Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-10-12
A SWEEPlNS DEFEAT.
VenezueIans Routed in the Fight
at Curoga---Army Is
AnnihiIated.

Willemstad, Curacao, Oct. 6.-The
correspondent mere OF the Associated
Press has received the following mes
sage from n correspondent In the field:
on the road between Sinamaica,
Venezuela, n La Hacha, Colombia,
La GuaJira peninsula. by messenger to
Mnracaibo and then steamer to Cura-
sao-Wlth General Daviln's force Of SOC
men, with the field guns, advancing to-
ward La Hacha, this road is still fairly
filed with natives and wounded Vene-
zuelans from the fghtins Of September
IA and 10. returning as best they may
to Maracaibo. Davlla's column left
Sinamaica Saturday morning. Count
ing the Colombian liberals at Trcinta,
thirty miles from La Hacha, the San
chez expedition and the 500 reinforce
ments due to leave Maracnlbo October
/, the Venezuelans and Colombian lib
erals number about 5000 men In Qua
Jira.
Venezuela seems determined, II pos.
sible, to retrieve her fallen fortunes at
Guajira. If she fails In this present
endeayor It Is believed even among
army officers that the Colombian forces
and allied Guajiras and Venezuelan
reyolutionists opposed to President
Castro will unite and march on Mara
caibo, with hanCc OF capturing the
place. such action would probably also
mean the CdIluIC vi san 81 Tvs i'A'
and the liberation OF Venezuelan poIit-
zeal prisoners there, including General
Hernandez, or "Gl Mocho.'
The most serious feature Of the Qua
ira campaign today Is the attitude OF
the GuajIra Indians. When the Ncne-
zuclans first entered the peninsula they
robbed the Indians of their cattle ana
generally maltrcated them. The In
dams are now retaliating, cruelty mu-
tilating and numbering many of the
fugitiyes who nave been struggling
since the fight over the waterless,
burning fla peninsula in an effort to
reach their lines or the coast.
Almost Annihilation.
General Davila's fight at Curoga was
an absolute rout.
Five Venezuelan battalions of 500
men each were engaged, and the Co
lombians are estimated at the same
number. 1t is now known that General
Echeverria was killed on the battle
field, and not shot by the Colombians.
The battalion called the sacred bat
TALON" composed OF gentlemen volun-
teers, mounted, was the first TO break
and retreat before the Colombians.
After General Echeverria a killed
General Davila, ClOdomiro Castillo and
Ermillo Castro, a brother Of President
Castro, fed the field. Another battal-
ION IDtH DIOAt. Inc lllNS lcliloihihb
battalions kept up the fighting after the
flight OF the officers, but were routed.
About GOO were killed on the Venezue-
Ian side, including thirty minor officers.
All the flags OF the VeneZuelans were
lost, as well as General Davila's can
non, v~ariously reported at from Ave to
fifteen. Such as were not captured
by the Colombians were thrown into
the river the the ~retreating Ven
eZuelanS.
The Indians ambushed General Da-
Villas r~ctreating vanguard, composed
of 200 men, and annihilated IT.
Clodomiro Castillo, who is a Colom-
bian, now commands the Venezuelan
forces at the front on Guajira PENN
sula, and Ermillo Castro now com
the sacred battalion"
The general plan Of campaign, so far
as It can be gathered from the latest
Maracaibo messages, seems to be that
about 500 reinforcements left there Oc-
tober l to join the Sanchez expedition
at Sinamaica.