Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1912-10-06
AMERICANS CAPTURE
STRONG. FORTRESS

san Juan Del sur, Me, oct. D.
American marines and sailors assault
al and captured the insurgent for
trcsscs Of Masaya OK Barranca and
cayotcpc hills Yesterday morning. The
fe ederal government force afterwards
defeated the Insurgents in the city
ana drove them out. The two hills
which lie Just outside MasaNa have
been an insurgent stronghold since
The outbreak Of the revolution. Botn
were strongly fortified with cannon
and machine guns. Cayotepc is 900
feet high and Earrancd 200 feet The
railroad from Managua to Granada
runs between and is commanded by
the hills This fact led American Ad-
miral Switzerland to demand the sur
rcndor of the fortrcsscs This was re-
fused by General Zeledon, command
ing the insurgents.
At S O'Clock Thursday morning the
Americans began a bombardmcnt OF
the two hills. During the night Amer
lean forces moved around to the OPP
posite side and before daybrcak were
in position. Major Smedlcy ID. But
lcr's battalion OF marines was on the
east side of Cayotepe, Major Nickel
vcys command on the northeast and
the battalion Of sailors on the north
Colonel John v. Pendlcton was in
supreme command
At daybrea< they fired one vollcy
ana charged.
The rebels were taken by surprise
Many of them fled: others fought
ficrccly with machine guns and rifles
| The onward rush of the American
troops could not be stopped. In 81
minutes they had gained the crest
of the hill.
The fierceness of the fight can be
judged by the fact that forty insur-
gents were killed and seventy-five
wounded. Fifteen were taken prison
ers.
In the charge, four marines Of Com
pany c, under Captain Fortson, were
killed by the fire of machine gun
and eight wounded Two or three
of the wounded are in a serious condi-
ton. including Lieutenant Martin, who
was shot in both feet. The names of
the dead marines are Bobhett Dur
ham, McGill ana Pollard. Those kilt
ed and wounded Were in the company
which was advancing through Il sulch
down which the machine gun was
trained Eventually bullet struck
the machine gun putting it out of
commission.
The rebels fought like tigers. ana
number Of Americans in other COM
panies were slightly wounded.
Having effected the capture Of ca
, tlIrnaI a. It.lI
ranca, which was taken without much
/ trouble by the American forces. The
rebels retrcated to the city of Ma
saya.
The government forces had formed
/ in line awaiting the word to advance
J and attack the city. This was done
/ Immediately ON the capture of the
! two hills. The federas gained an en-
! trance 10 the city and threw up bar
ricadcs Then began fighting in the
streets with the rebels massed at the
church in the plaza. The federals
/ finally drove them within the walls oi
: the church. About noon they sue
ceedcd In breaking down the church
door with shot from a heavy gun
and rushed inside.
The slaughter was terrible. Prnc-
tically all the rebels were killed or
wounded and many of the federais
shared "a like fate.
General Zeledon made his escape
from Masaya. Wounded. but was over
taken by federal cavalry. In a fierce
encounter which followed he was
( killed. Zeledon is the insurgent off
Ger who bombarded Mansgua in Au-
gusi-a bombardment which resulted
in the death of 1875 women and chill
dren.