Arizona republican., 1911-02-17
|NSURRECTOS
WIN A FIGHT
Governor Vegas Army Re-
treats From MexiCdi
THE GOVERNOR WOUNDED
Four Federals Were Killed
Their Army" Badly
Equipped and Unskillful-
ly Led-Possible Move
ment from Juarez Today.

MexicaIi, Feb. 16-Beaten and in
full retreat the army of Governor
Vega of Lower California is hurrying
back tonight toward Ensenada by the
way of the CocOpah mountains pass
southwest of here. Vega himself is
sorely wounded This was confirmed
today when the American army sur
geons stationed at Calexico received
information To this effect from cour-
iers who got into communication with
the fleeing federals
One insurrecto bullet pierced Vegas
neck; another entered his left side,
inflicting a serious wound. In litter
rugged like a sedan chair he is being
carried southwark.
Simon Berthold. in command of the
insurrecto forces at Mexicali left
early this morning with 100 men sup
posed to be in pursuit of the retreat
ing regulars. But the main bOdy of
the rebels remain entrenched in ar
royos washed out by the Colorado
river during its rampage. They are
awaiting the arrival of a federal army
which is believed to be on the way
from Sonora by the way of Yuma.
1t is understood here these troops will
be sent from where the break i'm the
Colorado river into the Rio Abejos is
being closed by Colonel Ockerson at
an expense of about a million dollars.
They are supposed to protect that
work from molestation by the insur-
gents.
I =.
absolutely unnecessary as the insur-
gents would have to travel a long
distance To reach the break and would
accomplish nothing to advance their
cause by placing difficulties i'm the
way of Colonel Ockerson's work. The
location OF the work is about sixty
miles from Mexicali Elated by the
defeat of Vega, General Leyva and
all his men are thinking only of hold
ing Mexicali against any force Diaz
may be able To send against them.
The men are in a fighting mood |
Many of the insurgents are Amer
leans, ragged and trouseled like their |
Latin brothers. but they are clear of |
eye and steady handed One of them. |
sentry. stationed on the American |
line fired his Springfield today at |
dog hunting out the unburied dead
upon the battlefield. 500 yards away. |
and brought him down. This dog and |
many others brought out prominently |
some of the horrors that follow in the |
wake of war.
The slain on the federal side were |
left BY their comrades on the field /
where they fell and still lie unburied. |
Flocks of buZZards became the rivals |
of the dogs today in searching them |
out
Under the RIDE Cross flag the AS
sociated Press correspondent traversed1
the scene of yesterdays battle, and
Leyva reported eleven fed
erals slain he saw only four dead,
three regulars and one volunteer In
every case the men had been shot in
the back. Although splendidly armed
with the late high power rifles, Vegas
troops We're otherwise poorly equip !
ped. The weather last night was
freezing, yet their uniforms consisted
OF white cotton panjamas white and
blue caps, leather sandals modelled
after those of the Roman soldiers
wore. The rebels took the rifles of |
the dead and left everything else and
made no effort to bury them.
There were no haversacks about the
bodies. The food. carried in handler
chiefs consisted of green coffee. coarse
flour. cornmeal. pieces of salt sides
and hard bread
Leyva, the chief of the insurrectoJ
forces here was visited today by and
Associated Press correspondent. When
asked regarding the battle, he stretch
ed out his arms. and pointing toward
The torrent SCARED mesa fronting the
town on the south. he said: I'VE
could have held Mexicali against a
men, Vega is no soldier If
he was he would not have attacked
rom the south"
Vegas army advanced to the attack
'ver MESQUITE covered valley full (
If guliies. which ended abruptly on
| forty-foot canyon river bank Even
I he had succeeded in reaching the
liver he would have been forced to \
descend the steep sides of the canyon
md ford a rivulet directly under the