No. 51.
Mr. Reynolds to Mr. Fish.
La Paz, Bolivia, March 20, 1875. (Received April 27.)
Sir: This will long remain a memorable day for La Paz as the scene of another attempt at revolution, or rather the destruction of property, [Page 85] marking it as “one day of the commune.” The rumors filling the air for more than one week prior found a fitting sequel to-day, when, at 11 o’clock, the cry ran through the streets, “Revolution!” “Revolution!” “Vive Quevedo!” “Vive Quevedo!”
It was soon known that the defeated and scattered forces from the battle of Chacoma on the 18th of January had rallied about 200 men, and, taking advantage of the absence of the army and President Frias, had plotted the taking of the palace and then pillaging this city.
The palace building was defended by thirty-seven young men of the city, belonging to what is known as “the national guard,” while there were in the palace also some twelve or thirteen civilians without effective arms, among whom were the minister of justice and the minister for foreign affairs, who were at their desks dispatching business as usual. The attack was entirely unexpected at that hour, yet the volleys of musketry following the yells in the street admonished all that the struggle had begun.
Within thirty minutes the revolutionists found they had much mistaken the mettle of the citizen soldiery in the palace, and their dead lying in the plaza and on the corners of the square admonished them that their task was a bloody one, if not desperate.
I was situated so as to witness the whole combat, which lasted without cessation from 11 o’clock a.m. till 7½ o’clock p.m. No interval of over half a minute transpired, so steady was the musketry, with occasional firing of artillery.
The revolutionists being beaten back with loss at every attempt at assault on the palace building, they next attempted to fire the palace with balls of turpentine thrown on the roof, and at 3 o’clock p.m. they succeeded in igniting the wooden partitions of the roof in such a manner that the inmates could not extingnish it.
From that time the struggle was exciting indeed. The yells of the assaulting party, the steady fire of the guards, with the rapid burning of the palace, which was now covered with black smoke, with an occasional wild leap of the flames, made a scene not readily forgotten nor often witnessed.
As the fire advanced and consumed the roof the guard abandoned the upper floors and steadily fired from the lower stories, and when at last the rolling smoke and terrible heat compelled them to abandon the palace building, they boldly sallied out on the plaza in front of the palace with two pieces of artillery, and delivered a rapid fire upon their assailants. This was about 7 o’clock p.m., and it was fortunate indeed for them that success came at that moment, as they were reduced to 18 effective men. Col. Jaun Granier, with about 150 men, had made a forced march of eighteen miles from Viacha, starting at 3½ o’clock, with infantry, and arrived in the city about the same time that the guard were compelled to abandon the building, as before stated. It was clear moonlight, and a few volleys closed the battle for the day.
It is 8 o’clock, and all firing has ceased except an occasional volley tells that some prisoners just captured are “biting the dust of death.”
The loss in the palace force is stated at 22 in killed and wounded, which is a very heavy percentage of loss. The loss on the part of the revolutionists is not known.
Later:
Great efforts have been made to save the lower portion of the palace building from complete destruction by fire, which has been burning all [Page 86] night. It is stated that there are three and one half tons of powder in the basement, which cannot be taken out now, but it is thought that the fire is within control.
The casualties of yesterday are stated as follows: Government total loss 7 killed, and 24 wounded, of whom several will die. Revolutionists, 57 killed and many wounded, but the number not known, as they are concealed by their friends, fearing death if found.
You will pardon me for so long a dispatch, which you may well say is fitted for the Department of War rather than that of State, yet I deem this important, as marking a new era in the history of Bolivia. The republic seems to be entering upon a new era, the era of “the commune.” Her idle and dissolute population now seem to be determined to provide for themselves by conflagration and plunder, with the cry “Down with the government!” “Down with all property-holders!” “We must live!”
I inclose two copies of “La Reforma,” in which will be found a more full account of the battle of yesterday, and also an account of affairs in Cochabamba, in which city revolution is rampant, and where property is destroyed without measure or reason. Passages have been cut through, connecting all the houses on the plaza, while trains of magazines, filled with powder, close up all avenues of ingress into the city.
The inhabitants have been driven to the country, abandoning their homes to the mercy of the revolutionists, who control everything.
News has just arrived that the rebels in the Youngar district have been defeated with a loss of 38 killed; which is generally believed as true.
This legation has not been disturbed except in receiving three random shots) two shots from muskets through the windows and one shot through the flag flying from the flag-staff.
All is quiet to-day, yet this calm may but precede a more terrible and desolating storm, for the “end is not yet.” The government troops with the President are now doubtless before Cochabamba. Of them we shall hear in a few days.
Yours, &c.,