Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1913-02-19
BATTLE:
A J0LLIF|CATI0N

Il
JOINED DIAX GARRISON LAST
NIGHT INSTEAD OF FIGHTING
FOR MADERO.
FEARING \ BATTLE 1000 WOMEN
AND CHILDREN FLY TO BROWNS
WILLIE BUT THEIR FEARS WE'RE
NEEDLESS.
The expected arrival Of forty-fve men
from ReynOsa. whose allegiance TO Diaz
was uncertain, caused the sending out
of two hundred rebels from the Mata-
mOrOS garrison yesterday to intercept
and challenge the new comcrs. The two
commands met ut . o'clock last night at
ROSita, four miles west of MatamOrOs.
ScveralS vOllcyS Of shots were fired into
the air. there was 4 rush together, en-
bracing. cheers and "DianaS," the cX-
citing national tune.
The newcomers, under command Of
Captain Calderon, joined with the gar
riSOn from MatamOrOS, under command
Of Major EStcban Ramos. and all
marched to the llidalgO plaza, where
national airs were PLAYED by the military
band. The soldiers and hundreds Of
citizens marched around the plaza. and
there was JOY and glcc until the early
hours of the morning.
An expected battle in MatamOrOS and
rumOr that was spread among hun
drcdS of citizens was the cause of more
than two thousand refugees coming from
MatamorOs to Brownsville yesterday af-
tcrnOon and last night. The exodus from
MatamOrOS became noticeable at 5:3O
yesterday afternoon, and there was
general scramble for street cars. ferry
boats and hacks until i'll the late hours
of the night when il was certain that
nothing serious would happen.
Where the thousands who came from
MatamOroS TO Brownsville went is un-
ccrtaiil-but they came and many Of
Them ramblcd through the streets and
Hundreds brough, bundles Of clothes
bread baskets filed with what not, and
every hack that came TO this city carried
its one. two. or three tiny tots. Fear
was written on the troubled and care
scanned faces Of the mothers and though
the fathers and brothers that came over
were few. many of them did accompany
their families over and returned to their
native city as soon as possible.
Whether there was any foundation
Cor their fears or not. the hackmcn ut
least rcaped a big harvest during the
exodus. and there was big scramble Of
Brownsville hackmcn for the streets Of
the sister city
All during the day yesterday it was
noticed that the barracks ut MatamOroS
wore Semi-dcSerted appearance, there
having been only 4 couple Of SentrieS on
duty. The main portion Of the men had
been scattered on the various roads
leading from the outside into the city,
adviccS having been received of the cx-
pcctcd arrival Of 4 body Of soldiers with
whose color" the rebel garrison Of
MatamOroS was not acquainted.
Every road was watched and from a
church tower in MatamOrOS it is said
that 4 man sighted the incoming body
of fOrty-tivc men at ! o'clock. lmmed-
late preparations were made to meet
them out of the city. 1t had been early
decided that if it should be necessary to
DO any fighting at all, it would be done
OutCf town, there being no desire to en-
danger the lives of the nOn-cOmbatantS
and the property Of citizens.
The firing Of shots created intense eX-
citCmcnt and interest to hundreds of
people in Brownsville. and many Of
them rushed to river banks where the
echo Of the shooting could be easily
heard. Estimates Of the number Of shots
fifty shots were fired into the air. Prom
incnt MatamOrcnsenS, however. affirm
that not over six ShOst-a single vollcy
were fired.
Those Brownsville citizens who heard
the shooting were certain that rebels and
fedcralS had met. and that battle was
in progress ut some point up the river a
few miles. Newspaper correspondents al
once became busy, and were making ar
rangements to change from ordinary 40
calls" to more important war matter, anC
few Of them quickly made their way tC