The Yale expositor., 1911-04-20
MEXICAN REBELS KILL AND
WOUND 200 FEDERALS DUR
INC A BATTLE ON MONDAY.
FEDERAlS ATTACK Aqua PRIZE
IA, BUT ARE DRIVEN BACK
AFTER 4 HOURS BATTLE.
HAIL OF MACHINE GUN BULLETS
FELL WITHIN THE CONFINES
DOUGLAS, ARiZ.
United States Troops Guard Border
and Hold American Spectators
Back While Battle Is in
Progress.

The long expected attack Of the
Mexican federal troops on Aqua Prieta
opened in dealy earnest at G:30. The
firing was fast and furious on both
sides. The rattle of musketry was
continuous.
The hail of bullets from the federal
machine guns fell far within the
confines of the city of Douglas.
1t was evident from the outset that
the battle was to he decisive. Both
sides exhibited desperate courage.
The federals began by massing
themselves to the southeast OF the
town and moved slowly within rifle
range Of the rebel position.
The insurrectos facing in three
directions, lay low in the trenches
or fiat OH the open ground. The fed
erals fire raked over them and into
both Aqua Prieta and Douglas. 1t
was evident from the heavy firing
that the casualties on both sides
were destined to be very heavy.
Douglas RiddIed With Bullets.
The steel and leaden missiles from
the federal guns carried far over the
international line and plowed their
way into the buildings facing along
Second and Third streets. and dug
up the ground here and there over
the whole southern end of the city.
The federals in mo wing in had ad-
vanced from the camp which they
established at Sulphur Springs, a
water hole five miles south OF Aqua
Prieta. They marched slowly to i
point southeast of Aqua Prieta, with
an evident intention of gaining the
border in order to attack the rebel
position along the international line,
but before they were able to gain this
coveted position they encountered the
rebel cavalry, which had galloped out
to intercept them and there was d
rattle from the repeating rifles as
the two advancing forces came into
firing range.
The cavalry dropped back slowly
and the federals next came within
range of the deep entertainments
day night, which were filed with in
surrecto sharpshooters.
Federals Stand Calling Fire.
With the first CALLING fire from the
rebel entertainments the federals
were seen to waver momentarily, but
the movement was quickly checked.
For fully 10 minutes the two arm
les held their respective positions
while the deadly fire continued. Thir-
ty minutes after the battle opened
the rebels were seen TO abandon
their outlying positions and fall back
to the breastworks toward Aqua
Dbl FHha fndnral advance
slow and in open order, with almost
continuous firing. The rebels with
great stubbornness contended evers
inch of the way.
While the rebel riflemen were fall
ing back to the second row OF en-
trenchments they fought boldly in
the open. They were seen to stop
and take deliberate aim at the ad-
vancing national line and fire round
after round.
The backward movement of the
rebels toward Aqua Prieta, however,
was steady. Many had fallen on
both sides.
Kill Machine Gun Men.
At Z o'clock a motor car carrying
u. s. Marshal Overlook, u. S. Secret
oeENlCe AScHL anu INV
Associated Press correspondent, pass
ed through the guard line on the
American side to the international
line. The hail of bullets at this mo-
ment drove the party to the shelter
Of the u. S. customs house, but the
building was in direct line with the
heavy firing from the southeast.
One bullet struck the motor car
Others dug up the ground on all sides
and there was continuous whizz OF
the leaden missiles overhead. 1t was
considered too dangerous a post and
the observing party retired across the
line to Fourth street.
Suddenly, anw for some unexplained
reason, the federal machine guns
were silenced. The rife fire, how
ever, kept up without intermission
1t was apparent that the rebel sharp
shooters were concentrating fire on
the machine gun operators and were
slowly picking them off. Time and
again the guns appeared to be I'M
manned.
Federals Driven Back.
The fire from the rebel trenches
had its effect on the right wing OF
the federal force and these nationals
we're driven back. In falling back,
however, they swung around to the
east and north far enough to come
into contact with the rebels lying in
the trenches which had been dug to
prevent left flank movement.
Here heavy body of rebels was
posted to prevent the federals gain
ing the American line. AS the fire
belched from these entertainments the
rebel bullets sped across the line into
the southeast section Of Douglas and
into two school buildings.
AS the federals fell back, Red"
Lopez, the rebel commander-in-chief,
pushed forward his men and, with
others coming up to support them,
continued to engage the retiring fed
eral right wing. The firing grew
fainter as the fcderals retired on this