New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-01-13
MEXICO REBEL VICTORY
More than Twenty Men Killed In
Fight Opposite ComstoCk, Tex.
REGULARS HAD TO RETREAT
Each Time Rurales and Soldiers
Charged the Little Band They
Were Repulsed.

Comstock. Tex. Jan. 12-More than
twenty men were killed in . tight between
the Mexican federal soldiers and O small
party OF insurgents on the bank OF the
Rio Grande opposite this point yesterday.
The rebels had only eighteen men. and for
three hours they held at bay about seventy
FIVE rurales and about ono hundred infantry
soldiers.
When darkness ended the battle the In
surzents held the field, and the federal
troops had withdrawn a couple OF miles
and camped. The insurgents left a couple
81 hours later for their mountain head
quarters. fifty miles away. carrying their
wounded with them
OF the eighteen insurgents two were
killed and seven wounded. e. 8. Orally.
an Associated Press correspondent with thu
rebels, received d slight wound In the
thigh. Twice the ruraies charged the In
surgent position, once coming within htty
yards but each time they were repulsed.
The correspondent counted eighteen SOL
diers that were carried from the field dur
ing the tight.
The arrival Of twenty more insurgents IN
the last few minutes OF the fight saved the
defenders and prevented what probably
would have been a massacre Of the httis
band. The original party OF rebels num-
, bered forty men.
| The camp Of the insurgents was discev-
cred and a company OF seventy infantry
men was mounted and sent ~ the support
| Of the squad OF rursles. When they ap-
| preached the camp Of the rebels prepsra-
| tons were made to give them a hot recep-
| ton. Two Of the rebels were set 10 work
| packing extra ammunition and rifles on
| nuleback
| The eighteen remaining insurgents took
position in a line drawn across the trail
Of the advancing soldiers. The firing began
at a distance OF 300 yards. The insurgents
poured a volley from their .3O-cslibre rifles
into the enemy and three soldiers fell. TIL.
| troop replied with their Mauser csrbines
! and the battle was on.
| After half an hours continuous lighting
! the federals received reinforcements from
| their main body. and charge was made
! on the insurgents. As they advanced the
defenders OF the pass sent storm Of bull
lets into their ranks firing cooly and max
| ing every shot count. The federals ad-
vanced short distance and then returned
TO their original position.
| The battle started at 40 o'clock and
| continued steadily until 7;30 o'clock. A
! darkness approached the twenty insurgents
who had been sent for horses appeared on
a neighboring hill approaching at a gallop.
| The buges of the soldiers blew a retreat
| and they fell back about mile. where they
took A stronger position in a shallow
| canyon. The field was left TO the insur-
gents, and the band Of eighteen had sue
cessfully held at bay many times their
number for three hours.
The insurgents buried their dead. cared
for the wounded. packed their equipment
and two hours later started across the
country for FL Burro, the mountain where
they have established their stronghold
Mexico City, Mex, Jan. l2.-Word was
received at the War Department to-day
that General Luquo had occupied Otinaga
without having met any opposition from the
insurgents. The latter had been reported
as operating in considerable force in the
vicinity Of this border town
The force under General Navarro r. said
{ 10 be still in Guerrero awaiting further or
ders from the War Minister.