Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1913-06-11
{: TAKE / ! (. CITY
HUNDREDS KILLED IN BATTLE
WHICH RESULTS IN CAPTURE
OF MATAMoRAs, MEX.
FEDERAL E: e. LEADER Il. 0 IS SLAIN
vIctors Possessed Plans Of Fortlfica-
lions and Under Guidance Of De-
serter Attacked Vulnerable Points

Brownsville, Tex, June 5.-Hun.
dreds are believed to have been killed
In battle that ragged for 70 hours
Tuesday between the rebels under Gen.
Lucio Blanco and the federal forces In
Matamoras. the northern stronghold
Of the federal government, and which
resulted. after desperate fighting, in
the capture Of the city in the evening
by the rebels.
Much Of the fighting was hand to
hand. Maj. Estaban Ramos. one OF
Mexico's noted soldiers. made a heroic
defense against terrible odds. His OH.
GERS capitulsted only after their chief
had been MORALLY wounded by q half
dozen rebel bullets and lay at the point
of death in hospital In Brownsville.
The dying general heard the shouts
Of the victors In the streets Of the con.
quered town just before he passed
away.
The attack began at 10: 30 Tuesday
morning. when the constitutionalists
under General Blanoo advanced In
shrmish line. The federalss had prac-
tically no chances to hold the city,
and their resistance throughout the
day was called remarkable BY Amert
can army officers who viewed the a.
sault from this side Of the river.
The rebels were In possession Of
complete plans OF the Notifications. A
federal deserter showed them where
all the mines were laid aud named the
vulnerable points in the limo Of de-
tense. Virtually the only defense the
handful of federa1s had was high
barbed wire fence charged with cleo.
tricity.
The rebels charged this three times,
and each time were hurled back. Six.
ty Of their number we're electrocuted.
Finally they concentrated their az
aault upon the Matamoras light plant.
Major Ramos dispatched Captain We
lez. his most trusted aid. with two
lieutenants and picked band OF 20
sharpshooters to defend the plant and
save the wire fence.
The federals made q gallant defense,
but were outnumbered four to one. and
Captain Velez, the lieutenants and the
squad OF soldiers were killedto : man
after they had retreated To- the very
doors Of the electrification plant
The plant fell at three O'Clock. and
the last hope OF the federals went with
it. Blanco appealed to Major Ramos
to surrender. but the old Mexican fight.
er scorned the offer and sent the en-
voys back and ordered deploy to re-
pulse the attack.
| The rebels advanced and, after a
heavy fire, the federal band was driven
under cover. Cutting their, way through
the wire fence. now useless as q dc.
Tense. the rebels swarmed into the
town. s5s- +2 lR
Slaughter followed. Retreating from
street to street the defenders slowly
but surely were driven to bay. Scores
OF soldiers fed to the river and swan
to the American shore, where they
surrendered to the flag OF the United
| States. o. =. ~
Not until the defending army had
been SO completely routed that it was
impossible to marshal q squad Of 20
fighting men at ono place did a Junior
officer Of Ramos staR raise the white
flag on his saber.
Bullets whixzed into Brownsville.
where hundreds watched the fortune
OF the battle across the river. One au-
tomobile was wrecked by she'll. but
no one was seriously hurt.