The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-02-17
General Berthold in Pursuit of the
Federals With Force of
Insurgents.

! MEXTCALI. Mexico. Feb t6.-Defea ter
and IN full retreat. the army OF Govcrno
Vega OF Lower California Is hurryinl
| back tonight toward Ensenada by way o
the Cocopa mountain pass southwest o
| here. Vega himself Is sorely wounded
II was confirmed today when American
| army surgeons, stationed al CaIcXico
received positive Information Ia that ef
feet from couriers who got into com
munication with the fleeing federals.
One insurrecto bullet pierced Vega:
neck and another his left side, causing
serious wound.
In litter rigged Ike n sedan chair
he is being carried southwark by his men
Simon Berthold. second in command oI
early this morning with about 100 men
and II Is supposed that he is I'm pursuit.
OF the retreating regulars.
But the main body OF the rebels re.
mains intrenched in the arroyos washed
out by the Colorado river during It's rast
rampage They are awaiting the arrival
of the federal forces which are believed
To be on the way from Sonora by way
OF Yuma.
Troops Sent to Break.
It is understood here that these troops
will be sent TO where the break of the
Colorado river into the Rio Abejos is
being closed by Colonel Ockerson at an
expense of about million dollars. They
are supposed to protect that work from
molestation by Insurgents. Locally. this
protection is considered unnecessary. as
the insurgents would have to travel a
long distance to reach the break and
would accomplish nothing 10 advance
their cause by placing any difficulties I'm
the way OF Colonel Ockerson's work
The location OF the work is approNf-
mately sixty miles east OF MeXicali. Dur
ing the high water Of last season the
Colorado river left its old channel and
broke into the Rio Abejos, which is on
a lower level and carries the waters to-
ward Imperial valley. The urgency OF
closing this break and restoring the Colo
rado river bed, in order to protect Inn
TO appropriate 81 ,000. 600 for this work
sentry stationed at the American
line fred his Springfield today at a dog
battlefield 500 yards away, and brought
II down.
Slain Left OH Field
The slain OF tho federal side were left
by their comrades upon the fields where
they fell and they still lie unburied
Flocks OF buzzards became rivals to the
dogs today I'm searching them out.
Under Red Cross flag tho Associated
Press correspondent traversed the scene
Of Yesterdays battle and though Leyva
reported eleven fedcrals slain. he saw
only four dead-threc regulars and vol
untcer,
the back.
Though splendidly armed with the late
model high powered rifles. Vega S troops
were otherwise poorly equipped. The
weather last night was freezing yet
their uniforms consisted of white cotton
paIamas white and blue caps and leather
sandals modelled after those the Roman
soldiers wore. The rebels. took the rifles
made no effort To bury them. There
were no havcrsacks about the bodies.
Food Is Scarce.
Food was carried in kerchicfs and con-
sisted of green coffee. coarse flour OF
cornme9l and pieces Of liside that were
as hard as boards and bearded with age.
Little labels pasted under the sweat
bands OF their caps gave the names OF
the dead regulars. They were Francisco
Schanez. Luis Orviera and Ramon Mari
enZ. all soldiers of the Copania Fila
Norte. No name was found upon the
dead volunteer who was found lying un-
der his horse in the New river wash.
General Leyva, chief of the insurrccto
forces here. was visited by the Associ-
ated Press correspondent today and when
asked regarding the battle stretched out
his arm. pointing toward tho torrent
Scared tableIand fronting the town on
the south and said.
I've could have held Mexicali against
thousand men. Vega is no soldier. II
he were he would not have attacked us
Leyva said he was willing to have
American soldiers guard Ensena nume
and Sharpshcnd. the two sources from
which the entire Imperial valley on the
american side obtains its water supply
But | do not think il necessary" he
added. The insurrectos would have
nothing 10 gain and everything to lose
by doing damage at those points. The
water supply Of Imperial valley Is In no
danger from us. | cannot say what the
Mexican federals will do when they ar
rive,
Not Permitted Across Line.
The proposition that American soldiers
be sent 10 the hydraulic works TO pro-
tect thcm was presented to General Bliss.
commander of the department OF Call
fnrnia. when he arrived today on a spc-
cial train with General III, O. OILS and
Genera, NJ. II. sherman OF Los Angeles,
both Of whom own thousands OF acres
IN this vicinity. Tie declared that rot
n single American officer or soldier would
be permitted to go across the line.
General Bliss and his party left to-
right.
Prior To tho battle Yesterday the In
eurgcnts cut ibc telegraph lines connect
.ng MeSicali with Algodones and An
today TO rcpnir the line. but after work
men had been sent over from calpxico.
Leyva received Information thai The
MEXICAN regulars were nearing Yuma
The electricians 10 the American side
again AS q result Mcxicai Is without
Geographic communication eastward.
Sevnn,y-two Chinese laborers from The
California Mexican ranchc. r'amorcd for
protection Today at the American line.
One OF their number had been killed
by stray bullet during the battle yes
tcrday and the others were panic
The United States Immigration sutbori-
Ties were willing tn give them the pro-
tection of the American flag and Tie
celesi isls went over the line. But they
were seut back tonight when they DO