Show SUNK HIS ON SHIP f I 4 + Mistake of a StubborColomblm Rebel Commander THOUGHT IT WAS ENEMY ECTG AT ON THE MG DAA RIVER Insurgents Lost Their Best Boat I Which So Disheartened Them That They Ran From the Govern meat Forces to the Shore Were They Deserted Their Vessels Washington Dec iThe government harecelved through one of its agents a most Interesting account dated the late part of November or the inception incep-tion and growth of the present revolutionary revolu-tionary movement In Colombia The revolution according to this statement i i 1 an attempt on the part of the Iber alf to oust the conservatives who have been in power for many years The fnanceH or the country are sid to be in a bad condition The present rte pf exchange is eight Colombian dollars but to one is for one dollar In gold ten often given The effect of this state ot affairs upQn trade and commerce was disastrous and the liberals saw their opportunity to revolt The present revolution is represented to be well organize Ith directories for each of the nine provinces and mltaT officers of reputation as leaders lead-ers such as UrIbeUribe Hulz Cigare ro etc Their troops are poorlY armed undisciplined and green so that for the present they can cam on only a guerilla warfare The uprising was premature and In advance of the arrival of proper atlas and supple being incited by the rove lutQn In Venezuela The dIsturbance began In Santander which is now the center ot the I evolution The garrisons of the coast towns and ports when the advices wee sent were being hurried to tile scene of revolt b3 the government govern-ment and only a few ragged conscripts were left for protection glar oorlY rea The regular troops were asserted to be 10000 strong welt armed with Mao I sers and disciplined but so tar lS the gent could see they were really armed with antiquated guns of every make The revolutona1 movement had s far been confIned to Satander and i was affirmed that the liberals would make no demonstration In Panama and Colon on account of foreign Interests there The town was under martial I law and all males capable of carrying arms were being Impressed into the military service so that a state of terrorism ter-rorism prevailed The principal engagement so far has been a naval one and the agent give a graphic account of i I took place on the night of Oct 24 at LOS ISPO some 300 miles up the Magdalena river below Puerto aclonal I The revolutionists were embarking on I revolutonists I seven river steamers which they had I seized and were coming down the river I presumably with the hope of capturing I Cartagena or some other coast town in order to get possession ot the cus orer I tom house and revenues Naval Battle On a River Nav atte I Their steamers were unprotected and unarmed whIle the government troops I I were on two ewheel vessels which had bCn protected by plating and railway I I rail-way iron and were armed with Qat I lings and one Hotchllss gui l1ng i The two fleets met In the dirk one I steaming up the river at a speed ol 1 seven knots the other coming down I the rapId current at twelve to fourteen knots an hour The government yes slsthe Hercules and Colombiawere I charged by the Helena and others of the insurgent force and the Hercules 1 was rammed by the Helena but thei wa blow struck her on he paddle box and did ito material damage I The general on the Helena then ordered or-dered his pilot to ram anther vessel which tile pilot assured him was one of his own ij4uadron but wIth a revolver re-volver to the mans head the general Insisted on his command being obeyed I The result was that the Crlstobol Colon a stem dredger and his best ship was struck amidships and went down carrying car-ryIng with her 250 len Insurgents Then Ran This loss so disheartened the insur goats that they put about ran their vessels alongshore and deserted them alonghore vesels Other than this bne great disaster there casualties lu all were only eight or ten casualtes al including the generOls pilot who was promptly shot to cover the mistake of I his superior I I I was reported that since then the insurgents had lost Cigarero one of their ablest generals In a recent engagement en-gagement and rumor were current without confirmation that the insurgents Insur-gents had captured Bogota With the exception oC the capture of Rio Hach by the government force after slight resIstance all operations have ben cOIned to the original pray have IncQ ot Santander and Tolna and the seacoast was unaffected except b3 mar sacoast uncertainty thU law conscription and paralyzing |