The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-01-13
.|NSURRECTOS WIN
DESPERATE FIGHT
Eighteen Rebels Hold Ten Times
Their Number at
Bay.
BATTLE LASTS FOR HOURS
Arrival of Reinforcements Pre-
vents Massacre OF Defenders
of Pass.

Comstock. Tex. January ignore
than twenty men were killed in a des-
neratc battle between the Mexican
federal soldiers and small party of
insurrectos on the bank OF the Rio
Grande opposite this point Yesterday.
The insurrcctos had only eighteen men,
and for three hours they held at bay
about seventyflve rurnlcs and about
100 infantry soldiers. When darkness
ended the battle. the insurrcctos held
the field and the federal troops had
withdrawn a couple of miles and
camped The insurrectos left n couple
of hours later for their mountain head
quarters. fifty miles away. carrying
their wounded with them. or the
eighteen insurrcctos two were killed
and seven wounded e $. O'Reilly.
correspondent with the insurrectos re-
ceived slight wound In the thigh
Twice the rurales charged the in
surgent position. once coming within
fifty yards, but each time they wore
REFUSED, The correspondent counted
eighteen soldiers who were carried
from the field during the battle
Massacre Avertcd.
The arrival of twenty more insur.
rectos in the last few minutes OF the
light saved the defenders and pre-
vented what probably would have been
a massacre of the little band The
original party OF insurrectos numbered
forty men They had been on raid
through the district south Of Las
Nacas getting horses and recruits For
two days n party of seventy ruralcs
had chased the band and on the night
or January 10. they went to the river
to water their jaded horses and rest.
thinking they had eludcd tho govern
mcnt forces
The next morning twenty Of the
band started for a ranch about twelve
miles away to get more horses. The
camp Of the insurrcctos was discovered
and a company OF seventy infantry
men WAS mounted and sent TO the sup
port of The squad of rurales When
they approached the camp of tho in
surrectos preparations were made Ia
give them hot reception. TWO OF tho
rebels were set at work packing extra
ammunition ana rifles on mulcback
The eighteen remaining insurrectoa
took position in line drawn across
the trail of the advancing soldiers
Thc firing commenced at distance OF
about 30u yards The insurgents
poured a volley from their thirty
calibrc rifles into the enemy and three
soldiers fell. The soldiers replied with
their Mauscr carhines and the battle
was on
fighting the fcderals received rein
forccments from their main body and
a charge was made on the insurrcctos
AS they advanced the defenders of
the pass sent a storm OF bullets into
their ranks. hring coolIy and .lnat4ng
every shot count. The fcdcrals adj
vanced short distance and then re-
turned to thcir original position
hut Nine Men Left.
The firing continued and nm. 10 M.
the band of insurrcctos dropped from
the ranks. either dead Or wounded,
until only nine men remained work
ing their guns.
Again the soldiers charged. this time
approaching within fifty yards Of the
gully where the nsurrcctos were con
ceaied. Not a man gave way, but con
tinued firing deliberately until the
soldiers again reiterated, Both In tho
charges and retreats. the rurales kept
Continued on Second Page.)