Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-29
Gen. Aubert Engages Rebels
in Battle at AtotonilCo.
BIG LOSS ON BOTH SIDES
kFederal Commander Shows Strategy
and Extricates Himself.
FORCE GREATLY oUTNUMBERED
Soldiers Moved Down by Machine
Guns-American Receives
Slight Wound.

JIMINEZ, Mex. March 29-Gen. Trucy
Aubert and his column of 100 federals
were compelled to wage desperate battle
again yesterday in his attempt to escape
the greatly superior forces of the rebels
The fight occurred at Atotonilco and VI
cinity eighteen miles west of here Losses
on both sides were heavy.
The battle lasted for hours, but last
night il was reported that Aubert had
extricated himself for the time being. at
least. leaving the rebels in possession OF
the field.
Aubert led his column in a southerly
direction. For three days the federal
leader has been engaged in desperate eff
forts to extricate himself from a po-
, stion which momentarily threatened the
capture or annihilation of his column. BY
brilliant strategy and forced marches he
succeeded in outwittng his enemy or
holding him in check.
Waste Precious Time.
Never were his fortunes at lower ebb.
apparently. His men. footsore and weary
from night marches. burned by the sun
ard the swirling alkali dust. were COM
PEELED by sheer exhaustion to waste preci-
d
tonilco. known also as Hilla Lopez.
On his heels were the columns of Gems.
Fernandez. Salazar and Gampa. number
. ing $50 men. or double the strength of
the fugitive federals. He was out1anked
on both wings and attacked in the rear.
The fighting was the most desperate OF
all engagements. fought since the orig
ina attack at EScalon last Friday. The
combat opened with long-range artillery
fire. but as the insurrecto force drew
nearer the rattle of rife shooting became
almost continuous.
Defense Is Desperate.
The rebel generals admit that the de-
fense was the most desperate that they
have yet encountered. The fire of the
federals was far more accurate than be-
fore. Their machine guns moved down
the assaulting insurgents in heaps. The
latter crawled through irrigation bitches
for shelter. only to emerge in the open
and charge f1ercely across the dust-cloud-
ed plains. Their own fire was deadly, as
testified to by the federal dead left on
the field, but Aubert when one position
became untenable was always equal to
finding another
Tracy Richardson, an American gunner
with the rebels, was slightly wounded.
His home is in Missouri. The insurgents
are continuing the pursuit today.
Evidently to preclude a possibility Of
apprehension on account of the appear
ance of United States warship in Mex
lean waters the guns were shipped on a
commercial steamer. If the vessel, which
sailed from New York yesterday, goes di-
rect to Vera Cruz il will take about a
week to get there. The guns will then be
transported by railroad to Mexico City.
along the line where rebels have been
causing much trouble recently.
The rifles are the 3O-caliber Krag-JoEs
gensen magazine guns, which are no
longer used by the army. One million
rounds of ammunition accompany the
shipment. The guns are the property OF
the army ordnance department. and are
loaned to the State Department for use in
the Mexican capital. Tehy will be sold at
the rate OF Sc each.