Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-07-20
M lORS ARE REPULSEO
Spanish Troops victors in
TWo-Day Battle at MeIilIa.
TRIBESMEN SHOW vALOR
Charge Madly to Die at Mouth Of
Big Guns.
FIGHT THROUGHOUT NIGHT
Two Thousand Europeans Resist
Assault of 5000 Horsemen.
Many Casualties.
TRIBESMEN SHOW vAL0R
FIGHT THROUGHOUT NIGHT

MELILLA. Morocco, July 2o.-The at
tack by Moorish tribesmen. made on the
Spanish forces here last Saturday after
noon. was executed under cover of a
feint on the front, against the Spanish
flank.
The first charge was repused. In
the evening a more violent assault was
Spanish battery.
The Moors displayed great courage and
skillful tactics. They rushed in in small
squads.
Many tribesmen succeeded in breaking
through the barbed wire entertainments
There they fell at the mouths Of the
cannonr after hand to hand fighting.
1t was 3 o'clock Sunday morning when
the Moors finally retired. The Moors
numbered 6,oOo while the French and
Spanish force was composed of 1000 men,
Gen. Marina. commander of the Span
ish force In Morocco, was in the thick
of the struggle encouraging his men. who
fought heroically. Capt. Guilloche and
Maj Royal both were killed while de-
tending battery.
The Moors bore OFF several bodies with
the intention of burning them. The
Spaniards made sortie and recaptured
the bodies.
Spain to Hurry Troops to Scene.
MADRID, July 0.-King Alfonso and
Premier Maura are returning In haste to
the capital from San Sebastian. in con-
nection with the sending of reinforce
ments to Melilla. where heavy fighting
las been going on between the Moors
and Spaniards.
The Spanish government is exercising
the strictest censorship over kilograms
from Meiilla and also the outgoing press
dispatches relating TO the situation in
Morocco.
Dispatches from Neilla give an account
of severe engagement fought Saturday
and Sunday between the Spanish troops
and the Moorish tribesmen- 1t was the
most serious which has yet been fought.
At : o'clock Saturday afternoon the
Moors began to gather on the hills sur
rounding the Spanish camp outside Me-
lila. On signal being given by means
of a red flag as they advanced. Gen. Ma
rina sent forward q company of native
police. supported by a second company
from the disciplinary brigade
At this moment body of more than
1.UGO mounted Moors rushed on the camp
and tried to capture one of the outlying
positions at Atalyon. This was defended
by lieutenant with sixty men.
Spaniards Fall Back.
In spite of the enormous numerical su-
perior.ty of the attacking force tile de-
tachmsnt defended its position in a he
roic fashion. The force had, however,
finally TO fall back.
Meanwhile the Spanish artillery had
been brought up and opened a terrible
fire on the enemy, causing great loss. In
spite OF this the enemy continued to ad-
vance and a tremendous fusillade was
kept up all along the Spanish line.
BY a skillful movement the Moors at
tempted 10 turn the Spanish flank and
capture the guns, but at this moment a
fresh reinforcement arrived from Melilla
and defeated them. At o'clock In the
evening the battle was still raging with
the greatest intensity. especially In the
rcighborhood OF the North African rail-
way lines.
Trains were kept going however, bring
ing fresh troops and ammunition, and the
battle went on through the whole night,
and SUNDAY morning was still raging.
The losses of the Moors arc enormous,
hut those of the Spaniards are also great.
Among the officers killed are Lieut.. Col.
Cehalios. Maj. Arrozo and Capt. Ibache.
The exact loss on the Spanish side Is
rot vet known. Dispatches indicate Il is
much higher than at the last engagement.
Moorish tribes friendly to Spain did not
take part. but fed to La Resting and
Mar Chica.
Down With War;" Cried.
BARCELONA. July N.-During the
enba arkation today OF fresh troops to re-
inforce the Spanish soldiers at Melilla
the people paraded through the streets
shouting, Down with the war:
The procession was dispersed by the
police after many arrests had been
made.