No. 51.
Mr. Carlisle to Mr. Bayard.
La Paz, Bolivia, October 6, 1888. (Received November 14.)
Sir: I have the honor to report that the military mutiny begun at Sucre on the 8th of September last has led to graver events.
After two days of unrestrained and brutal license on the part of the soldiers, during which they killed 137 innocent, defenseless persons and wounded 60 more, committing besides every excess known to crime, and sparing neither age, condition, or sex, a leader appeared upon the scene in the person of Belisario Salinas, who proclaimed himself Superior, political, and military chief of the South,” and set up a provisional government with subordinates of his choice.
President Arce, who had fled from Sucre the night of the 8th, arrived on the 14th at Cochabamba, where he was received with every demonstration of loyalty.
He at once proclaimed the country in a state of siege, appealed to the patriotism of the people, and ordered the arrest of all persons suspected of complicity with the insurrectionary movement.
Under this order General Camacho and his suspected friends residing here were arrested on the night of the 19th and after short imprisonment [Page 53] were taken to Huanchaea for safer keeping. The three battalions of the South, so far as any organization is left, are insurgent. The Army of the North, composed of three battalions of 500 men each, a squadron of cavalry of 250 men, and a select body of infantry from La Paz of 250 men, is apparently loyal and has been promptly concentrated at Oruro for a forward movement.
President Arce left Oruro September 30 with 1,200 men for Potosi, leaving the remainder of the army to follow in strategic movement upon Sucre. In the meantime a “junta” formed by the cabinet ministers Velarde and Ichaso and the prefect of Potosi had gathered together at that place a rude and undisciplined force of about 1,100 men. This body of men was advanced September 28 towards Sucre to repel the insurrectionary troops said to have been marched out from that place under Salinas to take Potosi and deliver battle to the Army of the North.
There is a grave misgiving in the public mind that when the forces meet, Arce’s command, though numerically much stronger than that of the insurgents, may be greatly weakened by defection, and that the large proportion of the rank and file may affiliate with, instead of fighting, the enemy. This was the case with the Chorolque Battalion, stationed at Totala, 3 leagues from Sucre, which, on being marched to the city to re-establish order, was met by the insurgents in the out skirts and almost immediately absorbed by them, the disgusted officers of the battalion and a remnant of faithful soldiers retreating upon Potosi.
Events of a decisive character are daily looked for, and I trust to be able in a very short time to advise that legitimate order has been restored.
I am, etc.,