The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-13
MEXICANS ENGAGE IN
 DESPERATE BATTLE
The Rebels Successfully Resist
 Overwhelming Force
THE FIGHT IS TERRIFIC
smnu Rand of Insurrectos Is Attacked By Force Ten Times as Large But the Latter Are Slowly
 Driven Back

Comstock, Tex, January 12.-More thap 20 men were killed in a desperate bat tie between the Mexican federal soldiers and a small party of revolutionists on the banks of the Rio Grande opposite this point yesterday.
 The insurgents had only IS men and for three hours they held at bay 70 rurales and 10 infantry soldiers. When darkness ended the battle the insurgents held the field and the federal troops had with drawn a couple of miles and camped. The revolutionists left couple of hours later for their mountain headquarters 50 miles away, carrying their wounded.
 Of the IS insurgents two were killed and seven wounded. E. s. OReilly, an As sociated Press correspondent with the in surgents, received slight wound In the thigh.
 The determined stand of the handful of insurgents has seldom been equalled in border warfare. Twice the rurales charged the insurgent position, once com ing within 50 yards, but each time they were repulsed. The correspondent count ed IS soldiers that were carried from the
 
 field during the battle.
 Defenders Are Saved
 The arrival of 20 more insurgents in the last few minutes of the fight saved the defenders and prevented what would probably have been a massacre Of the little band. The original party of insur- gents numbered 40 men. They had been on a. raid through the district south of Las Vegas, securing horses and recruits. For two days a party of 70 rurales had chased this band of insurgents, and on the night of the 10th the party made their way to the river to water their 1aded horses and rest, thinking they had elud- ed the government forces.
 The next morning 20 of the band start ed for a ranch about F miles away in or der to secure a fresh supply of horses. The camp of the revolutionists was dis covered and a company of 70 infantry sol diers was mounted and sent to the sup port of the squadron of the rurales. When they approached the camp of the insurrectos preparations were made to give them a hot reception. Only 20 men were III lHc SdliP eiS Na'~ NAA-S ~-~ of these were set at work packing ex- tra ammunition and rifles on mule back.
 The Battle Begins
 The IS remaining insurgents took their stand in a line down across the trail Of the advancing soldiers. The firing com menced at a distance of about 300 yards. The insurgents poured volley from their 3o-calibre Winchesters into the enemy and three soldiers fell. The soldiers replied with their Mauser carbines and the battle started like a roll from the snare drum.
 After half an hours continuous fight ing the federals receive. endorsements from their main body and charge was made on the insurrectos. As they ad- vanced the defenders of the pass sent coolly end making every shot count The federals advanced a short distance and then returned to their original posi- tion.
 The firing continued, and one by one the bend of insurgents dropped in the ranks, either dead or wounded, until only nine remained working their guns Again the soldiers charged, this time approaching
  insurgents were concealed. Not a man gave way, but continued firing deliberate ly until the soldiers again retreated. Boths in the charges and retreats the rurales kept their line in good order and showed no panic.
 Rebels Aim Is Deadly
 The steady fire and good aim of the insurrectos was more than the soldiers could withstand, and they shnArk from closing for a final assault. The battle started at APO o'clock and continued steadily until 7.30 o'clock. As darkness approached the 20 insurgents who had been sent for horses were seen on neighboring hilltop approaching at gal lop The bugles of the soldiers blew retreat, and they fell back about a mile, where they took a stronger position In a shallow canyon.
 The field was left to the insurgents, and the band of IS had successfully held at bay nearly 10 times their number for three hours. The insurgents buried their dead, cared for the wounded, packed their equipment and two hours later started across the country for Fl Bprro, the mountain where they have established their stronghold.
 The report from Mexican government sources that a detachment of insurrectos had crossed the river and fired on the soldiers rom the American Slde IS aDsO- lutely untrue. Had they proposed to do so after the fight started it would have been impossible as the ford. the only crossing place, was literally churned by bullets and man could not have lived to reach the opposite shore. So far as known only one man crossed the river to the American side. the press correspond ent. and he did not do so until two hours after the battle under cover of darkness. The insurgents have strongly fortified camp In the mountains and more than 150 men under arms at that point. They are well armed and plentiful1y supplied with ammunition.
 For bravery displayed and cool-headed