Omaha daily bee., 1909-12-25

however, he insisted should keep under
cover whenever possible.
When one soldier, infused by the exam
pie of his commander, fought on his feet,
Diaz turned his pistol upon the man and
commanded him to get behind a stump.
Chamorro, who had been fighting for
twenty years, is idolized by his men. He
swore cheerfully when his troopers ex-
posed themselves and good naturally
pushed them behind the cover of stumps
and tangled underbrush. Chamorro was
in active command of the battle, Estrada
having merely laid out the general plan.
As the evening approached and the en-
envy still resisted, after repeated assaults,
the insurgents wavered from physical ex-
haustion, but their courage never failed.
But for the timely arrival Of General
Mena, it is quite possible that the outcome
of the battle would have been wholly diff
ferent. Indeed, at one time the position
of the insurgents was desperate.
Insurgents in Tight Place.
Chamorro and Diaz had moved on the
main Qualifications at Recreo and Tatum-
bla Hill, and Mena was under orders to
cover the lines OF retreat from Recreo.
Mena had moved up the Rama river, but
lllS W IltH-HNHES. 1Wbdh lEOm their InATCn
and failed to effect the expected junction
with the other armies of the insurgents
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 machetes, but their progress was
slow. Chamorro became uneasy and dis
patched a messenger with this urgent com
mand:
Come quickly or the day goes against
u.s." and the day was going against the
PROFESSIONALS.
'Tho Enemy fell on every side, but Cham
orro discerned that at best he was but
holding his line. After dlspatching the
messenger to Mena he adopted the plan
of repulsing the enemy when they left
their trenches without attempting a further
advance.
Mena realized the situation and instead
Of satisfying himself by cutting off the pos
sible retreat of the government troops,
pushed forward for an assault. How he
and his 600 men got through the interview
ing two miles Of brush the general has
been unable since to explain. They seem
to nave rushed 50 desperately that they
failed to realize the obstacles before them.
General Chamorro had been fought to a
standstill and his men were we'll nigh tx
hausted. over the field telephone Com
mander-in-Ch Estrada was INFORMED
that the situation was desperate and thai
while his army was not defeated, victory
was not In sight.
When the hour was darkest for the in
surgents cheers were heard and presently
General Mena and his scratched and bleed
ing men emerged from the jungle into the
half-cleared plantation, where the battle
was being 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. Thu movement of Mena served as
a signalNfor a general advance by the three
armies Of the insurgents. At a critical mo-
ment 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.
Government Troops Routed.
The defenders depending on their rifles
only were unable to repulse the attackers.
Suddenly abanding their trenches the
government troops fell back before Mena's
men and charged the advancing armies
under and Diaz. Msna pushed
his attack on Gonzales rear.
In ten minutes it was all over, hut in
that ten minutes heavy execution was
done. Scores were killed outright and the
wounded covered the summit of the hill.
Hundreds Of the enemy threw down their
arms and begged for quarter. General
Gonzales, to save a needless slaughter,
that he surrendered. One thou
zine hundred prisoners were taken.