Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1902-01-23
ALL QUIET AT PANAMA
Revolutionary Leader Accom-
pIishes What He Set
Out to Do.
DESTROYED STEAMER LAUTAR0
General AIban, Commander of the
Colombian Forces, Killed Dur
ing the Engagement.

New York, Jan. 21.-The Colombian
consul, Mr.. Bugard, has received the
following dispatch from Panama
dated Jan. 20: General Alban at
tackled the rebel fleet and persisted on
board steamship Lautaro. Have
taken over command and am pre-
pared to defend the city with 1000
men,
The dispatch is signed by Arizona,
who was General Adams secretary.
Panama, Jan. 21.-All is quiet here.
General Herrera, the revolutionary
leader, informed Captain Mead of the
United States cruiser Philadelphia
that he came here to prevent the Co
lom'bian government using the steam
er LautarO against the Liberals. He
mad accomplished this, and therefore
retired. The revOlutionists had seven
teen wounded in the engagement. The
pumber killed cannot be precisely as
certained. OF the government forces
five men were killed and four
wounded.
Victory for the Rebels.
The Colombian rebels won a naval
victory over the government forces.
They made a fierce attack on three
vessels in the harbor here at day
light, completely surprising General
Adams forces After a stubborn bat
tie, in which six ships, three on each
side, were engaged, the government
steamer Lautaro was sunk and many
soldiers on board killed. Among the
dead is General Alban, governor of
Panama, and cOmmander-in-ch of
the government forces.
Three gunboatS composed the rebel
fleet. Two of them were badly disa-
bled in the fight. The United States
cruiser Philadelphia was in the harbOr
and witnessed the engagement. Sail
ors from the Philadelphia after the
battle, went on board the Lautaro to
help fight the fire which had been
started by insurgent shells, but they
were unsuccessful.
Surprised by the Rebels.
The attack was almost complete
surprise to the government. The in
surgent fleet was composed Of the
steamers Padilla Darien and Gaitan.
The government ships We're the Chill
ian line steamer LautarO. the Pacific
Steam Navigation cOmpany's steamer
ChicuitO and the Panama Canal COM
pany's steamer BOyaca. The first
named steamer was seized by General
Alban and the other two have been
chartered by the Colombian govern
ment. ~
All three of the government steam
ers had been armed with as many
guns as General Alban could secure.
He had taken large force on board
the Lautaro and ChicuitO. intending to
sail to attack the insurgents. The
principal insurgent attack was made
by the Padilla 1t entered the bay
and succeeded in getting to close quar-
tiers with the Lautaro. .
Desert the Lautaro.
The Padilla opened a fierce fire, to
which the LautarO made a brief re-
spouse. General Alban, however, was
killed early in the engagement and
many soldiers on board We're killed or
wounded, and soon after the crew,
dishealtened at the suddenness and
fierceness of the Padilla's attack, de-
serted the ship as soon as it was dis
covered to be on fire.
The government steamer ChicuitO at
once opened fire on the Padilla, and
was, in turn, attacked by the Darien
and Gaitan. The Chicuito was not
seriously injured, but seems to. have
inflicted serious damage on the Darien.
The Padilla, too. was compelled to re-
tire to a safer distance as result of
the fire of the Chicuito.
Land Guns Open Fire.
The guns of Las BOvedas also opened
a fierce fire on the rebel ships, the
range, however, being too great to rem
der the shells dangerous. When the
firing finally ceased the revolution
airy steamer Darien approached the
Philadelphia. The. captain of the Da-
rien was told by Captain Mead of the
Philadelphia that the insurgent fleet
would not be permitted to lombard
the city of Panama or to land troops
at the docks.
The body og General Alban was
taken off the Lautara as soon as pos
sible, sailors from the United States
cruiser Philadelphia assisting. The
dead and wounded were also removed.
The fire, however. could not be eX-
tinguished and the Lautara sunk in
the harbOr.