St. Paul daily globe., 1894-02-13
BULLETS FLYING AT RIO.
TWENTY OFFICERS AND OVER TWO
HUNDRED MEN KILLED.
THREE HOURS OF FIGHTING.
Both Sides Displayed Bravery,
and the Government Claimed
Decisive Victory Admiral
da CANA Received Bullet
Wounds in His Neck and Arm
Tho Fight Near Nictheroy,


copyrighted. 1894, by the Associated Press.l
LONDON, Feb. 12.-The Times tomor-
row will publish the following dispatch
from Montevideo, dated Feb. IL:
Rio Janeiro, Feb. 9.-At o'clock this
afternoon 500 insurgents attacked
Armacao and Ponta da Areia in tho
vicinity of Nictheroy. Launches con-
veying landing parties left the island of
Conceicao at $3.50 a. IN, and succeeded
in reaching the mainland without dis
covery. Then, in half an hour, after
heavy firing on both sides, the govern
ment troops retired, leaving five officers
and forty men prisoners, and six off,
GERS and fifty men killed.
At 5 O'Clock reinfOrcements of over
athouSand men arriving. the govern
ment troops again advanced under
heavy fire of rifles and machine guns,
the Krupp battery stationed on the
island of Gaia, opposite Ponta da
Areia, also being engaged.
ADMIRAL DA CANA
further attempted to check the advance
of the troops by calling for reinforce
ments of 100 men from the island of
Conceicao, and by sending launches
from the cruiser Libertade, close to the
shore of the mainland.
These efforts stopped the advance and
caused heavy losses to the government
troops. Then their ammunition fell
short. their fire slackened, and the
troops slowly gained ground.
After three hours fighting the troops
were within half mile of Armacao.
and Admiral da Cana decided to with
draw his sailors. finding it impossible to
remain there on account of the over
whelming numbers of the enemy.
The Libertade's armed launches con-
tinued to hold the troops while the in
SurgentS embarked at Armacao, the
Aauidaban covering their retreat.
The Llbertade's launches were close
to Ponta da Areia, and received the
brunt OF the enemy'S fire. 1t was II
o'clock before the last of the
INSURGENTS EMBARKED.
after spiking the government battery of
heavy guns at Armacao. The insurgent
loss was five officers and thirty men
killed, and twenty officers and forty men
wounded.
1t is impossible to obtain correct re-
turns; but the government is supposed
to have lost fifteen officers and $50 men
killed and many wounded. Admiral da
Cana has bullet wounds in his neck and
arm, but they are not dangerous. /
myself was slightly wounded in the
throat by Mannlicher bullet. saw the
first part of the action from the island
Of Conceicao, and the latter part on
board the Libertade.
Both sides displayed bravery, but the
sailors were demOralized at the finish
by the large number of the enemy and
fired wildly. Still, the withdrawal was
orderly and without sign of panic. The
government claims a decisive victory,
and today sent 1,500 men to reinforce
the garrison of Nictheroy. Admiral de
Mello. with the Republica, is now at
Desterre.
LISBON. Feb. 12.-The British steam
ship Iteria, from South American ports,
| arrived here today. She sailed from
Rio de Janeiro Jan. %. and brings ad-
vices to that date. According to these
advices, which come from inSurgent
sources, the insurgent cruiser Repub-
lica had come up with the government
transport Itapu, which was conveying
600 troops and munitions to Santos.
The Republica. 1t is said, rammed the
1tapu. putting her down below the
waters edge. The transport. it is as
| serted, filled almost instantly and went
down. carrying all on board with her.
The insurgents had fortified the ISL
| ands of Conceicao, Moncangue and
Wanna, and were preparing to attack
Nictheroy, simultaneously with the dis
patch of land force from Sepetiba
| bay, twenty-five miles from Rio, to at
| tack the capital from the rear.
WASHINGTON, Feb. IA dispatch
has been received at the state depart
ment from Minister Thompson at Rio
Janeiro concerning the engagement be-
tween government and insurgent forces
| at Niotheroy on Saturday. The in
surgents succeeded in landing. but were
driven back to their ships by the gov
ernment forces. Da Cana was wounded
| in the breast and arms. but it is not
known how seriously.