The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-02-15
DIAz AND MADERO BATTLE.
BLOODY STREET FIGHTING CON.
TINUES.
Civil War I'm City of Mexico Marked
by Heavy Fighting and Much
Bloodshed-BOth Diaz and Madero
Determined to Make IL u Fight to
the Finish.

Dy Shot and shell. 1t was not until
o'clock tonight that the fire in all
quarters ceased.
& Gen. Felix Diaz, in command of
the rebel forces, fortified and en-
trenched in and around the arsenal,
has held his ground against the fed
erals. He had done more than this.
He had subjected the city to a more
terrible bombardrnent than that of
yesterday. He had widened his zone
OF action and had sent forces against
the National palace.
Throughout the bombardment and
almost continuous rattle of machine
guns and rifles the president went
about his work in the palace appar-
emily unperturbed. He took counsel
frequently with the finance minister,
Ernesto Madero; from time to time he
was in conversation with Gen. Huerta,
the commander-in-chief regarding
plans of attack. His courage was
great, his confidence remarkable. Over
at the arsenal, Gen. Diaz calmly di-
rected the operations. He character
lied them as solidly defensive. He,
too, was optimistic.
Anticipating an early resumption Of
hostilities tomorrow, more than GOO
Americans fled tonight from home to
temporary abodes in the outskirts Of
the city, where the danger from the
! fire will be minimized.
! Ambassador Wilson, being informed
from the National palace that the
government planned a crushing blow,
! determined TO save the Americans If
possible and rented numerous houses,
! to which, under flags Of truce, agents
OF the embassy hurried in automobiles
as many women and children as
would agree to be transported.
The capital was quiet tonight but
the fugitive foreigners filed with
! horror by the frightful bombardment
of the past two days. needed little
urging.
While the bombardment was far
heavier today than Tuesday, the
J probable loss Of life was less. This
was due to the lack Of any effort TO
force the assault by the federals.
| The casualties are estimated at not
less than 800 dead and 1900 injured
in the two days fighting. Two Ameri-
4
! by a shell. They were Mrs. III. w.
Homes and Mrs. Percy Griflths.
Several Americans have been wound
: ed. Rut the total number Of native
non-combatants injured was undoubt-
edly small. Experience is fast teach
ing the citizens to keep out OF the
line OF fire when possible.
The report from the Diaz head
quarters that his losses have been
! negligible are received with some
{ doubts. About 10 o'clock tonight
there was a sharp active fire for a Few
minutes by a federal battery against
the rebel position but at IL o'clock
the city was tranquil with all the
street lights out.
The number of dead and wounded
can not even be estimated, but 1t is
large. For two hours during the fore
noon the rebel gunners rained shot
and shell at the lofty structures Of
the city, from the roofs Of which fed
eral sharpshooters and machine gun
men had attempted TO rake the insur-
gents In the trenches and behind the
! barbados OF the arsenal.
Shells from the heavy guns were
we'll timed. the explosions throwing
perhaps hundreds Of thousands Of
bullets into the roofs. effectuaily
clearing the buildings Of the picked
men of the federal troops
Some of the rebel shells and not
"a few bullets reached the National
Palace, but none did serious damage.
1t is not believed that Diaz seriously
contemplates at the present time an
attack on MaderO's headquarters.
NIadero has promised 10 make
combined assault on the rebel posi-
tion tomorrow but the operations Of
today indicated that Diaz has much
i'm reserve. ON the first day Of the
battle it was the government forces
that burned their powder
Today IT was the rebels turn To be
aggressive. Diaz brought forth
heavier guns than ne had used be
fore. The threatening features of
the day were the appearance i'm the
outskirts Of the city Of Zapatistas who
i harrasscd the government troops and
| the release from the Bclam Jail Of
several thousand prisoners. Some Of
/ the latter have joined the rebel ranks