The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1895-03-22
The FAMOUS REBEL LEADER
KILLED in BATTLE.
LEAD THE ASSAULT IN PERSON.
Details OF the Bloody Battle OF Bocas
del Toro-The Rebel Chieftan the
First to Tan-Fiight of the At
tacking Party When Their
Leader Was Killed.

MOBILE. Ala. March 14.--Tonight
upon the arrival Of the steamship Herald
the Register obtained from its core
spondent at Bocas del Toro full details
OF the recent attack Of the rebels under
General Cara upon that city. It is as
follows
BocAs DEL ToRo. United States of
Colombia. March S.--A desperate attack
was made about o'clock this morning
by band of rebels under General CARA
upon the Columbian troops quartered
here aud the battle waged 6ercely for
three hours. Bullets flew thick and fast
and many Of the principal buildings
were riddled until they looked
like sieves The barracks here
is small Frame shingle-roofed, strong
dwelling. situated in the centre Of the
city. The store Of John Wilson & Co. is
fifty feet north John Fink's store is di-
rectly across the street about forty feet
The soldiers were asleep upstairs. while
their guns and ammunition were below,
the steps being on the outside of the
building, thereby exposing the soldiers
to the fire of the rebels as they ran down
to secure their arms As to the
landing OF the rebels no definite
information can be learned
either as to how, when or where they
landed. The general supposition is that
they landed from schooner at or near
point on Columbus island, known as
Big Blight From this point they
marched through the swamp distance
OF three miles, to Bocas del Toro. The
mud on the shoes of the dead men
proves this to be fact. As they
marched along each government senti-
mel was in turn made prisoner. The
outposts were policemen armed with
clubs.
1t was o'clock a. M. when General
Garzs and about ten men opened FIRE on
the barracks from the Finke building
across the street. The first man to meet
his fate was the government sentinel at
the barracks AS the shots were fred
the second lieutenant who was in com.
mand ran out on the front gallery and
met similar fate. The rebels
advanced and kept up q con
slant fire upon the barracks
whero the soldiers were entrapped.
The regulars made a desperate rush
downstairs for their fire arms and com
menced to return the fire. The troops
opened upon the squads Of rebels, who
were shooting from the second story
of Finkes building. and riddled the
house. Cara continually called to the
government troops: Surrender, you
FOOLS" He was heard to say in Eng.
ligh: ''The soldiers are shooting high. )"
and ran downstairs. where he met
his death. He was found dead
not more than fifty feet from the bar.
racks When the rebels lost their
leader they lost their cause. They had
the best OF the battle until daylight;
then the government soldiers, seeing
the enemy not nearly so strong as they
supposed, rushed from the death trap
and forced the enemy to retreat. Once
getting their opponents on the run. they
pursued them with renewed energy and
deadly effect They shot them to death
in the streets, dragged them from houses
and chased the remaining few into the
swamp It was near clock when the
soldiers returned to the barracks and
the roll was called.
The United States cruiser Atlanta was
three miles from the city during the
fight. She heard no report of the guns
in the morning, although her lights
were visible from the shore. No effort
was made to communicate with her
until Z O'clock. just as small boat
started to her she weighed anchor and
steamed away to her practice ground.
The steam launch Mascotte was sent
by the American consul to await
the return OF the Atlanta to
her anchorage. She hove in sight