Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-12-25

Alter ZelayaS trenches nad Deen
shelled they were taken by assault. IN
the trenches were several women. who
preferred risking their lives in the con-
flict to starvation in camp. These Wo-
men We're armed with rifles and fought
one of them was wound
ed and later brought to the hospital
here. A large proportion of the prison.
ers were found to be boys under 16
Years Of age They accepted defeat as
though it were very welcome.
General Gonzales, the Vanquished
leader of the government troops, to-
day shares the quarters of General
Estrada and is eating the latter's ra-
tons with great relish and smoking in
surgent tobacco as though he enjoy
ed it.
The second days fighting began at 8
o'clock in the morning. The first days
conflict had driven the enemy back
to the main Notifications at the village
of RccreO, where for three weeks they
had been stringing wire and digging
trenches The country in that vicinity
has been partially cleared of under
brush, but it remains like jungle.
The position of the government
troops behind their entertainments OF
barbed wire proved unexpectedly
strong. However, the PROFESSIONALS VINO
believed that they faced the oppressive
rule of Madriz or as the only alterna-
tive in the event of defeat, the humill-
alton of intervention by the United
States, bore themselves with a snow
of valor that should ever relieve them
from the charge Of being comic opera
soldiers. Indeed there was nothnlS
comic in the fighting, and the hundred
dead, the $50 wounded, many having
arms or legs shattered, gave the sur
viving insurgents something to think
about. Today widows and orphans
NAV be seen wandering about the
streets weeping. Yet no expression Of
regret is heard. The PROFESSIONALS admit
their heavy loss and estimate those OF
the enemy at about an equal nulnper.
General Chamorro, General DlaZ ana
General Matutv first faced the enemy
,rhe tugs Pioneer and Blanca, upon
which were mounted Hotchklss guns
half buried in sand, steamed up q
creek tributary to the Mlco river upon
which the village of Recreo IS situated
For hours they shelled the village, the
yunncrs maintaining great accuracy
Helaya's troops frequently LETT the
trenches and advancing through tn
ungles met the insurgents IN mana L
hand conflict. These daShes were Ioi
lowed in each instance by retreat I
the trenches and forward movement
by the PROFESSIONALS, who cut the WIZ
acknowledgements with their machetes. Ii
these brushes many were Killed o
wounded. --------
General ChamrOrro, who looks like
typical North American regular troop
cr, fought with frenzied vigor, per
scnally using a pistol and inyoriabl
killing his man outright. General Dia
who is said to he proud Of his Spallsi
blood, d;stained, as did ChaElborro, t,
take to cover. DiaZ walked erect ami
a hail of bullets. directing the fire
his men, who, however, he lnslStet
should keep under cover whenever pos
sible. When one soldier, entnused b.
the example of his commander tough
on his feet, DiaZ turned his pistol upo
the man and commanded him to ge
behind a stump. There was no fare
about these skirmishes and the con
duct of both leaders and men, WHIT
knew for what they were fighting anf
that death for many was imminent
was worthy of The greatest admiration
Chamborro. who has been fighting TO
20 wears, is idolized by his men. Fl
sWore chccrfully when his troops ex
posed themselves and good naturedl
rushed them behind the cover o
Stunps and tangled underbrush. Chan
borro was in ;.ctive command of tn
battle. Estrada havil g merely laid on
the general plan. AS the evening ar
preached and the enemy still resiste
after repeated assaults, the insurgcnt
wavereG from physical exhaustion, bu
their courage never failed.
The genaralsnip Of Mena on MOnGa
is generally praised, and in fact, bu
for his timely arrival it is quite po:
sible that the outcome of the BATE
would have been wholly different. Ir
decd at ore TIM the position OF IN
insurgents was desperate. Chamborr'
and Diaz had moved on the main fort,
fications at Recreo and Tat,imhla Hi
ana Meno was under orders t. cove
the lines of retreat from RecreO. Men;
had moved up the Rama river, but E'
500 men were weak from the Subse
uuent march and failed to effect tn
expected junction with the other arm.
les of the insurgents when the assau'
began. They encountered reads kne
deep with red clay and overgrown wit
tropical plants, through which the
cut a way with their machetes, br
their progress was slow. Chamorro be
came uneasy and dispatched q mes
senger with this urgent command
Gene quickly or the day goes agains
us"
The day was going against the pro
visionals. The enemy fell on ever
side. but Chamorro discovered tina
It best he was but holding his own an
making no real gains.
After dispatching a messenger
Mena he adopted the plan of repulsin
the enemy when they left their trench
es and assaulted without attemptin:
d further advance. Mena realized tn
situation, and instead of merely cut
ting off the possible retreat of the gov
ernment troops, pushed forward for a
assault. He and his 500 men 60,
through the intervening two miles