The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-07-29
RED HANDED WAR.
a Most Horrible Battle While It
Lasted, Says a Dispatch.
BLOOD FLOWED LIKE WATER IN

BLOOD FLOWED LIKE WATER IN
CuIdad, Whose Streets Were Swept
by Shot and Shell, Filling
Them With Dead and
Dying Soldiers.
A dispatch from Soledad. Venezue-
Ia, says for hours on Tuesday after
noon the battle between the tevolu-
tionary forces at Ciudad Bolivar and
the Venezuelan government army,
commanded by General Gomez, has
ragged madly. Block after block was
disputed, the government troops en-
tering the city slowly. AL the houses
had been barricaded and the reyolu-
tionists had been forced from fat roofs
called Azotoas. When the reVolu-
tionists finally abandoned the houses,
after having taken all that could be
used for barricades OF to otherwise
stop the advance Of the government
troops they were Immediately occupied
by the government soldiers who bored
holes in them so as to communicate
with the next house. The city ap-
pears to have been struck by cyclone.
At I o'clock in the evening the gov
eminent forces, which we're advancing
from all directions arrived near the
center of Ciudad Bolivar. For two
hours previously firing had diminished;
but it was renewed with more vigor at
10 o'clock at night and Illuminated the
sky. At 3 o'clock in the morning when
the inhabitants of the commercial and
foreign 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 hail of bullets aud
shells, the women carrying thdr chill
dren; the strong helping the weak,
many men in trying to protect the
women falling, struck by bullets.
In the middle Of the streets what
with the firing, the yell Of the wound Z
ed and the crying Of the women and
children, a terrible scene was witness
ed, bad enough to disgust anybody
forever with civil war. The govern
ment troops, however, acted with hu--
Imanity, especially the forces OF Cen
eral Riyas, who fighting bravely, was
the first to order the attacking force
be merciful. At 8 O'Clock the govern
ment generals having effected g juno
ture of their forces, north and south,
and having received further supplies
and ammunition, decided to push the
attack on the center Of the city.
At 10 o'clock the government troops
had captured the north side Of, the @
Alameda, the public park OF Ciudad
Bolivar, which has been defended bya
double row Of barricades. Behind one
of these were found more than 80 dead
soldiers lying on top Of each other
while wounded men were seen on all
sides. At 10 o'clock the government
commanders seeing that only the ar
tillery could make a breach in the bar,
ricades of the Alameda ordered twelve
guns to open fire on them and at the
same time the Venezuelan feet which
changed it's anchorage so as to bring
it's guns to bear effectively on the city,
opened fire.
The soldiers on both sides have had
no food for two days, no ambulances
are being used and yet the fighting
continues. The old custom house and
waterworks have been taken. The
Dalton block, the property of the
United States counsel, where all the
leading German and French families
reside are now being attacked. The
jail is the centre. Of a terrible resist
ance. All the defeated revolutionists
have concentrated there. 1t is esti-
mated that more than 200 men have
been killed in that vicinity. The ar.
tiilery Of the revolutionists is hercely
replying to the attack Of the feet.
Early in the afternoon 5000 govern
ment troops stormed and captured the
"Zamora, called the Sebastopol OF
! Ciudad Bolivar. Ninety-four dead re-
bells were found inside, among them
being General Azanza, one OF the rev.
olutionary leaders, whose head had
been blown of by a shell. The escape
of the revolutionists after the capture
Of the capitol, which is inevitable,
seems impossible. They must either
surrender or die. At ! o'clock Tues
day night the custom house was taken
after ten-hours fight. The Assocl-
ated Press representative counted
sixty killed as result Of this fight.
The Dalton Block, where the Ameri-
:; can consulate and most Of the foreign
business houses are located, was cap
tured at 5 o'clock. The reVolutionists
are without provisions and water, the
supply pipe having been cut Monday.
Their situation is considered desperate
and hopeless. The shops are being
pillaged.
A Foolhardy Practice.
For some years there has been a
tendency on the part Of people giving