The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1913-06-14
REBELS TAKE CITY
HUNDREDS KILLED IN BATTLE
WHICH RESULTS IN CAPTURE
OF MATAMoRAs, MEX.
FEDERAL LEADER IS SLAIN
Victors Possessed Plans OF Fortlfica-
tons and Under Guidance Of Dc
serter Attacked Vulnerable Points
-victors Made Three Attacks.

Brownsville, Tex, June 5.-flun-
dreds are believed to have been killed
in battle that ragged for II 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. Mai Estaban Ramos. one of
Mexico's noted soldiers. made heroic
defense against terrible odds. His off,
GERS capitulated only after their chief
had been MORALLY wounded by half
dozen rebel bullets and lay ut the point
of death in a hospital In Brownsville.
Tho 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: 80 Tuesday
morning. when the constitutsonalists
under General Blanco advanced In
skirmish line. The federals had prac-
tically no chances to hold the city,
and their resistance throughout the
day was called remarkable by Ameri'
can army officers who viewed the az
sault from this side OF the river.
The rebels were in possession OF
complete plans OF the fortfications. A
federal deserter showed them where
all the mines were laid and named the
vulnerable points in the line of de-
Tense. Virtually the only defense the
handful of federals had was high
barbed wire fence chargfd with cleo
tricity
The rebels charged this three times,
and each time were hurled back. Six
ty OF their number were electrocuted.
Finally they concentrated their az
sault 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 gallant defense.
but were outnumbered four 10 one. and
Captain Velez, the Heutenants and the
oiuao VA SoiuieiS Welc hifcu W ~ hiou
after they had retreated to the very
doors of the liberalization plant
The plant fell at three O'Clock, and
the last hope OF the federals went with
II. Blanco appealed to Major Ramos
TO surrender. but the old Mexican fight.
er scorned the offer and sent the en-
voys back and ordered a 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 de-
Tense. the rebels swarmed into the
town
Slaughter followed. Retreating from
street TO street the defenders slowly
but surely we're 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.
Not until the defending army had
been so completely routed that 1t was
impossible 10 marshal a squad OF 20
fighting men at one place did junior
officer of Ramos staff raise the white
flag on his saber.
Bullets whizzed into Brownsville,
where hundreds watched the fortune
Of the battle across the river. One au-
tomobile was wrecked by shell. but
no one was seriously hurt.