The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-04-18

pie force to protect the American line.
With the first CALLING fire from the
rebel entertainments, the federal were
seen to waver momentarily but the
| movement was quickly checked.
DEADLY FIRE CONTINUES.
For fully fifteen minutes the two
| armies held their respective positions
while the deadly fire continued. Thirty
| minutes after the battle opened the
rebels were seen to abandon their out
lying positions and fall back to the
| breastworks nearer Aqua Prieta. The
federal advance was slow and in open
| order with almost continuous firing.
The rebels with admirable stubborn
! ness commended every inch of the way.
| While insurrecto riflemen were fall
! ing back to the second row of en-
| trenchments they fought boldly in the
| open. They were seen to stop and
take deliberate aim at the advancing
national line and fire round after
round.
The backward movement of the
| rebels against Aqua Prieta, however,
| was steady.
| At o'clock an automobile carrying
| cret Service Agent Thompson and the
Associated Press correspondent passed
through the guard line on the Ameri-
can side of the international line. A hail
of bullets drove the party to shelter.
A bullet struck the automobile, others
| dug the ground on all sides and there
| was a continuous whiZz of the leaden
| missiles overhead. 1t was considered
too dangerous a post and the observ-
| ing party retired across the line to
! Fourth street.
SILENCE MACHINE GUNS.
| Suddenly the federal machine guns
were silenced. The rifle fire, however,
| kept UP without intermission. 1t wa 5
apparent that the federal sharpshoot-
! ers were concentrating their fire on
the federal machine gun operators aud
were slowly picking them off. Time
| and time again the guns appeared 70
be unnamed.
| At 7:45 o'clock, an hour and a quar-
ter after the battle opened, the federal
| machine guns were again in action and
were raklng the rebel position on two
| sides.
The Red Cross volunteers crossed
| the border and went upon the field at
| this hour, Dr.. Shine, of Bisbee, Ari2.,
was chief surgeon of the volunteers.
| Every surgeon in Douglas and many
from Bisbee were being brought to the
line to attend the wounded. Women
and girls expressed their willingness
| to act as nurses.
The fire from the rebel trenches was
having its effect on the right wing of
the federal force and the federals were
driven back.
Tn f6nxy
around to the east and not far enough
to come into contact with the rebels
lying in the trenches which had been
dug to prevent left flank movement
Here a heavy body of rebels was post
ed to hold the federals from gaining
the American line.
AS the fire belched from these en-
trenchments, the rebel bullets Kissed
across the line into the southeast sec
ton of Douglas and into two school
buildings.
While the federals fell back, the
rebel commander in command pushed
forward his men and, with others
coming up to support them, continued
to engage the retiring federal right
wing. The firing grew fainter as the
federal retired on this quarter.
FIRST ATTACK A FAILURE.
| Following this movement the fire
| slackened to the southeast and it be-
came apparent that the first attack of
the federal had been a failure.
As far as could be learned the gov
eminent troops had about 1900 men
engaged, including 200 cavalry under
Commandate Barron, chief of the ru-
rales in Sonora.
The rebels showed remarkable or
GSnization throughout the battle. Every
point of vantage was guarded, includ
Jig the adobe guard house on the in
, ternational line and every trench anf
building in the outskirts of Aqua Prize
ia had its squad of men waiting <
get into action.
One bullet passed through the hat o.
an American trooper on the interna-
tional line. United States cavalrymer
were dismOunted standing beside then
horses. The mounts were finally movef
to sheltered positions behind the adobe
. buildings along the line. The army
ambulances also were hauled there. A
great throng gathered at Fifth street
500 yards from the international line
, intent on witnessing the battle but tn;
American patrol forced back all per
sons except those carrying passes.
, Twenty men were detailed to take
the field on the Mexican side OF tn
line for Red Cross work and about {
hundred volunteers were held on this
eide to take care of the injured.
Oscar Coll, who accompanied tn
Associated Press correspondent, wa.
struck BY a bullet on the side Of the
head while he was watching the prog
ress Of the fight from Fourth street. A
long cash was cut in his scalp and
blood STRAINED over his face.
the Associated Press correspondent
crossed the line and found Red Lo'
peg, one Of the rebels who COM
manded the garrison. All Of Lopez'i
men had been engaged since the early
l firing began.
We concentrated our fire of sharp
shooters on the two machine gum
that the federals had brought into ac-
ton and succeeded in putting then
out of business" said Lopez. The
loss of life is undoubtedly heavy. A
this hour believe we have beaten the
federals badly"
FIRING RENEWED.
BY this time firing had been renew
ed. The rebels in the bitches alone