The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-03-18
BORDER WARFARE
RESULTS NOT
DECISIVE
Tried to Keep Bullets on Mex
lean Side of Line
FIFTY MEN WERE SLAIN
Rebels Undertook to Surprise the
Federals But Failed and Were
Driven to the Hills.

Laredo, Tex. March 1S.-Streets of
Nuevo Laredo. the Mexican town OPP
posite Laredo, were the scene of
battle yesterday morning in which 20
Carrancistas and Is federals were Kill
ed. Nearly so soldiers were wounded
The Carrancistas retreated to the
hills south of Nuevo Laredo, where
they appeared to be preparing for
fresh assault The street battle con-
tinued for 11s hours.
An Associated Press correspondent
walking through the battlefield, saw
bodies of dead rebels with eyes APP
parently kicked out. Several had
had been shot drought the head, ap-
parently after being otherwise wound
ed. The rebels yesterday afternoon
held a position near the city and were
continuing preparations to renew the
fighting.
The Carrancistas stole into Nuevo
Laredo under cover of darkness 200
strong and at daylight began stub.
born fight with the $50 federals de-
Tending the town. The scene of the
fighting part of the time was near the
Rio Grande. Apparently it was
fight without quarter One rebel sol
der was seen to fall as if dead, but
when the charging federals reached
him he raised his head A federal
leveled a rifle, blowing off the top of
the wounded mans head, whereupon
several of the federals kicked the
body out of the way until it rolled
down steep embankment of an AFRO
yo which debouches into the Rio
Grande. 1t was reported that the fed
erals received orders to exterminate
the Carrancistas.
The small band of constitutional
lists, in running fight, drove head
long into Nuevo Laredo past the Gus
toms house to a lard factory, where
they made a stand. This occurred be-
tween a. m. and dawn. At daybreak
the federals deployed about the lard
factory. apparently taking care to
draw the rebels fire in line paral-
lei to the Rio Grande so that no bull
let's could fall in Laredo. After a
fight here, the rebels retreated in
good order into an open area. where
they halted and checked the federal
pursuit. The federals divided, one
detachment swinging around TO flank
the Carrancistas.
This flank movement brought the
federals directly between the rebels
and Laredo. so that the rebel fire was
directed at Laredo, Tex. The close
range of the battle. however, saved
the American city, only one report of
a bullet crossing the river, having
been received. This missile pierced
the roof of garage a mile from the
lighting but did no other damage.
Most of the rebels, apparently were
stopped by the bodies of the oppos-
ing fighters. From Laredo men could
be seen dropped everywhere on the
battlefield. The worst havoc was in
the ranks of the Carrancistas, whose
retreat was disorderly. The federals
did not pursue them beyond the city
limits. The federals estimated their
wounded at 16 and rebel wounded at
more than 20. After the battle. Amer
lean CONSUL Garrett at Nuevo Lare.
do requested American physicians TO
cross into the Mexican town TO care
for the wounded. The Carrancistas
had encamped Sunday night about
live miles from Nuevo Laredo. They
attempted to take the town by sur.
prise but the federals had outposts
watching for them.