The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-12-24

outcome of the battle would have
been wholly different. Indeed. at one
time the position of the insurgents
was desperate. Chamarro and Diaz
had moved on the main fortifications
at Recreo and Tatum5la hill, and
Mena was under orders tc cover the
lines of retreat from Recreo. Mena
had moved up the Rama river, but
and failed to effect the expected june
tion with the other armies of the in
-surgents when the assault began.
They encountered roads knee deep
with red clay and overgrown with
tropical plants, through which they
cut a way with their machettes, but
their progress was slow. Chamarro
became uneasy and dispatched a mes
senger with this urgent command:
Come quickly or the day goes
against U.S. and the day was going
against the PROFESSIONALS.
The enemy followed on every side.
but Chamarro discerned that at hest
he was but holding his line. After
dispatching the messenger, he adopted
the plan of repulsing the enemy when
they left their trenches, yut without
attempting a further advance.
Mena realized the situation and in
stead of satisfying himself, by cutting
off possible retreat of the government
troops pushed forward for an as
sault- How he and his 500 men got
through the intervening two miles of
brush the general has been unable
since to explain. They seem to have
rushed SO desperately that they failed
to realize the obstacles before them.
Fought to a Standstill.
General Chamarro had been fought
to standstill and his men We're well
nigh exhausted. Over the field tele-
phone Commander-in-Chi Estrada
was informed that the situation was
desperate and that while his army
was not defeated, victory was not in
sight.
When the hour was darkest for the
insurgents, cheers were heard and
presently General Mena and his
scratched and bleeding men emerged
from the jungle into the half cleared
ing waged.
Without stopping for orders and
yelling at the top of their voices the
reinforcing troops swept across the
clearing to the rear of the enemy and
charged the hill at a point where no
machine guns had been placed.
The movement of Mena served as a
signal for a general advance by the
three armies of the insurgents At
critical moment the insurgents
swept up the hill in the face of a
furious fire Mena was the first to
reach the summit. At his heels were
his determined soldiers
The defenders, depending on their
rlHes only, We're unable to repulSe the
attackers Suddenly abandoning their
trenches the government troops fell
back before Mena's men and charged
the advancing armies under Cham
AFRO and Diaz. Mena pushed his at
tack on Gonzales rear
In ten minutes it was all over, but
IN that ten minutes heavy execution
was done. Scores were killed outright
and the wounded covered the SUNNI
of the hill. Hundreds of the enemy
threw down their arms and begged
Tor quarter. General Gonzales. to
save needless slaughter, signalled
that he surrendered. Nineteen hun
dred prisoners were taken.
Red Cross Aid to BluefieIds.
Washington, Dec. "a TO relieve the
starvation OF the captured soldiers of
the Zelaya1 army at Rama and fur
nlsh much needed aid to soldiers of
ooth the Nlcaraguan government
forces and the insurgents who were in
Jured in the battle near Rama. the
United States government today order
ed the cruiser Prairie now at Colon to
take on board $1,000 worth of staple
supplies secured by the funds of the
American Red Cross society and pro-
ceed with c1l possible haste to Blue
fields