The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-05-08
MEXICAN TROOPS MAssAcRRD
Led Into Ambush by Yaqui Indians in
Lower California--Two Hundred
Killed and Wouuded--A Repeti-
tion of Braddockss Defeat

Killed and ude Repet1-
tion of Braddock's Defeat.
SAN DIEGO, Cal, May 2.-News is re-
ceived here that the Yaqui Indians
have once more ambushed the forces
sent against them. A day or two age
a statement was published that two
companies of Mexican troops stationed
at Ensenada had been ordered to Quay
mas, Sonora, on the Gulf of California,
for immediate duty.
At the time it was thought to be an
ordinary and unimportant transfer of
soldiers, but the report which now
comes in directly from the Mexican
officers at Ensenada gives that move
ment a most-sensational aspect. Elk
Governor Louis e. Torres, who is now
General of the Northern and Western
Departments of Mexico, it says, has
been making another campaigE against
the Yaquis in the Sonora and northern
Simolia. He had an army of over 500
men, and the plan was to dispose of
the Yaquis then at once and forever.
President DiaZ selected Gen. Torres
for this work because of his experience
and supposed ability to accomplish the
desired purpose.
But, like the other commanders who
have tried it, according to reports,
Torres met the Yaquis and was de-
feated.
The report says that a force, com
posed of soldiers taken from different
regiments, accompanied by a party of
national militia. in command of a lieu
tenant colonel, lately arrived from
Mexico, were in pursuit of the Yaquis
in the Sierra De Bacatel. On the after
noon Of the fifth day of the march the
trail led the pursuers into a long, deep,
narrow deile in the Sierra De Bacatel.
The walls of the Canon we're almost
precipitous, rising to the height insome
places Of over 2 600 feet, and covered
with brush. The command halted,
and skirmishers pushed forward to I'M
cover any possible ambush.
The skirmish line climbed the walls
and beat the brush as far as possible
without results, and, as the trail was
clearly defined In the sand in the bot
tom of the canon, the colonel in com
mand ordered them forward. Half
the dangerous locality had been trav-
ersed with no sign of life nor motion
from the cliffs towering above, and the
men were beginning to breathe easier,
when suddenly huge masses Of rock
and boulder from the cliff, nearly 1, 500
feet above, came bounding from wall
to wall down upon the hemmed-in
column, crushing horses and riders into
shapeless heaps, and higher and higher
rose the war cries of the well armed
Yaquis, who now began firing volley
after volley directly into the struggling
mass below, where all was confusion.
Horses dashed through the broken
column, trampling on the dead and
wounded soldiers; men writhed and
screamed under the weight of rocks
that had crushed them down into the
earth; others sank under the pltIless
hail of bullets, and others, less severely
wounded, and those still unhurt sought
the bushes on either side and watched
for some sign of their bloodthirsty foes.
In such confusion it was impossible for
the commands of the officers to be
heard, but finally the colonel found a
wounded bugler with yet life enough
to sound a call.
In a few minutes, although still in
range of those deadly rocks and rifles,
those of the wounded able to move with
assistance were started back down the
canon, while those who were able to
offer resistance fired volley after volley
at random into the bushes on the cliffs,
and had the satisfaction of occasionally
seeing a half naked Yaqui leap cOnvul-
sively from his hiding place and come
whirling down through a thousand feet
of space.
AS rapidly as possible the remnant
of the column fought its way back to
open ground, where their foe had not
dared to follow, and after a brief rest,
dragged themselves back along the
route over which they had marched so
cheerfully the day before.
The number killed cannot be accu-
rately stated, but out of the column of
! 500 men it is said that at least 200 are
either killed or wounded.
An additional force of 200 militia has
been organized in Hermosillo, and the
campaign against this party Of reds
will be pushed vigorously.
Torres himself and a small party of
soldiers ~retreated to Guaymas, where,
according to one version that has
reached Ensenada, he has been placed
under arrest because of his failure.
This is not believed to be true.
At any rate, all the Mexican troops
of Lower California. Sorona and
Sinaloa are to be modified at Guaymas
against the Yaquis, but whether Gen.
Torres is to lead or not remains to be
seen.
It is said that Don jacob Corda, a
young doctor, after the encounter in
the canon, left a place called LANES,
with a small escort, to attend the
wounded, and on passing place called
Arenas fell into an ambush prepared
by the same party of Yaquis. Accord
ing to reports, he was slain In a most
cruel manner, the savages first haying
his feet and making him walk. They