Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-02-11
AMERICANS BEAR
BRUNI OF BATTLE
GENERAL SLAIN
Col. Conrad Wounded in Decisive
Fight That BaIks General
Mena's Insurgents.

BLUEF1ELDS, Nicaragua, Feb. IL
| With the arrival of General Zeledon at
Moogan. preparations are under way for
another forward movement of General
Luis Mena's division. the progress of
which was checked by the government
forces In the recent engagement at
Santa Clara.
Walter Gordon's aide has been dis
patched to Panama to recruit fifty more
Americans, who, armed with Winches-
ter rifles, arc expected to join General
Mena in three weeks. This move ug-
gests that there will be no further actual
lighting until the .reinforcements of
American sharpshooters arrive.
General Matuty, with 200 additional
men. is reported moving up the Mico
river, and is expected to form a juno
ton with General Mena at the end of
tvs weeks.
The PROFESSIONALS profess that they are
not disheartened by the repulse expert
enced by General Mena and say that he
accomplished his purpose of diverting a
| part of the government forces from
their movement against General Cha
MORO.
General Blandon died as he held in
his hand General Mena's order to stand
and fight. A misinterpretation of this
order by another is held by the pro-
visionals to be responsible for the re-
treat of their troops. The insurgents
do not admit defeat, however, and de-
clare that the way to Managua is open
to them.
1t Is explained that General Mena
had not expected to defeat the enemy
with bia crnaU fOrpe hpt MANNED to
keep the government forces engaged
with the idea tina the enemy would
draw reinforcemcnts from Acoyapa,
only ten miles distant, and so be UNI
able to send an augmented army
against General Chamorro in the Prov
ince OF Matagalpa. This purpose was
effected.
Colonel Conrad, an American, took
an active part in the lighting, directing
his Maxim on the nearest enemy,
meanwhile receiving the cross-ire of
the governments three Maxim guns.
Conrad's chief assistant was shot
through the arm and his AMMUNITION
tenders were wounded. Conrad vas
compelled himself to place cooling
water upon the ~gunjacket and to ad-.
Just the ammunition belt unaided.
litll a Duittt lOl1 lOb6A
abdomen, but pursued a downward
course, cutting the fish only.
General Mena, recognizing the cost
of his mistaken order, ordered a re-
treat. Four Nicaraguan insurgents
performed a. brilliant exploit in saving
Conrad's gun after their commander
had staggered to the rear. The with
drawal to Moogan, ten miles Distant
was conducted In perfect order, the.
enemy pursuing. Gordon's Americans.
were the last to leave the position Of
attack. -. -, :
Tho retreat of General Mena'S men
afforded a weird sight as the long
! single column trailed through the dusk.
! Twelve of the wounded, wrapped in
blankets, were carried In hammocks
| slung from poles resting upon the
! shoulders OF their comrades. at Yalu
the wounds were crudely dressed under
the light of a single candle. When the
moon rose the retreat was resumed.
| Conrad showed great vitality in spite
Of the loss Of blood. Upon either side
he was supported on his mule by a
newspaper correspondent from the Uni-
ted States who had accompanied the
army. Once. the wounded compander
tainted in the saddle, but he was re-
| viyed by a swallow of spirits.