The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-02-19
DIAZ DEMANDS SURRENDER OF
MADERO'S CITADEL.
Rebels Make Further Gains During
All-Day Fight I'm Mexican Capital
Madero's Crushing Blow" Finds
Enemy I'renarcd--MOre Buildings
Damaged by Fire OF Both Rebels
and Federals-American Club Rid
died.

through the day the rebel batterie.
OF heavy guns were throwing a fierce
fire of shrapnel around the palace
Many of these dropped into the Zoca
10, which fronts the building and the
Federal soldiers were compelled tc
move TO cover.
Before dark the fire on both sides
was intermittent, but apparently less
vigorous from the Federals. The Gov.
ernment troops were receiving ammu.
milton in small consignments, and II
was said they were running short.
Today's resumption Of the battle
began at o'clock. battery Of Fed
eral artillery opening fire on the arse.
nal. but although the bombardment
was kept up without cessation for an
hour or more, it had no appreciable
effect on the rebel refences.
That Diaz had prepared for the
threatened overwhelming movement
by the Government, which Madero
promised would be carried through to-
day. was shown by the fact that he
had stationed sharpshooters on the
roofs of buildings, had dispatched a
force outside the city to the west and
had placed his heaviest guns in posi-
tons commanding all approaches to
his stronghold
Gen. Huerta, commanding the Fed
erals, had promised to rush the forti-
fications Of the rebels, but he elected
instead to employ his artillery from
the Yarious points Of vantage. Only
once during the early part Of the day
did the infantry come into action.
During the heavy shelling of the
palace, Diaz apparently moved some
of his forces to the southeast of the
city, and shortly after IL o'clock the
palace was made the target of both
shells and rifle fire from that district.
Coincidentally the rebels succeeded in
extending their zone of activity in
otner directions.
The rebel fire towards the palace
wss intended not only to bring about
its surrender, but had for it's purpose
also the clearing OF the intervening
high buildings of machine guns and
riflemen and of silencing the Federal
battery operating in San Juan Letran
street at a point midway between the
arsenal and the palace.
This shelling wrought havoc among
the buildings in that section of the
city. The American Club was riddled
The interior of this building on the
second and third floors was complete
ly wrecked. OF forty Americans with
in il at the time several had almost
shells tore through the walls. The
first two crashed through the reading
room across the greater length of the
front on the second story. Others tore
through the walls above the second
story on the sides not protected by
buildings
In addition TO the shell fire the in
terror as well us the exterior Of the
American Club was perforated in
scores of places by bullets from rifles
and machine guns. The shells which
entered the reading room crashed
through the stone window castings, de-
molished a heavy leather chair and
exploded with terrific force. Shrapnel
was hurled in all directions, cutting
the furniture to ribbons, ripping the
floor and walls and puncturing in q
score OF places the portraits which
hung about the room.
MaderO's promise that the subjuga-
ton Of Diaz would be swift and terri
BILE, because the Government had
planned To surround him completely
and then pound 30 positions with
their heaviest guns, was in no way
fulfilled. only at times was today's
bombardment is heavy as the average
of yeste, day, and that was done by
the rebel guns.
The Federal fire generally was slow,
although, since it came from various
directions, it was persistent.
The rebel commanders orders to
his men were to conserve their fire
and little ammunition was wasted.
30 opportunity was lost, however, to
throw shells at the troublesome bat
tcrics and his machine guns and rifle
mon cUcctually prevented the near
approach Of the Government troops.
Ills greatest energies were displayed
IN the line of tGc towards tn" palace,
whore his blk guns SCARED the walls
ana doors or that ancient structure
and cleared the big square i'm front
of Federal reserves Tn battle last
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