Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 April 1891 — A BLOODY BATTLE. [ARTICLE]

A BLOODY BATTLE.

Chilian Insurgents Win a Desperate FightOne of the Insurgents’ Ships Badly Crippled—Government Forts Do Good Execution. Private advices from Valparaiso state that the ironclad Blanco, belonging to the insurgents, recently attempted to blow up the armed government tug Florence with a fish torpedo. The torpedo missed the tug, but struck a big floating dry dock in the harbor, blowing it to pieces. The Blanco was thereupon treated to a hot fire of shot and shell from every gun in the forts and steamed out of the harbor. The same night a torpedo boat and the - tug Florence stole out to attack the. Blanco. The iron-clad was not alone, being in company with the sloop of warO’Higglns, Both ships compelled the government vessels to return to the harbor and followed in hot pursuit. A heavy shell from the Blanco struck the Florence, blowing her entirely out of the water, and every one of her crew of seventeen men was either killed or wounded. A broadside from the O’HigSins knocked the torpedo boat all to pieces. The two insurgent vessels then turned their attention to the forts and a lively battle ensued. A shell from the forts struck the O’Higgins and went clea r through her. Another shell caused a gun on her quarter-deck to explode. When the smoke cleared away the deck was found to have been literally torn out of the vessel and nine men of the gun brew of twelve were blown to atoms. The sjoop was at once taken out of the range of the guns in the forts.