The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-03-31
TELLS OF
MEXICAN War
JOSEPH RLATcHFoRD OF TENTH
STREET NORTH, WAS ON TRAIN
THAT WAS CAPTURED BY THE
INsuRREcTos - AMERICANS
ARE NOT MoLEsTED.

That the Mexican war, in some ways
Is very much of a comedy affair. and
| yet at the bottom there is deadly earn
| estness and many instances of remark.
able nerve and bravery on both sides
is the conclusion of Joseph Blatchford
914 Tenth street south, who has just
returned from two months triI
through the heart of Mexico to the
west coast.
Mr.. Blatchford and his party, which
| included Mr.. and Mrs. VIM. Lempke
OF Fargo. just missed witnessing an
engagement between the federal sold
iers and the insurrectos by one day.
1--WE were travelling along near Cor
raj Mex" said Mr.. Blatchford last
evening to a Forum representative
land 1 had just figured out, how soon
we would reach Eel Paso, and then II
would be a matter OF only a few days
until We would be in Fargo. Suddenly
we were surprised to hear shots from
the coach at the rear. Several of us
ran back and found that it was only a
Mexican shooting at rabbit along
the right of way. He had missed the
rabbit and emptied his revolver at a
stone,
Train Was Captured.
almost as If it had been a signal
the train was surrounded by $50 in
surrectos. They stopped the train and
entered, demanding who had done the
shooting. The Mexican was pointed
out and General Gomez, who was the
man in charge, took the gun away
from the Mexican. He said that the
Americans would not be harmed nor
molested in any way. but he wanted all
the guns belonging to Mexicans on
board, whether they were rebels or in
surrectos.
He then informed US that the bridge
just ahead had been burned and that
we could not proceed. On the way out
he shook hands with all of US and was
very cordial. His band was composed
entirely of Mexicans Of the better
class, a splendid looking bunch OF
men. They all looked as If they were
well-to-do and as if they were capable
brave and knew just what they wanted.
1--WE found that the insurrectos had
believed that the train was loaded with
Mexican soldiers. They had set fire
to the bridge intending to capture the
train when the stop was made at the
bridge. The shooting by the Mexican,
however, had led them to believe that
they had been discovered and they
swooped down on the train.
"That ended our trip for two days
and half We had to back to Nava-
joa, where the battle had been held
just the day before 1t was while we
were held there that We learned of
some OF the comic aspects Of the war.
1T seems that the day before we ar
rived, Navajoa had been occupied by
| federal troops. The federals heard
that the insurrectos were coming to
attack and they Immediately retired
from the town and the insurrectos en-
tered and took possession. Then the
| i9surrectos heard that the federals
were retiring with reinforcements and
the insurrectos, IN turn, vacated the
town and the federals again took pos
session. This happened four differ
ent times and the two bodies never
sighted each other In all that time.
However, they finally did clash and
there was fearful slaughter. An Ameri-
can told me that he had seen dead
bodies stacked up eight deep.
Wounded are Shot.
zone of the fearful features of the
war is that neither side gives quarter
and there is no care Of the wounded OF
the opposite side. All captured officers
are Immediately shot to death and
have heard 1t said that the wounded
soldiers of the opposite party are eth
er left to die, or in some instances
L n ali foIx CHI ~ An
torious party.
I'VE saw an instance of remarkable
courage while we were held at Nava
joa, waiting for the bridge to be re-
paired. General Gomez. the man who
had charge of the rebels who held uE
our train, rode into Navajoa alone
and unattended, just few hours after
the rebel troops had left. He SEM
some kilograms, transacted some otfei
business and rode out again, unmolest.
ed.
LAS to the outcome Of the war, thai
is impossible to say. 1t is said il
Mexico that there are just as many
insurrectos as there are guns. The
moment there is a new gun there Is 3
new insurrecto to get behind it. They
are having all kinds OF trouble to ge,
the guns now, however, since Uncle
Sans soldiers are patroling the Dor.
der lines"
Mr.. Blatchford had many other ex.
citing and interesting experiences, and
listening to his stories Of Mexican life
apart from the war experiences, is al
good as hearing lecture. He, will
a number of other North Dakotans
have purchased a big tract oP land
near Concha, on the west coast. and
it was there that Mr.. Blatchford':
party spent their time while away.
He has some pictures showing tht
remarkable fertility of the soil. Every.
thing grows there, in the most prolific
manner, from oranges and lemons t.
corn and beans and that with practi.
cally no culture at all.
Hay in Stack.
Il