Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1914-05-06
Huerta Soldiers, 500 Strong, Retreat
When General Funston Rushes
Large Force to Water
works Station.


The MeXicanS are still holding a no.
sitlon beyond the waterworks station
and the American troops have received
no orders to advance At IL o'clock
in the morning a Mexican force esti-
mated at from three to five hundred
men appeared mile beyond the water
works station. AS Major Russell of
the marines had received orders not to
assume the offensive he and his men
watched the Mexicans with much in
terest.
Suddenly Mexican lieutenant and
a non-commissioned officer bearing a
white flag advanced and presented a
demand for the Americans to surren-
der within ten minutes.
Russell Sends Answer.
Major RusselIs reply was
Hurry right back and do not waste
any of the time your commanding Off
Ger has stipulated"
Major Russell then made prepara-
tons to resist any attack, at the same
time sending a message to headquar-
tiers in Vera Cruz that his outpost was
threatened. Back at Headquarters
Brigadier General Funston and his
staff had been conscientiously work
ing out the details of the new govern
ment which the brigadier had been in
structed to establish. The wireless
message from the waterworks station
at El TEAR brought about a quick
change from this comparatively pro-
sale work to that of active army duty.
Within a few minutes headquarters
had notified Maj. John H. Russell that
reinforcements were on the way to aid
him, and in little more than an hour,
instead of the $40 marines composing
the command of Major Russell at the
outpost of Ell TEAR, there were in po-
hundred men, while the entire garri-
son of Vera Cruz was ready for any
movement that might be ordered.
Troops Rushed Forward.
Seven companies of the Fourth In
fantry regiment were sent forward I'M
der the command of Col. Robert c..
Van Vliet, as well as two battalionS
and three companies of marines COM
manded by Col. John Archer Lejeune.
All these troops had been taken from
stations in the outskirts of Vera Cruz,
the men of the infantry regiment en-
training for the short run to Ell Tejar
from Los Cocos, the first station on
the Mexican railway, where they were
posted The battalions were COM
manded by Maj Charles G. French and
Maj. Paul A. Wolf
When Colonel Van Vliet and Colonel
Lejeune with their supporters arrived
at the waterworks station Major Rus
sell and his men were not at all hard
pressed. The Mexicans had contented
themselves with scattering fire, con-
Sisting of not more than six shots at a
range of about fifteen hundred yards.
From Major Russell's lines only one
shot was fired.
Is Extreme Outpost.
The waterwOrks station at Ell TEAR
forms the most advanced post in the
American lines, and was placed so far
out of the city only because the au-
sential to protect the city's water sup
ply.
General orders had been given for
the American troops not to assume the
offensive and not to fire at all unless
attacked.
Il is cot regarded here as at all prob
able that Gen. Gustave Mas, former
federal commander at Vera Cruz, has
any idea of attempting to retake the
city, but is tightening his long irregu-
lar lines about the city, apparently in
an effort to prevent the entrance from
the country district of supplies. In this
he has been partially successful and
truck gardeners have found it impos-
sible to reach the Vera Cruz markets
with their produce.
Threat Is Considered a Bluff.
1t is generally assumed that the
Mexican threat to take Ell Tejar was
little more than a bluff, and it is
thought that the Mexicans perhaps
hoped the American outposts at that
place, which was only little more than
half their number, might surrender or
that they might defeat the Americans
before reinforcements could arrive.
While no fear is felt by the army
authorities in Vera Cruz that the Mex
lean troops will make a serious at
tack, it is realized that considerable
Inconvenience soon will be created un-
less something is done to open the
roads into those districts where gar
den and dairy products come from.