St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-09-28
REBELS WERE REFUSED.
THEY ARE DEFEATED BY THE ARGEH-
TINE GOVERNMENT.
EXCITING NAVAL BATTLE.

Prisoners-RebeI Fire at One
Time Effective and Great Loss
of Life Among Officers and
Crews-Torpedo Boats Taken.
BUENos AYREs, Sept. 27.-The battle
between the rebel torpedo boats and the
government men-Of-war was one of the
most exciting skirmishes of the kind
ever witnessed. The rebels hoped to
catch the government fleet unawares,
and, by making separate and combined
attack upon them, succeed in blowing
several of them out of the water. The
rebels, it seems, had for some time .past
been laying plans for this on
slaught upoE the government ships.
They secured possession of two torpedo
boats and several tugs which they had
rugged up with torpedo booms and pro-
tected with boiler plates. making them
quite effective torpedo boats. The tit
ting out of these dangerous little vessels
was carried on in quiet hooks along the
coast near here, where the rebels be-
lieved themselves quite secure from
government observation. The work OF
preparing these boats for battle was
undertaken under the supervision of
several former officers of the Argen-
tine navy. assisted by number of
sailors who had Joined issue with the
rebels. Long SparS having charges of
dynamite at their outward eXtremltleS
we're rugged out ahead of the boats. and
were TO be tired with wires cOmmunI-
eating with electric batteries on the
boats. In some cases, however, long
cords attached with loaded musketS.
sawed OF and converted into rude
detonatorS, were used i'll default of
enough electric batteries to 60 around.
The rebels Originally intended to make
the attack at night. but the careful
guard Kept by the war vessels by the
use of search lights and patrol boats
kept the rebels at distance. 1t was
therefore decided that the torpedo boats
would be less liable TO observation in
day time, as they could
SCATTER AROUND.
booms rigged in and only show their
dangerous character when the proper
moment had arrived. This they did,
and as yesterday haze hung over the
outer roads of the harbor, they deter
mined TO undertake their grand coup.
The rebels would, in spite of the search
lights, have probably made their attack
at night, but were spurred TO despera
ton by news of the governments sue
cess at Tucuman, and by the fact that
they had received information that
their plans were discovered. This
turned out u he correct, for the com
manders of the Argentine war ships had
been satisfied OF the projected attack
and had taken steps TO give the rebels a
warmer reception. A constant watch
was kept. unobserved, on board the gov
eminent ships, and the rapid-tire and
other guns were kept loaded, and their
crews within moments call. In ad-
dltion the boats of the war
ships were kept ready for lower
ing. and the steam launches ready
for immediate use. The rebel torpedo
boats unaware of the measures taken to
give them a warm reception, steamed
out from their places of cUncealment at
the appointed time, and. assisted by the
morning haze, circled around little,
and then. at a given signal, made dash
for the men-ot-War, expecting TO find
their crews totally Unprepared for
battle. To the rebels surprise, how
ever, hardly had they gotten within
range when the war ships opened fire
upon them in the most lively manner
possible. Nothing daunted, the rebel
boats returned the fire in the most de-
ter mined manner. and continued to
press onward beneath hail of rapid
firing bullets which fell upon their
boats.
WOUNDING AND KILLING
many of their officers and men. The
rebel fire was also effective, as there
was loss of life among the officers and
crew of the war ships attacked. But
the result OF the battle was not long in
doubt; the closer the torpedo boats APP
preached. the more terrible became the
fire of the war ships, and the torpedo
boats came 10 standStll. This was
the signal for the war ships 10 take the
offensive: signal was hoisted by the
flagship reading Lower boats and at
tack" In aimostlesS time than it takes
to write it, the boats of the Arg entine
war vessels were lowered and III pursuit
of the enemy. The latter, at first, made
a stand against the government boats.
the fire of the war ships having ceased
in order to enable the fleets small boats
to close with the enemy. Then began
some desperate fighting between the
crews of the rebel torpedo boats aud the
boat crews of the government vessels.
Some OF the boats OIL both sides used
rapid-fire guns with telling effect, but
the rebels eventually turned tail and
made for the land. in the hope OF
running their vessels ashore ana eScap-
ing with their lives. Previous TO the
fight, however, q government launch
had run along side of the most danger
Gus torpedo boat of the enemy, and the
loyal sailors boarded it in grand style,
led by their officers, sword and pistol in
hand. A fierce hand-to-hand conflict
took place, but it only lasted few MIN
uteS. as the government sailors carried
all before them and captured the tor
pedo boat and all of its crew who were
not killed in the engagement. Others OF
the rebel torpedo boats eventually tel
into the hands of the government Off
GERS and sailors i'll the same manner
the fighting throughout being of the
most desperate character. Some of the
rebels reached shore in safety, but the
majority of them were captured, either
ashore or atloat, by the government
forces. as troops and police attracted t.
the shore by the sound of firing, made
prisoners of nearly all the rebels whC
swan ashore or reached land i'll thei
torpedo boats.
Insurgents Routed.