The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-18

were seen to abandon their outlying | positions and fell back to the breast
 works nearer Agua Prieta. The federal
 advance was slow and in open order
 with almost continuous firing. The
 rebels with admirable stubbornness
 contested every inch of the way. | While insurrecto 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 advancing
 national line and fire round after round | The backward movement of the rebels
 toward Agua Prieta, however, was i steady.
 Many had fallen on both sides. | At [ o'clock an automobile carrying
 a United States marshal overlook Secret | Service Agent Thompson and the Asso-
 ciated Press correspondent passed
 through the guard line on the American | line of the international line. The hail of
 bullets drove the party to shelter of the United States custom house. but the build | ing was in direct line of the heavy firing l from the southeast. bullet struck the
 automobile others dug the ground on all sides, and there was a continuous whiz2
 of the leaden missiles overhead. It was
 considered too dangerous a post, and the observing party retired across the line to | Fourth street.
 l Suddenly the federal machine guns were | silenced. The rife fire, however, kept up without intermission. It was apparent
 that the rebel sharpshooters were concen- trating their fire on the federal machine guns operators, and were slowly picking
 them off. Time and time again the guns appeared to be unnamed.
 | At 7:45 o'clock, an hour and a quarter | after the battle opened, the federal ma chine guns were again in action, and
 were raking the rebel position on two sides.
 The Red Cross volunteers crossed the border and went upon the field at this
 hour, Dr. Shine of Bisbee being chief sur geon of the volunteers. Every surgeon in | Douglas and many from Bisbee were be- | ing brought to the line to attend the wounded. Women and girls express their willingness to act as nurses. Federals Driven Back The fire from the rebel trenches was having its effect on the right wing of the | federal force. and the federals were being driven back.
 | In falling back, however, they swung around to the east. and not far enough to come into contact with the rebels lying
 in the trenches which had been dug 10 prevent left flank movement. Here a
 heavy body of rebels was posted to hold the 1euerdlS rom gaining the American line. As the fire belched from these entrench-
 ments the rebel bullets missed across the line into the southeast section of Douglas and into two school buildings. While the federals fell back, the rebel commander n-chief pushed forward his
 men and, with others coming up to sup port them, continued to engage the retir- ing federal right wing. The firing grew fainter as the federals retired on this quarter.
 Following this movement the fire slack ened to the southeast, andsit became ap- parent that the first attack of the fed erals had been failure. As far as could be learned the government troops had
 about 160O men engaged. including 200 cav airy, under Commandant Barron, chief Of the rurales in Sonora.
 The rebels showed remarkable organiza- ton throughout the battle. Every point of vantage was guarded including the adobe guard house on the international line, and every trench and building in the
 outskirts of Agua Prieta had its squad of
 men waiting to get into action.
 One bullet passed through the hat of an
 American trooper on the international line. United States cavalrymen were dis