The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1911-03-13
MEXICAN REBELS ATTACK CITY
ACROSS FROM DOUGLAS,
BUT ARE REPULSEo.
SPECTACULAR AFFAIR
Thousands Of Americans Form Wall
Along Border to See the Fight
Eleven Federal Soldiers Killed and
Same Number Wounded-F urther
Attack Threatened by Rebels.

Douglas. Ariz.. March f2.-Eleven
federal soldiers dead. II wounded, with
the losses to the rebels unknown. Is
tile result OF a battle Just east Of Aqua
Prieta today. The opposing forces
We're 500 insurrectos under General
| Blanco and federal force of 500 d.
rccted by Colonel Mora
The battle was spectacular and was
witnessed by several thousand Amer
/ leans. many of whom rushed close TO
the battlefield while the firing was
! still at its height. After the smoke
| had cleared away II was Americans In
automobiles who gave the first aid To
the wounded, hurrying them TO Aqua
Prieta, where two American physicians
We're In readiness to assist the Mexican
army surgeons.
IL there We're any rebels killed or
wounded they were taken back 10 the
mountains By their comrades.
After mystifying both the Mexican
officials ana the Americans on the
border for week. Blanco suddenly
broke out of the canyon leading from
cenlzes Springs and engaged the fed
eral troops that had been rushed in.
to Aqua Prieta last night on a special
train under command OF Colonel Mora.
Except for few prisoners taken by
the federals. the rebels retreated in
good order. II Is understood that
Blanco's entire force did not partici-
pate in the engagement
Blaneo's first move was to throw
I out Il sklrmIsh line for the purpose
of drawing the federals into action to
ascertain their strength.
Lasts an Hour.
The battle lasted an hour and Ii IL
believed that the retreat that followed
was for the purpose OF drawing the
federals into the canyon, where the
main body OF Blanco's force was sta
toned. The fedcrals. however, after
spirited pursuit, rallied and returned
10 Aqua Prieta. refusing 10 be en-
trapped. Another attack is expected
tonight.
Three hundred federal troops are be-
Ing rushed from Cananea to the re-
lief Of the Aqua Prleta garrison and
should reach them by daylight.
Both the Mexican authorities and
the Americans In Douglas learned
early today that the rebel camp was
only a few miles east of Douglas, The
mountains break into foothills about
four miles from Aqua Prieta. the
ground falling from these hills toward
tho town in a series Of draws, sparse
ly covered with light mesquite. There
are no rocks for protection.
BY . o'clock the rebels were seen
: streaming over a little bog and pour
ing down into the side draw from the
international line.
American Spectators.
! The Americans began a rush from
\ Douglas 10 the boundary by thousands
mounting the housetops and watching
the rebel movements with field glasses.
Automobiles strcamed out from all
directions. Soon the entire country
from the American customs house to
the eastern outskirts of the city was
Il solid phalanx Of sightseers
When II was seen that the rebels
were advancing on the town, the COM
mlssaro of police IN Aqua Prieta, La
borio yasquez, telephoned 10 Captain
Johnston, commander OF the Third
United states cavalry at Douglas. and
within Is minutes the troops had GAL
: lopcd through the city and had estab-
: lished a perfect patrol along the line.
t The troopers went eoolly about their
G business of preventing anyone cross
9 ing the international line from either
) side.
! From Aqua Prleta a long limo OF fed
. eral troops swept up oyer the bare
mesa advancing rapidly toward the
rebel line approaching from the easr.
AS the forces neared The federal5 5
formed a solid fighting front. When
; about Il half mile Of the rabela the
= federals crouehed laY and waited the
. on coming rebels. on the right end
. Of the federal forces was the infantry
: Of the Twenty seventh regiment on
. the left wing were the regulars et the
Thirteenth infantry, while in the eon-
= ter were 30 mounted rGrlles
The federals had hated on the gen
tie slope of the draw, almost at the
{ point where the road runs from Aqua
y Prleta toward Cabullona. Only q few
bushes OF mesquite broke the land
scape and the rebels could easily OBJ
:. serve the federuls. They continued 20
r advance until within 500 yards OF the
federal line At this moment the fed
erals arose from their knees and be-
- gan firing.
- Rebels Deploy
The rebels deployed TO the right and
n left, shooting from Their horses and
Ii then dropping from their saddles "a
fire from their knees, At the first