West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1907-06-27
FOUGHT WHOLE ARMY
American Single Handed Stood
off NiCaraguan Horde.
WAS SHOT EIGHTEEN TIMES.

But Killed Twenty five OF the Enemy
Before Ne Fell--Foe, Marvelina at
His Bravery, Buried Him With All
Honors Of War.
The lighting power OF an American
shows In the desperate battle of Fred
Mills In the baltic OF Amlscgir TN the
recent war between Honduras aud NJ.
carngua.
John Il. Poe who once kicked a field
goal for Princeton, winning the most
sensational football game ON record. re-
Gently returned 60 Nevada from Hon
duras. where hc served ps cnptou I'm
the llondurn army. About his own
service he has little 10 say. but while
In san Francisco on his way To- Nevada
he told the story of Mills. an American
0dNouturcr. recently OF GoldUcld. Nov.
who, with his back to an udobo wall.
held the whole Ncurngunu army of iu-
vaslou ot bay aud killed twenty-five OF
President Iclaya's men before hc was
finally borne down 10y overwhelming
numbers
Slhc story comes from nm officer i'm
the Nicoraguun forces, who came iu ON
the close of Mills great fight
When there was rumor of war in
Central America. Mills. who was nt that
time In Goldncld went to san Francis.
90 and shipped on the first boat lie
readily obtained cnptnncy I'm the
lIonduran army and Ia the upset state
of affairs just before the war broke out
helped get the army into shape
Then came the rumOr that the Nlca-
rogunn troops were preparing To cross
the Honduran frontier In the interior.
Mills was detailed with u company OF
native soldiers To go out into the noun
taius whore the NiCaragunus were cN.
pccted To cross and, avoiding the main
sody of troops, Ia pick NJ any sllir.
mishing parties lac could lind and learn
the number OF the Nicuragunns.
At Amlscgir. "a mountain town which
the Nicarnguaus were advancing upon
and were forced to occupy as key TO
the position Nils found himself the
only man In the ltonduran forces who
realized what was ut stake. IIc pre-
pared TO hold the place against nll
comcrs
The town lies high MP on the huls,
with nothing but zigzag mountain trails
leading 90 IT, They are the highways
cnminos reales-o Honduras. though I'm
any civilized country they would be
called goot paths
Mills realized that he could not be
forced from the town by artillery, az II
could only be moved against him on
the back Of mules. lie took mp his po.
sition I'm an old graveyard. command.
Ing the last angle Of the road. with
thick adobe walls luttiug out mt
sharp angle over the hillside.
Had TO Fight His Own Men.
The value Of this place for him lay
not In the fact that these walls formed
first barrier against the enemy, but
also that once be got his handful Of
barcfOotcd, hungry soldlcry into tho
graveyard he was able to tnkc up his
stand at the gateway, the only exit
from the place 10 keep bis men from
running AWAY as the enemy approach
cd. This was only accomplished after
lac had shot down one of his own men
who tried 30 brush past him aud had
locked the iron gate throwing the key
over tho wall. Seeing themselves trap
ped, his men, nftcr ono futile rush.
which stretched two Of them at his
feet, recognized their master and man
ned their positions Mills made them
knock holes through tho wall ON the
side commanding thc trail through