The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-04-17
lnsurrectos Repulse First At
tack on Aqua Prieta But
Attack Is Renewed
ONE AMERICAN IS
STRUCK BY BULLET
ON AMERICAN SOIL
Many Houses in Douglas Are
Hit and American Resi-
dents Are Driven
from Homes

DOUGLAS, AEIz.. April IT,
Jack Hamilton, IL, was the first
American in Douglas struck by
bullet as a result Of to- days battle
at Aqua Prista. A spent bullet
pierced his coat and imbedded IL
self IN his breast. Tho boy was
rushed to the Red Cross hospital
whore physicians said his wound
was not serious Tho bullet was
extracted and given TO the boy a,a
souvsnir. He was standing halt q
mile from, the international border
when no was hit.
Repulse First Attack.
After fighting OF q Desperate char.
acter mainly around the Insurgents
navalry corral, the Federal troops
were reruised In their first attack aud
Withdrew to reform for another at
tack.
The action began at Gao A M.
when Colonel Diaz sent u machine gun
TO within half mile OF Aqua Prieta
and opened fire on group Of adobe
: houses ON the southwest edge OF the
town Needing his promise not TO
fire across tbs border IL II could be
avoided, Dtaz advanced with his main
body, deployed his troops TO the west
of the town. The Federals ignored
the cover furnished by a series Of
rolling hills TO the south and ad-
vancsd In the open.
The rebel outposts offered little op-
position to the Federal advance and
we're called into Aqua Prieta after
airing a few long range shots
When the Diax machine gun opened
and his main body approa ched on
the double quick. the rebels poured
several solieys from their trenches.
Silences Machine finn
simultaneously General Casairia
Garcia. the rebes sent POP" Willis.
a veteran or the English army and
five Tarametfia Indian sharpShooter
out 10 silence the gun. They creot
through the mesquite to within four
hundred yards OF the machine gun
and for an hour attempted to pick
OH the gunners, After a good deal OF
hrfng Willis succeeded In picking off
most OF the gunners and the ma
chine gun was s!lenced.
Hurls Federals Back.
While Willis was picking of The.
gunn~rs a detachment of geo fesierals
rrcpt up n gully and suddenly APP
psared east OF Aqua Prieta. Yelling
wildly, they charged n cluster OF adobe.
and brush barns used as a corral by
Tia, insurgents calvary. They had al
most gained the houses when the in
surKcnts uncovered machine gun
mounted ON the rssof uf a ns-srl,y
building and raked- the federal ranks
with CALLING fire. The federal ranks
broke and fed under terrific fire
from the machine gun, leaving ~
dozen men on the field
During this charge the bullets few
thick and fast over Douglas 1t was
one OF Theses WHEN struck iioli, Mem
bers of the families Of Rober, Day
and A. W. War;. whose homes were
struck by flying bullets. fed out Of
their houses and asked protection
from Colonel Skunk. He declined
saying HIS orders were not to inter-
fere until Americans were killed or
seriously wounded
At O'Clock. the firing fell of when
the federals who had attacked he
corral reached the main body of
Diax's troops,
Five ambuiances manned with vol.
unteer Red Cross nurses Immediately
rushed upon the field to bring the
wounded into Douglas.
At this stage, II WAS apparent that
the federals had failed in their open
ing attack, but at sac having re-
formed his troops Colonel Diax
brought his entire force into action
One wing OF the advancing federals
was thrown out In wide semi-circie
TO point south OF Augua Prieta,
making 1t certain that when this wing
was engaged a rain of bullets would
sweep Douglas. BY o'clock firing
WAS In progress along the entire fed
eral line.
AS soon as the formation of Diaz'
troops was apparent. TO the fnsur-
gents they formed a line to meet
the Federal plans. General Garcia
spread out his forces in semi circle.
the center OF which was opposite
Douglas. Six hundred insurgents were
ordered into the newly-dug rifle pits
not more than 500 yards from the
Federal line.
Rifienien Pick or Gunners.
Only struggling shots were fired
until nine o'clock when the word 10
hre was passed down the insurgent
lines. Under . mursierols fire. the
Federal right wing swung or towards
the southwest, attempting flank at
tack simultaneously two more
FEDERAL machine guns were brought
into action but the rebel rifiemem
picked on their operators quickly
aud sifencrf tfIefft. Is -
AS the combatants moved to the
south Of Aqua rrieta. they were
brought directly south, of. Douglas
and bullets few thick over this city.
There was a shower OF lead fall
Ing among the United States cavalry
commanded by Gaujot. One troopers
hat was pierced. and bullet went
through anothers sleeve. One cavalry
horse was struck in the flank and
bottled across the international border.
carrying Its rider almost to Aqua
Prieta- Captain Gaujot then ordered
his troops behind the shelter OF an
adobe building on Fifth street.
WOunded BEGIN to Arrive.
At $3.50 the first ambulance load
Of wounded returned to Douglas and
half an hour later second ambu-
lance came in. The ambulance nurses
gAid It was impossible to estimate
= THU time how many had been