Las Vegas optic., 1913-03-03
ONLY FOUR men ARE KILLED
ALL MEMBERS or THE FEDERAL
ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC OF
MEXICO
COMMANDERS MAKE REPORTS
EACH DECLARES THAT THE oP
POSING FORCES FIRED THE
FIRST SHOTS

DOukidO, EAllNss N1 oJl On wi Va az
Mexican soldiers and an urFncwn
number O. wounded were taken to
aqua Prieta today from the point on
fhe international border five miles
from here where two troops of the
Ninth United States cavalry fought a
30 minutes battle with Mexican reg
ulars yesterday. More than 1000
shots were fired by the American
troopers and it is estimated that full
ly as many were fired by the Mex
leans. None of the Americans was
hit. Neither side crossed the inter
national border.
Colonel Guilfoyle commanding the
Ninth cavalry has sent a detailed re-
port of the skirmish to the war de-
partment at Washinton. He said to.
day he did not anticipate any further
trouble. AS a precaution, however,
the usual border patrol of the Ninth
cavalry was increased this mornins
Everything was quiet along the liue
today.
General Ojeda, Mexican commander
at Aqua Prieta, today declared that
the American troops fired first. This
is denied by United States army oS-
ficers. Lieutenant Nicholson, IN
command of the guard patrol mount
Of Is men which first engaged the
Mexicans, and Captain Armstrong,
who commanded Troops L and F
when they come to the relief Of the
guard mount, declared today that q
volley of shots came from the Mex
ican side before the fire was resumed
by the Americans.
According to the accounts given by
the army officers, Lieutenant Nichol-
son and his IA men we're fired upon
without warning by IS Mexican feder-
ais. The guard mount returned the
fire, but in few minutes retreated
to the c. A. Smelter, sending to the
camp Of the Ninth for reinforcements.
Troops z and F under Captain
Armstrong. responded with a machine
gun and 12O rounds Of ammunition per
man. At sight of the reinforcements
the Mexicans again began firing. The
troopers replied vigorously and
general engagement was soon on. The
opposing forces were stationed in
skirmish line, 800 yards apart, with
the international line between them
After 80 minutes, the Mexicans re-
treated beyond the range of the troop
ers rifles.
An incident which preceded the
skirmish, and which is believed by
some observers to have some con
nection with it, was the arrest by the
Ninth cavalry border patrol Saturday
afternoon Of Juan Castillo as he was
trying to cross from the American
side to Aqua Prieta with messages
from e. Gales, leader of the Made
rista iunta in Douglas, to Gales fol-
lowers in Sonora The messages were
addressed to the commander Of the
Maderista force which disarmed the
federal garrison at Fronteras last
week, and demanded the immediate
release Of two Maderlsta officers held
captive by the regulars, Castillo Is
still detained by the authorities, and
the messages are in the hands Of Col
onel Guilfoyle.
Soon after the arrest Of the rebel
messenger Saturday few shots were
fired across the line at a squad Of
the border patrol. The sergeant in
charge Of the federal garrison Of
Aqua Prieta and Felipe Luna were
executed at Aqua Prieta yesterday on
order Of General Oieda on charges Of
conspiracy agaist the Huerta regime
Commanders Give Statements
"AI have to say Is that my re-
port went 10 Washington this morn.