THE SOUTH AMERICAN WAR.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1991, 12 July 1880, Page 4

THE SOUTH AMERICAN WAR.

a DABirra natal exploit. Colonel Andrews, of the U.S. army, writing from Lima, under date March 25tb, says : Since I last wrote, an act of gallant bravery performed by Captain Yillavicencio, of the Peruvian corvette Union, has been the topic of the day. The Army of the South, with ite headquarters at Arioa, the fortified seaport of Taona, and commanded by General Lizardo Mointero, has been threatened by the Chilian land forces on either flank, and by their powerful fleet from the sea. Since the blockade of Arioa was established, the Huasoar, Angomos, and Oousine, accompanied at times by one of the still more formidable ironclads, and by a transport or two, have eruised off the port, out of range of the shore batteries, the An games occasionally throwing shell three miles into the town from her long-range rifle, but doing little ■damage. Knowing that the southern division of the (Peruvian) army was in need of money and ■applies, the Government on the night of the 12th of March dispatched the corvette Union, fourteen 74-pounders, and the tender Talisman, with arms, ammunition, and a million in money, to the South. The Talisman, bound for Quiloa, a small cove, 100 miles north of Arica, returned a few days later, having failed in her mission. But Captain Yillavicencio was made of sterner stuff. He vowed, before leaving Callao, to run the blockade of Arica and enter the port with his precious freight, adding—- “ I cannot say whether I will gat out again. Steering boldly for the port, he arrived off Arica at 5.m. on the 17th, and sending in a boat to the Manoo Capao, notified the authorities of his mission. Anchoring near the stern of the monitor, he coolly began discharging bis cargo, taking in coal at the same time. At eight o’clock two Chilian men-of war, the Huascar and Matias Cousino, steamed into the bay and opened fire upon the Union, being reinforced later by the ironclad Blanco Encalada and transport Loa. The position of the corvette was a critical one. A wooden vessel, anchored in smooth water, with her boilers and machinery considerably above' the line of flotation, and whose heaviest gun was a 74pounder, prevented from manceuvring by the necessity for her simultaneous discharge and coaling, she lay a conspicuous target for tho 300-pound guns of nor formidable adversaries. After suffering this iron hail for hours, his vessel twice set on fire by shells. Captain Yillaviconoio was advised by some from shore to beach the ship > but, with the coolness of a veteran, he kept his stand upon the bridge for seven hour?, while 300 pound shot and shell bowled through the rigging or exploded over the ship. One tore a hole in -the deck 10ft long, breaking three beams ; another carried away the muzzle of _ a 74pounder and deposited it in the corridor of the captain’s cabin; a third perforated the smokestack close to the deck, and, after exploding, collapsed the steam ■ pipe, and indented, without perforating, the boiler. The shrouds, stays, and standing rigging generally were badly out up, the maintop carried away, mainmast sprung and the captain’s gig out in two. Tho affair resolved itself for the enemy into a simple question of target practice, as they were enabled by the micrometer to get tho range of their stationary mark within a foot; and, be it remembered, their ships count many an able English gunner among the crews of their batteries. That the Union was not demolished was due greatly to the customary commendable prudence of the Chilian commanders wherever any resistance is to be apprehended. They remained nearly out of range of the batteries on the bluff behind the town and of the smoothbore guns of tho monitor, which, however, succeeded in lodging a few shells on the enemy’s decks. Strange to relate, the Union lost but one man lulled, and he by the snapping of a chain of - one of her own pieces, and seven wounded. Not an officer reoived a scratch. Her commander reports over 150 projectiles fired at him. Towards four o’clock the fire slackened, and the Chilian vessels assembled as if in council, separating afterwards and posting themselves ft the northern and western outlet# of the bay to intercept the Union should ahe attempt to escape. Moreover they could <ae the smoke pouring from her sides, and doubtless supposed her fatally damaged and on fire. The latter supposition was true, but the men worked coolly and systematically, as if at fire drill, and soon extinguished the flames. The wounded were handed over to the oare of the ambulance ' corps, and carried carefully ashore ; the lust package of cargo was discharged, the last sack of coal ■towed away on board—for during the whole of this terrific pounding, one half the crew was busy discharging cargo and embarking coal on the port side, while the rest stood by the guns of the starboard battery, firing whenever the enemy steamed into the field of their pieces. Having nothing particular to detain him in Arioa, Captain Yillavicencio said good-bye to his friend# from the shore and the monitor, and at 5 p.m., in the broad sunshine, slipped hi# cable and steamed to the southward, leaving his baffled adversaries to gaze openmouthed at their vanishing victim, whom, recovered from their astonishment, they chased in vain. At nightfall he altered his coarse, steering for Callao, where he arrived at midnight on Saturday, the 21st of March, sending a modest dispatch to the Government, stating that ho had returned from Arica, having carried out his instructions. He is, of course, the hero of the hour, and on Sunday was the object of spontaneous ovations from the people. Tho President went by the two o’clock train to Callao, accompanied by the Secretaries of the Government, War, and Navy, to visit the battle-scarred •hip and congratulate her commander upon one of the pluckiest and most important feats in tho history of this rather monotonous war.