Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-10-05
due to leace Maracaibo.
October /, the yenezuelans and Colon
bian liberals number about 5000 men in
Gua aiira

1lIOTCeIUeHlS uuG TO lSStCG 4naAdSoArOs
October 1, the Venezuelans and Colon
bian liberals number about 5000 men IN
Guajira
Venezuela seems determined If posst-
BILE to retrieve her fallen fortunes at
Guajira. If she fails in this endeavor,
| it is believed, even among army offl-
GERS, that the Colombian forces, allied
Guajira Indians and Venezuelan revo-
lutionists opposed to President Castro
will unite and march on Maracaibo.
with good chances of capturing the
place. Such action would probably also
mean the capture of San Carlos forts
and the liberia ton of the Venezuelan pU-
litical prisoners there, including General
Hernandez. or .'el Mocho.' p
The most serious feature of the Gua-
jira campaign today is the attitude OF
the Guajira indiana. When the Vene-
zuelans first entered the peninsula they
robbed the Indians of their cattle and
generally maltreated them. The Indians
are now retaliating, cruelty mutilating
and numbering many of the numerous
fugitives, who have been struggling
since the defeat over the waterless,
burning, fiat peninsula in an effort to
reach their lines or the coast.
General Davilas' last fight at Suroga
was an absolute rout. Five Venezue-
Ian battallons of 400 men each We're en-
gagged and the Colombians are estimat-
ed at the same number. 1t is now
known that Gen. Echeverria was killed
on the battlefield and not shot by the
Colombians The battalion called the
sacred battalion" composed of gentle
men volunteers. mounted, was the fret to
break retreat before the Colombians.
After Gen. Echeverria was killed Gen.
Davilas, Clodomiro Castillo and Ehmil-
10 Castro, brother OF President Castro,
fled from the field. Another battalion;
then broke. The three remaining bat
talions kept up the fighting after the
flight OF the head officers until routed
About 600 were killed on the Venezuelan
side, including thirty minor officers. All
the flags of the Nenezuelans were lost,
as we'll as Gen. Davilas cannon, vari-.
ously reported at from five to fifteen.
Such as were not captured by the Col
ombfans were thrown into the river by
the retreating venezuelans
The Indians ambusf1ed Gen. Davilas.
retreating vanguard. composed OF zoo
men, and anrihilated it.
Clodomiro Castillo. who is q Colomht-
an, now commands the Venezuelan.
forces at the front on tsuajira peninsi-
la and Ermllo Castro now commands
the sacred battalion.
The general plan of campaign, so far
as 1t can ge gathered from the latest
Maracaibo messages. seems to be that
about 500 reinforcements left here Oc-
tober /. to join the Sanchez expedition at
Sinamaica.
Vague, unverifiable. but persistent res
orts are current here to the effect that
President Castro's Venezuelan forces at
Tachira and in the vicinity OF San Girls
tobal suffered defeat at the hands Of:
Gen. Rangel Garbiras and his Cololn-
bian conservative supporters Sept. 60
and 26. III s3s Il
According to another rcport Gen
Tribe Tribe, the Colombian liberal rev-s
olutionist. With his Colombian follow
ers, has lately been at Tachira. He is
generally credited with being the lead
er OF the Venezuelan government forces
there. But it is now s,lid he is fleeing
from Tachira as result Of the recent
defeat and is headed for Maracaibo.
According to8yet other reports, Gen..
Eribe-Uribe was killed. At present 1t 10
impossible to secure satisfactory COM
firmation or refutatiola Of these ru-
mors.