Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-12-24
ARMY Of Z[LAYh
IS ANN|H|LA|[D
VICTORY OF REvoLuTIoNlsrs
COMPLETE BUT WON AT
HEAVY COST.
GOO KILLED AND WOUNDED
AND 1900 PRISONERS
Heaviest Fighting Near Recreo, Where
Hand-to- Hand Conflicts Were Num-
erous-Leaders on Both Sides Show
Conspicuous Darins-United States
Sends Red Cross Relief

Bluef1elds, Nicara qua, Dec. 24.-An
army annihilated, but victory won at
heavy cost, summarizes the recent
tWo-days' battle between zelayans
and Estrada's revolutionary army. OF
Zelaya's army of 5000, but 500 escaped
The killed and wounded on both sides
numbered 600, and 1900 government
troops surrendered.
Three Hotchkiss and four Maxims,
1000 rifles and 100000 rounds of am
munition are included in the booty.
The prisoners include Generals Con-
zales and Castrillo. General vasouez,
who was returning to Rama from
Managua when the hostilities began, did
not reach the scene during the fight
ing. He was few miles distant when
tne Ielayans were routed and it is
possible 500 men escaped with him.
Gonzales shares Estradas quarters
victor and vanquished eating from the
same mess and evidently enjoying each
others company. Six Americans par
ticipated in the battle, operating rapid
fire guns, and all escaped injury with
the exception of one named Bashford,
who received three bullets in the leg.
Hard Fighting at Recreo.
The first days fighting had driven
the Zelayans back to Recreo, which
was protected by trenches and barbed
wire entanglements, making the gov
ernment position unexpectedly strong.
The Pioneer and Blanca, upon which
tod %oI,l
buried in sand, steamed upa creek
tributary to the Nico river to Recreo.
For hours they shelled the village, the
gunners maintaining great accuracy.
Zelaya's troops frequently left the
trenches and advanced thru the jungles.
met the insurgents in hand-to- hand
conflicts with the men under Chamorro
Diaz and Matuty. These dashes were
followed in each instance by retreat
to the trenches and forward move
ment by the PROFESSIONALS, who cut the
wires with machetes. In these brushes
many were killed or wounded. Cham
orro fought with frenzied vigor per-
sonally, using pistol and invariably
killing his man outright Diaz walked
erect amid hail of bullets, directing
the fire of his men, Chamorro was in
active command of the battle, Estrada
having merely laid out the general
plan.
Estrada Almost Defeated.
| AS evening approached the enemy
| still held the trenches, stubbornly re-
sisting the repeated assaults The sit
uation was unfavorable to the revolu-
tionists. Chamorro and Diaz ha6
moved on the main Notifications al
Recreo and Tatumbla hill, and Mens
was under orders to cover the lines
of retreat from Recreo. Mena hac
moved up the Rama river, but his 6Ot
men, weak from the long, hard march
failed to effect the expected junction
with the insurgent armies when the
assault began. Tho the enemy fell OF
every side, Chamerro discerned that al
best he was but holding his own ant
sent a messenger to Mena urging haste
with reinforcements. Chamorro hae
been fought to standstill, and his
men were we'll nigh exhausted. Ovel
the field telephone Estrada was in.
formed that the situation was des.
perate.
Mena Saves the Day.
In the meantime Mena had received
Chamorro's message and rushed hi!
men thru the swamp and jungle. Whel
the hour was the darkest for the in.
surgents cheers were heard in the dis.
tance and Mena and his scratched ani
bleeding men emerged from the jungl,
onto the battlefield. Without stoppins
for orders and cheering wildly the re-
| inforcing troops swept to the rear o
the enemy and charged the HILL Tht
movement of Mena served as a sigma
for general advance by the thre,
armies of the insurgents.
At the critical moment the insur'
gents swept up the hill in the face o
a furious fire. Mena was the first tt
| reach the summit At his heels wer'
| his determined soldiers. The defenders
depending on their rifles only, were un
able to repulse the attackers. Sudden
/ ly abandoning the trenches the govern
ment troops fell back before the mel
of Mena and the charges of the ad
vancing armies under Chamorro an,
Diaz, Mena pushed his attack on Con
zales' rear.
/ Friahtful Execution Done.
1 In ten minutes it was all over, bu
In that ten minutes A frightful execu
! ton was done Scores were kille,
outright and the wounded covered tn
summit of the hill. Hundreds Of tn
enemy threw down their arms an
begged for quarter. Gonzales saw h
was whipped and, to save needles
4 slaughter, signalled surrender Nine
teen hundred prisoners were taker
among them many women who ha
fought courageously side by side wit
the men. The Americans establishe
4 hospital quarters ashore and tn
wounded Of both armies are bein
cared for by nurses and surgeons fror
the cruiser Des Moines q
HAS MApRiz RESIGNED?