The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-11-27
EN- ROUTE TO COLON
GEN. ALBAN CROSSES THE BARBA-
GOA BRIDGE.
HOT FIGHT AT EMPERADoR.
LIBERALS CLAIM SHORTAGE OF
AMMUNITION.

Liberals Have Fallen Back to With
in Five Miles of Colon, and n De-
cisive Battle Is Expected To-day
at Monkey Hill Cemctery-Re-
Safely-Our Right to Exclude CO.
lombia From Use of the Railroad
May BE Questioned.
Colon, Colombia, Nov. 26.-The Co
lombian gunboat General Pinzon reap
peared in Colon harbor this morning.
Her commander said there were only
100 men out of the original 600 troops
carried on the vessel, now on board
the gunboat. The others had been
landed at Porto Bello, about ten miles
distant frop, Colon. The presumption
is that the 500 men are marching over
land to join the government forces
under Gen. Alban, now at Mamei. The
ground they have to cover is difficult
and the troops will doubtless occupy
few days in reaching their destina-
ton.
The Panama railroad steamer Ori
zaba from New York, Nov. 10, arrived
at Colon this morning, having on board
about 100 marines who are to relieve
the time expired men of the United
States battleship Iowa now at Pana-
ma. The marines were embarked on
board train and were taken to Pan
anna.
The Liberal forces control San Pablo
station and Barbacoa, where there is
a. long iron bridge across the Chagres
river. This is a critical point. offering
the Liberals a splendid point of attack
should the government forces attempt
to cross the bridge. 1t is generally a
mitted that if Gen. Alban succeeds in
crossing the river at Barbacoa his
march toward Colon will be an easy
task. Gen. Lugo, the Liberal COM
mander, is at Barbacoa.
The Liberals retreated from Emper-
ador owing to lack of ammunition.
They admit having lost sixty men in
killed and wounded at Emperador, and
that among the number was Col. Oyas.
but they claim that the government
loss was over $50 men in killed and
wounded.
| The armored train which went over
| the. railroad yesterday having on board
! Capt. Perry, of the Iowa, and machine
| guns, and flying the American flag
was sent as a demonstrative force and
| will not be continued daily. Passenger
trains. however. will still carry a
guard.
Transit across the isthmus is open.
Gen. AIban Crossed the Bridge.
! 4:30 p. m.-The overdue passenger
| train, with a marine guard on board,
hac i1YS arrix f,.oi in
news to the effect that Gen. Alban,
with about 300 government troops, has
| crossed Barbacoa bridge and is con-
tinuing his march to Colon. He is now
at Tavernilla, where he is resting. The
Liberal forces continue to retreat be-
fore him. They explain their retreat by
saying they have no ammunition. All
the fighting to-day occurred at Barba-
Goa bridge. Passengers by the delayed
train assert that fully 100 Conserva-
tives were killed and wounded during
the fighting there, and that the Liberal
losses were insignificant. The Liberals
are now approaching Gaton Station,
about five miles from Colon. and it IS
believed "a decisive engagement will
probably be fought tonight or to-mor-
row morning at Monkey Hill Cemetery,
about one mile from the limits of CO.
Ion.
Reached Panama, Safely.
Colon, Colombia, Nov. 26.--The trains
which left here this afternoon for Pan
anna with the Iowa marines and the
| passengers from the steamer Orizaba
were delayed in transit, but reached
| Panama safely.
Reports current here this after
noon that the General Pinzon had bonn
barded Porto Bello have been found,
upon in vestigation, to be unreliable
and not authentic.
Traffic Moving Unmo1ested.
Washington. Nov. pa cablegram
| received by the state department at
noon to-day from Consul &c neral Gud-
ger at Panama, reports that traffic is
moving unmolested, but gives no other
| details.