The Washington herald., 1914-07-06
ALITTLE SEA FIGHT.
Band of Heroe. Sank with The Rebel
DereIict Tampico.

There was never forIorner hope than
the Hght OF the insureent gunboat Tam
pico with the federal gunboat General
Guerrero. on TopoIobampo on June 1s,
and never did men bear themselves more
heroically than the captain and crew
Of the little Tampico. This incident in
the Mexican civil war has not received
the attention IL deserved. As a demon
stration OF the importance OF sea power
as a factor IN warfare the victory CT
the General Guerrero was Illuminating.
but the layman win be more Impressed
BY the bravery OF the Mexican Insurgents,
inevitably doomed TO defeat. when the
story OF their fate is properly told as il
Is by an oficer of the Untted States
steamship Perry In the current number
Of the Army and Navy Journal.
The General Guerrero steamed to the
combat "spick and span In a new coat
OF paint. brass work shining about the
deck, and the deck swarmIng with men"
To naval man the Tampico was a
melancholy sight, and her case was hope
less After lying on the mud IN Topolo-
bampo Harbor for more than a month
with her decks awash she had been
raised three days before the batfie 10
be taken TO the railroad repair shops
at Altata. sixty miles away, but she was
not navigable. One boiler leaked and the
others were crusted with salt All but
two OF the force Of Lieut. johnson. the
chief engineer deserted. and poems were
impressed to do the engine room work
Steam on one boiler was made, but IL
soon failed johnson. and the derelict.
for the Tampico was little else. let her
anchor go on Topolobampo HarbOr. The
General Guerrero was known to have left
Guaymas in search of her victim The
night before the battle Capt Klein, Of
the destroyer Prebie, asked Capt. Malpico
what he would do when the General
Guerrero appeared. I'll fight her." said
the Mexican insurgent without more
words
1t was an ideal day for a naval en-
gagement" when the bigger Federal ship
bore down on the crippled Tampico. The
little gunboat began the action by firing
four-inch gun greatly to the delight
Of the American sailors on the destroyers
Preble and Perry. who had front seats
all over the bridges and rigging" They
rooted for the insignificant Tampico
The General Guerrero was soon firing
four shots TO the Tampicos one For
some time the Federals did not realize
that the Tampico could not be maneu-
vered- Nevertheless the little gunboat
won first blood, planting a shell under
the Guerreros 5 bow chaser and killing one
and wOunding two men, shot from the
Federal gunboat tore away the ensign
gam on the Tampico. and an insurgent
seizing the flag waved II defantly The
fight went on until a shell from the
Guerrero exploded a tank of alcohol on
the Tampico and she caught fire. When
their last gun was enveloped in flames
the insurgents took to their boats. but
were overhauled by the Federal gunboat
Capt Malpico refused TO surrender. and
crying Viva los Constitutionalistas,"
blew out his brains. Chief Engineer
johnson died at his post. either by his
own hand or struck by shrapnel The
Tampico sank with a great kissing OF
steam and dead and wounded went
down with her. BY her victory the General
Guerrero saved the ports Of Guaymas,
Mazatlan and ManzanilIo. and the whole
west coast has remained under Federal
control.
Had Americans or Englishmen manned
the Tampico in the unequal and hopeless
struggle, their glory would never fade
Malpico's 'Ill fight her stamped him
as a man of heroic mould. II is as soul
stirring as the indomitable speeches that
We are familiar with In our own histories
New York Sun