The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-04-18
kEbELS QUII.
Aqua Prieta Is Evacuated by In
surgents.
They Disappear Quietly During
the Night.
FEDERALS MARCH IN.
Diaz Troops Take Possession OF
the Town.
Two Colonels Surrender to the
American Army.
OUT OF AMMUNITION.
Why the Rebel Forces Evacuated
the Town.
Were Also Short of Supply OF
Provisions.

Provisions.
Aqua Prieta. April 1S.-The battle
of Aqua Prieta, which ragged almost
without intermissiOn for nearly "a
hours. was won by the Mexican federal
force which occupied the town at day
light today.
The rebels. their supply of ammuni-
ton and provisions exhausted, evacu-
ated Aqua Prieta an hour before the
government troops arrived.
Part of the insurrectO garrison was
disrupted in the abandonment of the
town. ThOwing away their guns in
terror and leaving their horses, they
fed in disorder in different directions.
The principal portion of the rebel COM
mand retired in good order toward the
mountains south of the CITY,. Two in
surrectO commanders. Balazaric Gar
cia and Colonel Medina, deserted their
men and fled across the border, where
they surrendered to the American
troops.
Lieutenant Colonel Reynoldo Diaz
led the 1900 triumphant federal troops
into Aqua Prieta.
The actual casualties of the battle
can only be estimated but the federal
loss was given out as five killed and
twenty-one wounded, the rebels as
eight killed and four wounded. 1t is
certain that the complete casualties
far exceed this total.
The ports of Douglas and Aqua
Prieta, which had been closed, were
reopened today.
Aqua Prieta, Sonora, April 1S.-The
rebel army after almost eighteen
hours of incessant fighting yesterday
in defense of Aqua Prieta, quietly
evacuated the town during the night
1t moved out silently and when day
broke was nowhere to be seen. The
Mexican National troops entered the
city at dawn, encountering no resist
ance. The federals approached the
town from the south and east during
the early hours, coming in slowly and
cautiously, lest they encounter an am
bush. Great was the surprise of the
commanders of the government troops
on finding, when they reached the out
er works Of the rebel entrenchment.
that the trenches had been abandoned
and no lnsurrectos were in sight. The
federals continued to come in still
more slowly, presumably expecting at
every moment to encounter a sur
prise. but they found no rebels any
where. The latter had vanished as
completely as the night There was
no indication even of the direction
they had taken. The reason for their
desertion of the city after their all
day desperate defense of it was not at
first apparent. The most logical con-
clusion seemed to be that they had ex-
hausted their ammunition. Later de-
velopments showed the rebel army to
be badly disrupted. Its leaders gave
up the fight and the men in the ranks
appear to have fed in directions of
their own individual choosing.
Col. Medina Surrenders to Il. :.
Colonel Medina, who had assumed
command of the rebels in Aqua Prieta.
last night made his way to the
American line before dawn TODAY and
surrendered to the United States
troops. He was the jefe politico of the
town. He was Immediately placed un-
der guard and held at the headuuar-
tiers of the American cavalry at the
BAH park.
The victorious federal forces which
occupied the town this morning num-
bered about 1900 men. Lieutenant
Colonel Reynaldo Diaz was in sunren1e
command. Under him were Major
Luis Medina Barron of the rurales and
Commando Francisco Chiapa, former
ly prefect of the town of Mcctezuma
Ihe government losses in yesterdays
fighting may never be known. The
federals declined the assistance of the
Red Cross, saying the army wouId
care for its own wounded.
During the fighting yesterday the fed.
eral removed their dead and wounded
to the rear. 1t is understood that those
killed were buried on the field. None
was brought into the bull ring at Aqua
Prieta todav.
1--WE are now making up the Iist bu-
as yet cannot tell what they are. eth.
er in dead or wounded Major Rarror
told the Associated Press corresnond,
ent. I'VE have not gathered the daaf
from the rebel trenches as vet hu+ Ia,
ter we will give you this information ,
The correspondent passing in IN,
streets OF Aqua Prieta saw a few bod
les of rebels lying in the streets A.
the bull ring there were evervwher,
evidences of yesterdays firing and am
pie signs that the federals had hac
an accurate information of the strong
hold occupied by the rebel forces
Towers of Bull Ring Shattered.
The main towers at the bull ring en-
trance We're literally shot into sleeves
Thousands of bullets pierced thar1
For ume the machine guns poured
nan steadily into these towers an,
over the top of the adobe walls frop
which the garrison was firing.
In the west end of the bull rino 1,-ar
two bodies. One was that of an Amer
lean. AT the entrance to the first stor,
OF the tower was a rivulet of drxri1,
blooc which poured out through th,