Milford chronicle., 1903-07-24
CASTRO ROUTS REBELS
venezuelan RevOlutiOnists Driven
From Cuidad Boliver.
MADE A FIERCE RESISTANCE

MADE = FlEhSE
Fighting Ragged Madly For Two Days
and the city Is Almost In Ruins,
Women and Children Fled for
Safety.
soledad. Venezuela. July 22.-The
battle between the revolutionary forces
at Ciudad Bolivar and the Venezuelan
government army, commanded by
General Gomez. has ragged madly for
the last two days Block after block
was disputed, the government troops
entering the city slowly. All the
houses had been barricaded ana the
revolutionists had been firing from nat
roofs. called azotoas. When the reYo-
lutionists finally abandoned the
houses. after having taken all that
could be used for barricades or to|
otherwise stop the advance OF the gov
ernment troops, they were immedi-
ately occupied by the government
soldiers. who bored holes in them so
as to communicate with the next house.
The CITY appears to have been struck
by a cyclone.
Early in the morning. when the m
babitants of the commercial and for
eign parts of the city, near the Ala
media. saw the advance of the govern
ment troops. they all abandoned their
homes and sought refuge in other
parts of the city. crossing the streets
amidst a hail of bullets and shells
the women carrying their children the
strong helping the weak. Many men
in trying to protect the women fell
struck by bullets in the middle Of the
streets. What with the firing. the yells
of the wounded and the crying OF the
women and children terrible scene
was witnessed, bad enough 70 disgust
ANYBODY forever with civil war.
The government generals having
effected a junction Of their forces
north and south and having received
further supplies of ammunition. de-
cfded to push the attack on the centre
of the city. They captured the north
side of the Alameda, the public PARK
of Cudad Bolivar, which has been de-
Tended bv double row Of barricades'
Bebind one of these were found more
than so dead soldiers lying on top OF
each other, while wounded men were
seen on all sides.
The iail was the centre OF terrible
resistance. All the defeated revolt
tionists concentrated there. 1t Is eStl-
mated that more than 200 men nave
been killed in that vicinity.
The last stages Of the battle were
horrible. The government forces We're
ordered to make a general attack OF
all positions held by the rebels. The
"Zamora." called the Sebastopol o
Ciudad Bolivar, was stormed ana cap
t1red. Ninety-four dead rebels were
found inside. among them being Gen
eral Azange. one of the reyolutionar!
leaders. whose head had been hlowl
off by shell. 1t is impossible tc reh
der an idea of the carnage which oc
Cured at this point.
At the same time General Riyas
General Gomez'e chief lieutenant VIII
1900 men succeeded in destroying
barricade erected around the Mlrand
plaza. the key to the capitol wler
the survivors of the revolution wer
concentrated. All the roads and street
running into the capitol are guarded D.
government troops, and ,he escape q
the revolutionists after the captur
of tbe capitol. which is inevitab"
seems impossible. They must eithe
surrender or die. The custom nous
was taken after a ten-hours fight.
press reporter counted so killed as
result of this fight