The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-01-13

llSHtJ HOIe tldl tNeAIS hiiieu, AAo AAiJ
self.
(signed.) led o'REILLY.
CoMSTOCK. Tex. Jan. 12.-More than
twenty men were killed in desperate
battle between the Mexican federal
soldiers and small party OF insurrectos
on the bank OF the Rio Grande opposite
this point yesterday.
The insurrectos had only eighteen men
and for three hours they held at bay
about seventy five ruiales and about
one hundred infantry soldiers;
When darkness ended the battle. the
insurrectos held the field and the fed
camped. The insurrectos left a couple
of hours later for their mountain head
quarters, fifty miles away, carrying their
wounded with them.
or the eighteen insurrectos, two were
killed and seven wounded r. 5.
o Reilly. D correspondent, with the in
surrectos, received q sllght wound.
Twice the rurales charged the insur-
recto position. once coming within fifty
yards. but each time they were re-
pulsed ,6 The correspondens p r,, counted 1ne,,
the field during the battle.
Rebels Prove Mettle.
The return OF twenty insurrectos who
had been out on raid saved the rest
of the band and prevented what prob
ably would have been a massacre Of
The original party of insurrectos num-
bered forty men, They had been on a
raid through the country south OF Las
vacas. getting horses and recruits. For
two days seventy ruraes had chased
the band, and Tuesday night the party
went To the river TO water their Jaded
horses. thinking they had eluded the
government forces.
The, next morning. twenty rebels
started for a ranch about twelve miles
away TO get more horses. Then the fed
rectos and seventy mounted infantry
men were sent to the support Of the
rurales.
Two OF the rebels were set at work
mules. The eighteen remaining insur-
rectos took position in line drawn
across the trail of the advancing soldiers,
The firing began at distance OF about
800 yards. The insurreotos poured "A
volley from their .30-calibre rifles into
the enemy. and three soldiers fell. The
bInes and the battle was on.
After half an hours continuous fight
ing the fcderals received achievements
from their main body and a charge was
made. but the defenders of the pass
sent n storm Of bullets into their ranks
| firing coolly and accurately. The fed
| erals returned TO their original position
Federals Forced to Retreat.
The firing continued and one by one
| the rebels dropped from the ranks, either
| dead or wounded, until only nine men
remained working their guns. Again the
| soldiers charged. this time approaching
within fifty yards OF the gully where
the tnSurreCtos were concealed.
Not rebel flinched. but continued fir
| ing deliberately until the soldiers again
retreated, Both in charges and i'm re-
| treats. the rurales kept their line i'm good
| order and showed no panic
| The battle started at i'20 o'clock and
continued steadily until 7:30 As dark
! ness approached, the twenty insurrect tos
| who had been sent for horses appeared
| on n nelShboring hill al a gallop. The
bugles OF The soldiers blew retreat and
| the federals fell back about a mile
where they took a stronger position in
a shallow canyon. The field was left
| To the insurreCtos. The eighteen rebels
| had successfully held at bay nearly len
| times their number for three hours.
The lnsurrectos buried their dead
| cared for the wounded. packed thei,
| equipment, and two hours later started
| across the country for FL Burro, a noun
tain on which they have established q
| stronghold.
| The repor, from Mexican government
! sources that detachment of insurrect os
| had crossed the river and fired on the
| soldiers from the American side is de-
| MED by the insurrectos.