The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1912-05-08
REBELS were ROUTED
MANY OF THEM KILLED IN VAIN
ATTEMPT on EPIC.

Mexican Regulars Fought F1ercel
and Showed Consummate Skill /
Taking Advantage of Opportunitie
A dispatch from Epic, Mexico, say
with 1920 dead, and more than thi
number wounded, many OF whor
were unable to crawl from the nel
Of battle, 1000 rebels, under com
mand Of Manuel Guerrero, have bee
completely routed by the garrison o
that city, aided by the police Of tn
local commandery.
The attack began April ~, tn
rebels operating in the Hill sur
rounding Topic on the day previou
and demanding the surrender of tn
garrison commanded by Col. Martil
Espinonsa. Wednesday Afternoon
Col. Espinosa replied to the messen
ger from the rebel chief with q can
non hall which, landing on a fla
topped hill on which a number Of th,
rebels had gathered, killed three o
them and wounded two others.
At three o'clock il the Afternoon
the rebels, leaving their horses II
the hills and crawling the seVera
hundred yards across the plain, at
tackled Tepic from the north, ess
and west. In the garrison were 81;
cavalrymen, all dismounted, a small
body Of State police, mounted, an6
11o from the city's force, total o.
Ats loyal federals.
Col. Esponisa sent a part Of the
State police mounted on the best
horses in town to each Of the three
main roads to receive and return
the first fire OF the rebels. BEHIND
them were placed six squads Of regu.
lars, SO men in each squad, one
body Just behind each part of caval.
ry.
On the roof Of the cuartel three
men were operating the three pound.
er, throwing solid shots into the reb.
els as they were approaching while
in each Of the three main entrance
ways q rapid fire gun was planted tc
the cavalry and the foot
soldiers. The steady fire Of the three
FOUNDER did much effective work in
the ranks OF the approaching rebels
and they were delayed until the gar
rison had transported abundant am
munition to all the outposrs and
all necessary preparations
for the battle.
Then at five o'clock the bugles in
the cathedral tower sounded the call
Of battle.
The young gunners Of the federal
army had the range and the elevation
rebels began to fall by ones and twos,
here and there, then by squads as
the assailants rose from the furrows
of the fallow field to run forward 10
yards and then to drop again into
the sheltering earth.
Despite the hail Of destruction
ranging through the ranks the rebels
rushed on until they were within 200
yards of the stone wall which hid the
'ederals' three guns and the waiting
cavalry.
Then for one instant the song of
the rapid fire ceased. The cavalry
men, sabres and carbines sheathed,
but reyolvers in hand and bride
reins hung over their necks, leaped
to meet the foe.
1t was short sally but it took the
rebels by surprise, and many Of them
fell Then the sabres were drawn
and the mounted police quickly cut
their way to the second line Of rebels
where they turned and amid e. hail
Of bullets galloped to the cover OF
the walls.
The rebels, thinking the force OF
the garrison had retreated into the
cuartel, followed in e headlon charge.
Then from machine guns and rifles
we'll concealed behind thick stone
wall same a leaden rain that moved
dow the rebels.
But on they came. Fresh bands
Of attackers poured out Of the hills
and were led by Guerrero himself.
This seemed to inspire the rebels and
they gainet almost the entrance to
the town before the hail Of bullets
forced them to drop to their faces.
Then under cover Of heavy firing
by the infantry, the calvalry made its
way to the cuartel, gathering up as It
went the foot police in the various
plazas. Once at the cuartel the
mounted men left their horses in the
protected patio, got more cartridges
nd scattered themselves on the house
tops to cover the oncoming infantry.
Sllll uSutluS dSluSt LHO 4eOOio OA sUe
outskirts OF the town.
The bugler then sounded retreat
and the infantry gained the cuartel,
Into this trap the rebels fell as east
ly as they had fallen into the first
They turned to fee but were prevent
ed by those rushing up behind
in the open they attemp pied
to reply to the deadly yolleys Of the
federals but panic soon finished the
work the federals and the police had
begun.
ATE NINETEEN TEASPOONS.