El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-01-05
No Desertions; Men Fight
With Enthusiasm; Wound
edRebels Show Bravery.

Continued from page u
mis- words hundreds of soldiers sleep
lnS contentedly in their rifle pits.
among the soldiers exhausted from the
previous nights vigil was Gen. SalaZar,
sleeping as peacefully as a child.
AFTER again expressing their kindest
regards, was permitted to leave with
an escort and given passports and free
entry TO return at any time, day or
night and make moving pictures of
any events Of interest or gain any news
desired with the solemn promise that
no films were to be DEVELOPED until al
Ter the deciding battle had been fought
Picture Of a Battle.
returned the following day with my
moving picture camera man, Mr..
Rocher. from FL Paso. and Mr.. Dur
borough a newspaper photographer
from Chicago. We were permitted to
take moving pictures of all the fortifi-
cations, soldiers IN trenches, etc, and
at 3 o'clock were making a special pic
ture of Gen. SalaZar. when severe fir
ing was opened by the Constitutional
lists under Gen. Ortega, and. while the
bullets were striking below us and
singing merrily over our heads. to the
tune of bursting shrapnel we made
hundreds Of feet Of actual battle scenes.
american Bravery PIeases.
Finally. after an hour and a half of
continuous fighting, the artillery
ceased firing and we helped with the
wounded, and then departed for Presi-
evidence of fright seemed to please
Gems. Salazar and 1Iercado and they
invited us back the following day
That night at z o'clock, the rebels
assaulted the city, and, after an all
night fight in which many were killed
and scores wounded, the rebels were
forced to give up the ground they had
so valianly fought for and retreat to
an arroyo, some three miles distant.
Rebel ShnrpshOOters Busy.
Meanwhile the rebel sharpshOOters
entrenched themselves in the deserted
federal outpost rifle pits and main
tanned a steady fire, which has continued
day and night, occasionally returned
by the federals, and every few mo-
ments the sound of the large St
Chamond cannOns roared with the noise
OF bursting shrapnel and small arms
fire.
At the river is a continuous sight
impossible to imagine. MeXicans of
every size, color and description, clothed
in every manner of garb, refugees who
have been driven across the river, are
Camped, and the question of food has
been a serious one for them. The
United States soldiers have been main
tanning perfect law and order, how
ever.
Exaggerated Reports.
The reports that hundreds Of feder- /
ais are killed, wounded and deserving /
are falsehOOds that exist only in the
fervid imaginatiOns of over Jealous /
reporters and editors.
At right like pin points Of light the 4
flashes of the rifles of both sides are
watched into the wee hours by the (
people Of Preside, and so close are /
both armies that the words can be +
plainly heard when the soldiers of the 4
opposing armies curse each other, /
which they have frequently done.
Few Federal DesertiOns.
At the river strict watch is being /
kept by the American patrols and arms I
are promptly taken from deserving SOL
diers, but the soldiers are no longer
forced back over the river.
The total number of assertions from
the federals will not exceed ESQ, and
the dead on both ides will not exceed
200, while each side has less than $50
wounded.
Such wounded as are brought across
are being promptly cared for by Ameri-
can Red Cross doctors and nurses, at
the Spanish church, which has been !
turned into a hospital
Some Heavy Fighting.
Friday the heaviest daylight fight
ing occurred, when an attacking party
of federals of less than 1000 left the
Notifications at OJinagas and under I
cover Of a heavy artillery fire, at
tempted to dislodge a machine gun
outpost that was causing considerable (
damage at the first arroyo on the rebel /
side. Hundreds of shots were eX-
changed and the bursting Shrapnel
filled the air with smoke, while the /
rattle of the machine guns made re-
ports not unlike a giant riveter at
MOEh on an immense SLEEl clL4llS CAs
The heaviest loss in dead and wound
occurred Friday, as the attacking fed
erals were forced to retreat the way ]
they had come out, over an open space,
where the merCiless fire Of the reen-
forced rebels made the toll of dead and
injured exceed that of any other day.
In the Rebel Lines.
At o'clock Friday I went over to the
main rebel encampment where / de-
livered a message of warning to Gen
Ortega from Mai. McNamee, regarding
the indiscriminate firing across the
river. Gen Ortega expressed his sin
Cere regrets and assured me that there
would not be a repetition of 1t, and
imme diately changed his plan of attack
and location of cannon so that there
would be less danger of stray shots (
falling into American territory.
While we were there, shells were
continually bursting over our heads
and, nearby, a bursting shell wounded
dozens of rebels
Brave Rebel Wounded.
We Immediately offered our services
and as had knowledge of first aid, L !
sent for bandages, cotton etc, and per !
sonally washed and dressed five Of the
most seriously injured. The rebels have
no medical officers with them.
One bright fellow, Capt Jose Oras,
was shot through and and through and,
while ] was dressing him he laughed [
and 1oked and even gamely smiled I
while DurbOrough made picture Of /
me washing his wounds.
Closing the Port.
At 3 o'clock the firing ceased except
fOI occasional shots from sharpshOOt-
ers. and we returned to Preside. Ford
ing the river we met many loads of
flour and provisions being taken to {
the rebel forces, and, as both sides
have a large supply Of ammunition !
and, as the port was open then and {
they could get provisions, medicine,
etc, with thousands of rounds of am {
munition that are sure to be smuggled
across in spite of the strictest guard J
possible, 1t looked like a drawn out :
light with the toll of life increasing {
with each advance and repulse. But 2
the port is now closed and lack of G
food may change the situation for both
armies. 2
Great Natural Fort.
The federals have the greatest !