Daily Kennebec journal., 1911-04-18
FlERCEST BATTLE YET.

Aqua Prieta, April 17.-(From the
Associated Press correspondent in the
field).-The most important battle of
the Mexican revolution thus far was
fought here today. between 1900 Fed
erals under command Of Lieutenant
Colonel Diaz and 1000 rebels under
Ba Lasario Garcia and ii resulted in
the repulsc Of the former.
The battle. however. was not decisive.
1t lasted from $50 \. NJ. until sun
down. AT night-fall two Federal ma
chine guns We're in the possession of
the rebels and the Federals had sus-
tanned loss estimated by the rebels
as at least 200. killed and wounded.
The rebels gave their own loss as
20.
From the beginning OF the battle.
regardless of tie warning given by
the United States government to the
leaders of both forces, 4 rain of bull
lets poured into the American town
of Douglas and when tn day was
over it was found that seven nom
combatant residents of that city had
been wounded 1t was day almost
OF terror in Douglas.
l'tt W IA itNSstLtd lLlC ctEIdI lpt1NS
formed in fan shaped battle lines, in
the level country about Il mile distant
from Aqua Prieta. with their machine
guns in the center. They gave the
enemy notice of their approach by
storm of bullets from machine guns,
supported by rifle fire. Their evident
intention was to gain the internaton
al line with it's adobe guard houses
and from this vantage ground turn
their fire on the rebels.
The Insurrectos directed their fire
at the men at the machine guns. But
the fire of the Federals was so fierce
that it forced the rebels back to their
second line of entrenchments. The
F'ederals advanced slowly As they
came nearer. the fire of the rebels be-
came more effective.
Leaving their breastworks, the
rebels moved out into the open, con-
tinuing their fire on the machine guns
The Federals, finding the rebel de-
fence too strong. after three hours
fighting, gave up the attempt to carry
the trenches and began to retreat.
Presently the machine guns We're sill
cnced. Rebels sharpshooters had made
ii impossible longer to man them
Sheer exhaustion occasionally caused a
lull i'll the fighting during the day.
At II O'Clock the repulsed Fedcrals
reformed and again advanced towards
the boundary line, masking their move
ment with heavy rifle fire. The machine
guns We're silent. The rebels. encour-
aged by their early success, eagerly
returned the Federal fire The inter-
val had heen employed by the rebels
in digging new trenches. The advance
guard of the Federals in this attack
consisted of 50 cavalrymen and 300 in
fantry. Behind them was a support
ing party that kept under cover of the
trees and bushes. The FederalS reServ-
their fire but an unceasing stream of
bullets poured from the rebel trenches.
These striking the dry earth. made it
appear as though dust storm was
raging and for Il time obScured the
conflict.
The advancing Iederals again found
! the strength and determination of the
, Insurreetos too much for them. They
! fell back but in good order firing as
, they retired. They left the field and
! their two machine guns in the posses
sion of the enemy.
! The Douglas wounded are:
/ O. X. Coll, Tombstone, scalp wound
on the side of the head while watch
I ing the battle from Fourth street
Douglas Mr.. Coll had accompanied
/ The Associated Press correspondent
/ to the front earlier in the day fallen
back to that of observation later,
Elpdo Arco, Douglas. wounded in
instep.
Frank Williams, blacksmith helper
Copper Queen Mining Co, shot in the
back while standing outside of the pre-
} scribed danger zone.
! John Hamilton. Douglas, wounded III
back, while watching the battle with
40 others from the top of an adobe
house several blocks from the interna- :
tional line.
Jesus Alantar Douglas, flesh wound
in the leg.
Mrs. Larson severely cut by the
shattered glass of kitchen window
| John Keith, Douglas. wounded in the
leg while walking in street.
! More than half of Douglas was un-
der fire from the beginning until the
end of the battle. The American Gus