The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-10
GEN. BERTI'S SURRENDER.
Promises Made by Gen. Herrera, the
Revolutionary Commander.

ReVOIut1Onary Omman0er.
PANAMA, Sept. 9-The surrender to the
Colombian insurgents of the government
general Morales Bert and the troops of
his command at Aqua Dulce, which has
previously been reported, and which was
generally believed to have taken place. has
now been confirmed. This news reached
Panama through some former Conserva-
tive prisoners of the insurgents who were
liberated yesterday at San Carlos as re-
suit of the landing there of an expedition
from the government fleet of gunboats.
General Bert, who had been besieged at
Aqua Dulce by the insurgents since July
2S, only surrendered when his cause was
hopeless. In the act of surrender the in
surgent general Benjamin Herrera declares
he recognizes the abnegation of General
Berti and his men, whom he succeeded in
dominating because of the superiority Of
his forces and the quantity of munitions Of
war of all kinds at his disposal. He prom
Uses to hold inviolate the lives and honor of
his prisoners and he allows General BERT
to retain his sword as mark of honor in
recognition of his heroic defense of Auga,
Dulce. The surrendered generals and Off
GERS have been paroled at Penonome and
Santiago de veraguao. The act Of surren-
der also sets forth that in consideration of
General Herrera's respect for the bravery
of the men who withstood the siege they
will not be compelled personally to surren-
der their arms. The inSurgent general de-
plores the fact that he is unable to accord
more generous terms to General Bert and
his men, who well merit better treatment
He says the necessities of war compel him
to keep them as prisoners, but that he may
exchange them for some of thousands of
Liberal prisoners now in possession of the
government
In the last article of the act of surrender
General BERT makes it known that he only
capitulated to the enemy when compelled
to do so by absolute lack of food of any
kind for his men and the conviction that
the government could not send him timely
help.
Cen Morales Berti was one of the most
popular of the government leaders and
he has the sympathy of everybody in his
present reverse. 1t is recognized by all
that he could not have done otherwise than
he did,
1t is believed in government circles that
the surrender of General Berti at Aqua
Dulce simplifies the situation for General
SalaZar, Governor of Panama, who can
now devote the forces of his command to
the defense of Panama and Colon. That
the national government has confidence
i'm General SalaZar is proved by the fact
that his appointment as supreme command
er of all the government forces of the 18TH
mus has been received by telegraph from
BOgOtd.
There is great uneasiness here now that
the details of the Aqua Dulce affair have
become known. The strong intrenchments
which have been erected in and around
Panama are defended by $500 men, and
there are over 1000 government soldiers at
Colon.
A dispatch was received to-day from the
minister of war at Bogota saying that a
large number of reinforcements had left
Ronda on the Magdelena river for the 18TH
mus and 5000 more men are expected to
come in this week.
General Herrera is expected to change
his field of operations to the isthmus and
he will probably locate his camp some:
where on the railroad line between Pan
anna and Colon. 1t is believed that a big
battle will take place somewhere between
these two ports.
The conservatives of Panama are very
much disappointed at the delay in the de-
parture from Seattle, Wash, of the new Co.
lombia war vessel, the Bogota recently pur-
chased by Senior Concha, Colombian min.
lister at Washington. 1t is believed that II
the Bogota had reached here in due season
the government would have been able tC
defeat General Herrra by taking the of.
fensive at and thus preventing the in.
surgents from mobilzing and otherwise
carrying out their plans.
Members of the liberal or insurgent party
are being imprisoned in all the important
towns of Colombia.