The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-04-17
AN AMERICAN
KILLED IN FIGHT {
At Aqua PR|ETA
Douglass Caught in Rain of
Leaden Hail From Mexican
Belligerents
FEOERAls were REPulSED
after LONG CONFLICT

W s0u 0VUO VOtvu 6yOU
Strategic Plan on Part of Insurrectos
| and Blunder on Part of Federals
Responsible For Defeat
Troops Forced Americans to Shelter
Douglas, Ariz., April 1.-THE long
expected attack Of the Mexican fed
eral troops on Aqua Prieta opened in
deadly earnest at $3.50 o'clock this
morning. The firing was fast and
furious on both sides. The hail of
bullets from the federal machine
guns fell within the confines Of the
city of Douglas.
!! The federals began by massing
themselves in the southeast portion
Of the town and moved slowly within
rifle range of the rebel position. The
insurrectos, facing in three direc- :
tions. lay low in the trenches or fiat
on the open ground.
The federals' fire raked over them
and into both Aqua Prieta and Doug
las.
Many residents Of Douglas remain-
ed within doors. Some attempted to
gain a vantage point to view the field
of battle. Many rushed to the inter-
national line to get view Of the
fighting. They were exposed here to
most imminent danger.
The American cavalry composed Of
four troops, company G., and one of
the Douglas militia. we're rushed to
protect the international line.
i At $3.50 o'clock it was evident that
the rebels had repulsed the federal
attack.
! Thirty minutes after the battle
opened the rebels were seen to aban-
don their positions and fall back to
; the breastworks toward Aqua Prieta.
The federal advance was slow and in
open order with almost a continuous
firing. Many had fallen on both sides.
Suddenly for some unexplained rea-
son the federal machine guns were
silenced. The rebel fire was kept up
without intermissien. 1t, was appar-
ent that the rebel sharp shooters. were
concentrating their fire on the ma.
chine guns operators and were slow
" picking them off. Time and again
the guns appeared to be unnamed.
At 7:45 o'clock, an hour and quar-;
ter after the battle opened, the ma
chine guns were again in action and
,, were raking the rebel position on two
sides. Red. Cross volunteers vrossed
, the border and went upon the field at
!. this time Every surgeon in Douglas
and many from Bisbee were being
, brought to the line to attend the
wounded. Women and girls express
their willingness to act as nurses. 1t
, was seen that the list of killed and
: wounded would be very heavy.
, The fire from the rebel trenches
was having it's effect on the right
: wing of the federal force and these
nationals we're driven back. In fall
ling back, however, they swung
: around to the east and north far
= enough to come into contact with the
e rebels lying in the trenches which
had been dug to prevent a left flank
: movement. Here a heavy body Of
! rebels was posted to prevent the fed
erals from gaining the American
line. AS the fire belched from these
trenches. the rebels bullets sped
}. across the line in the southeast sec
I ton of Douglas and into two school,
9 buildings. While the federals fell
back, the rebel commander-in-chief
! pushed forward his men and with
t others coming up to support them.
? continued to engage the retiring
federals right wing. The firing
grew fainter as the federals retired
on this quarter.
Following this movement, the fire
5 slackened to the southeast and it be-
came apparent that the fierce attack
J, of the federals had been failure.
As far as could be learned, the fed
!. erals had almost 1900 men engaged.
= including 200 cavalry under Com
3 mandant Barron, chief Of the rurales
in Sonora. The rebels showed re-
: markable organization throughout
the battle. At 10:30 o'clock the fight
J. ceased with the rebels holding every
: position which they occupied at the
beginning of the battle. The rebels
: began digging new trenches at once.
"Red" Lopez reported the rebel
), casualties in the trenches is light.
: The American troops forced the
:, Douglas residents back to within
three blocks Of the center of the city.
Another American, John Hamilton,
has been shot. He was in Douglas,
nearly in the center of the city when
: hit in the breast by bullet. Twenty
dead insurgents have just been
, brought into Aqua Prieta.
Rain of Lead.
Aqua Prieta, April 1.-THE losses
, to the rebels were slight. 1t is be-
r lieved the federals suffered severely.
!, Bullets crossed the American boun-
) ldary line and fell in a veritable hail
n