The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-12-15

tho Harbor-U. S. Naval Surgeons
Help Care for Wounded.
WASHINGTON. Dee. b. After four
days Of fierce fghfing the Mexican
Federal garrison 1T the seaport OF
TamPieo, reinforced by the arrival Of
eauboats with troops. ammunition and
dynamite, has driven the attacking
Gonstitutionalists out OF range Of their
guns
This information .w&s contained IN
Il despatch from Rear Admiral Fletcher
t. the navy department dated 10 D. m.
Saturday. The message was sent bv
wireless from Tampico to Vera Cruz,
where it was cabled iii cipher to Wash
ingtou Via Galveston, which accounts
fog its stow transmission.
From the maps ut she department.
showing tile relative positions IF the
/ Constitutioaalists and Federal troops,
the arrival of the Federal gunboats
Undoubtedly was q strong factor in
causiug tire attacking force to with
draw. Admiral Fletcher ut first ceti-
mated the streneth of the Constitutions
aiists 1T 6,00o, while the Federal garri-
son bad about half that number
Tie ounboat Bravo was the first to
IarriXe with few hundred men, ana
Ishe vas followed in quick succession
~ tic Federal gunboats Iaragoza
Vera Cruz and Tampieo, swelling the
Federal force to about 6.000
The ouuboats could she'll the rcbe
ipositious from the river and keep then
IRON milking much of an impression ol
the Federal dcfenses il the city.
Whether the ConstitutionaiistS have
Ionlv temporarily withdrawn or hay,
given mp the idea ct attacking TamFi
60 while II is protected by the gun
boats is not disclosed in amy of tn,
dispatches thus far received
Satisfaction was expressed at til,
navy department over Rear Admira
Fletcher s method OF dealing with TIL
situation Not only have foreigner
been get safely ont Of danger but. AZ
cordiu9 10 latest adyices, no yaluabl
property has been destroyed.
Stories that the position of iii
American ships iu the river had en-
barraSsed the Federal gunboats yer
. declared to be groundless. ~ tile as
patches TO the department showed tn
Mexican boats to BE above ana helol
/ the city, where they could fire upo
. the rebel positions without endangel
ing amy Of the American vessels
T Admiral Fletcher was In communca
tion with the navy department las
: night concerning the disposition of tn
refugees. It is probable that most {
them Nill BE taken to Galveston
though MANY Il is believed, viii dcsil
to return to tic city Of Tampico.
Rear ADMIRAL Fletcher 5 statemcr
: to the navy department was as fo
!. lows
s. .Constitutioualists have withdraw
i and fighting has ceased. More Fedcr
rcinforcements arrived. Four Mcxica
Federal 2uuhoats now in river. F.
: ward Finlay, an American, woundt
in anflc and in hospital doing We
Z. Medical officers from II. $. :. Tacon
= and I. 5. 5. Chester are helping in Il
: military hospital with about 200 Me>
r can wounded VIII transfer rcfuge
from battIeships to transport Oh j
. arrival.
s, Under date Of , p NJ, Saturday, A
$. miral Fletcher cabled the navy dcpal
Il. ment as follows:
: Firing has ceased. One Mexic;
- Federal 2unboat below city and anot
/ er above Water works shut off fro
# city by Constitutionalists. Number
= refugees, Americans aud foreleue
IS, aboard American battleships, 95 mo
:. 166 women, l46 children. Number
city not yet ascertaincd. Battleshi
tt Rhode Island, New jersey and y
he 2inia, gunboats Tacoma and Wheel
ng aud scout cruiser Chester at Tampi
nd Other ships at Vera Cruz.