The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-12-25
A GREAT VICTORY
FOR INSURGENTS
Army of General Estrada AL
most AnnihiIated the Sol
dierS of ZeIaya.

Bluefields, Nicaragua, Dec. 24-The de-
tails OF the battle Of Rama are now
known. The victory Of the insurgents
was as complete as has been claimed by
them,
After two days Of fighting, the fiercest
that Central America has seen, General
Estrada on Tuesday wiped out the enc
my. Of Zelaya's army of 5000 men, but
500 escaped. The killed and wounded on
both sides, as before reported, numbered
900, and 1000 OF the government troops
surrendered after q desperate resistance
Three Hotchkiss and four Maxim guns
2O0O rifles and a million rounds OF am
munitiOn. were included in the booty
General Estrada processes TO DelleNe MS
march to Managua will be unopposed.
Bluefields and the neighboring coun-
try are delirtOus with JOY. Tne victory
is said to have been won on the very DAY
scheduled for the Inauguration OF DIT.
Aadriz as president OF Nicaragua in sue
cession TO zelaya.
Mena Turned the Tide.
General Luis Mena is again here. His
troops arrived on the scene of battle
when victory was in the balance, and
turned the tide in favor OF the nsur-
gents.
Moffat, Commander Shipley Of the
United States cruiser Des Moines sent
his hospital squad ashore, establishing
an independent hospital where forty OF
the wounded men are receiving care. Inc
American medical men have been able 70
give their services to all who were IN
need Of them.
Six Americans participated in the bat
tie, operating rapid-fire guns. They es-
capped injury with the exception Of one
named BashfOTd, who received three bul-
let's in the leg.
TWO Generals Captured.
- Il q 49, r.1sae
and General Castrillo. General Nasquez'
who was returning to Rama from Man
aqua when hOsulities began, dld not
reach the scene during the fighting. he
was a few miles distant when the govern
ment troops were routed, and II Is posi-
BILE that some 500 men escaped with him.
After Zelaya's trenches had been
sheiled they were taken py assault IN
the trenches were several women VINO
preferred risking their lives IN the con-
flict to starvation in camp. These women
were armed with rifles and fought cour-
ageously. One of them was wounded ana
later brought to the hospital mere. A
large proportion OF the prisoners were
found to be boys under 16 years OF age.
They accepted defeat as though II were
very welcome.
General Gonzales, the vanquished leader
of the government troops, today shares
the quarters of General Estrada ana IS
eating the latters ratiOns with great rel
ish and smoking insurgents tobacco as
lnCuBH ne euJOyeu IL.
Second Days Fighting.
The second days fighting began at 3
o'clock in the morning. The first day s
conflict had driven the enemy BACK 70
the main Notifications, in the village OF
Recreo, where for three weeks they have
been stringing wires and digging trenches.
The country in that vicinity had been
partially cleared Of underbrush, but II
remains more like a jungle than other
wise. The position of the government
troops behind their entertainments and
barbed wire entanglements proved unex-
pectedly strong.
However, the PROFESSIONALS, who believed
they faced the oppressive rule Of Madriz,
or. as the only alternative in the event
of defeat the humiliation Of intervention
by the United States, bore themselves
with a show of valor that should ever
! relieve them from the charge of being
comic opera soldiers. The hundred dead
and the $50 wounded gave the surviving
/ insurgents something to think about.
Today widows and orphans may be seen
wandering about the streets weeping.
Yet no expression of regret is heard.
The PROFESSIONALS admit their heavy losses
and estimate those Of the enemy at about
an equal amount.