror of those who until now had borne
with great calmness the frightful hap |
penipgs of three days, each of which !
seemed an age, was doubly increased. |
There were thousands, who well removed !
from the plazas, had thought themselves
but their safety was now render
ed very uncertain. The target of the
gunners was the mansion of the Presi-
dent, Juarez- Celman, but the shells either
lew wide of the mark or dropped short
into the river Shortly after the COM
of the bombardment, which
now occupied every one more than the
nearer struggles, movement among the
foreign war vessels in the harbor was no
.iceable. These consisted of Spanish
full armed cruiser, tirst-claSS English
man. of war. aud an outclassed side
wheeler belonging to the United States
and known to very few as
she Tallapoosa. Perhaps some aged vet
,rans will remember her as having been
sunk twice and twice raised, and as hav-
ng figured in the battles of the Rebel
ion. At this time she was lying with
broken shaft and unable to tarn wheel.
But her complement of officers and arm
sment was in direct contrast to the YES
vel herself. The commander, Captain
James NJ. Forsythe-at present COM
nander of the Naval Home in Philadel,
,hia-at once recognized the barbarity
IF the bombardment, considering the
lwful havoc which the bursting of shells
thrown at random into the middle of the
population of the city,
yara causinO Taking his tender he