Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-01-02

troll is not numerous. 1t was hoped
that the federals, if they came
would GROSS without any unexpected
incident, and that the rebels wouil
not pursue them unnecessarily near
As for the battle at Oiinaga, ont
mile back from the river, it pro
ceedcl uninteruptedly with the fed
erals confined in and fighting from
the adobe huts in the village, while
the rebels. always drawing closer
fired artillery and small guns from
the hills and approaches about
Soon after daylight the federals
made desperate attempt to rally
They even extended their line Of fire
outward, but this brought only an
increased firing from the rebels
which sent the defenders back into
their inner defenses. Thereafter tn
relative positions Of the opposing
forces remained much the same, with
General Ortega driving in shot and
shell from three sides, while General
Castro's federals fired from what
vantage points they had within the
horse corral. the cus.oms house and
trenches
Never in border history has there
been a scene quite equal to that of
the federal Wounded and describes
who scrambled To reach ths
United states, while from their rear
there stll poured a parting shower
Of shells and bullets.
The rivers edge was a ragged
fringe Of smoke begrimed, MANNED
and half-naked soldiers, some OF
them rushing pell NELL into the river.
some crying from the pain of their
Wounds others crawling because OF
shattered limbs, over the rocks and
eacti: some greedily stopping to drink
the muddy water, ANA all of them
begging the Americans on the op-
posite side for shelter from the hor-
rible turmoil from which they had
fled
Major McNamoo, the American
eavalfymen. and others who risked
the dangers Of Il fugitive shot and
went down TO the river hank, beheld
since dawn the oneoming rush Of de-
serters. The river bed at this point
Is formed Of soft mud with water
in the middle about waist deep.
Through this mud and water the sol
diers came, some carrying guns. oth-
ers half stripped Of their ciothins.
At one bend in the river, 200 federals,
alt carrying arms. waded across.
They were surrounded by handful
of United states troops, disarmcd and
forced back. The wounded were
picked up as soon as they reached
this shore. or if a wounded soldier
got stuck in the mud, he was dragged
out ana placed in the care of the Red
Cross. A soldier who had had his
arm shot off. another llmping with
wounded foot. still more who had
actually crawled to the water, fed
eral lieutenant bearing the uniform
of his rank, bugler with bunch Of
yellow tassels on his arm. a bare
footed private who had lost his shoes,
all formed part of the hobbling line
that came down the mile which in
tervenes between ojinaga and the
river
Mingled with the roar OF artillery
and rifles. "a mile away the SOUND
most horrifying to observers on this
side was the incessant groaning ctI
wounded man who were unable to
reach the border. Their piercin-
cries and means were an unceasing
lrge to which the distant cannon
thunder was as an un1ertone
The protest of the unwounded fed
erals against being forced back into
Mexico disarmed. was pitiable Us
lally when the United States troops
'eized their arms and sent them back
here was a iargon of excited Spanish.
AT slgnt OF the sturdy American sol
iiers. the deserters went back but
Haiing as they went that they would
surely be killed without their arms.
il was the fact that there were so
many federal deserters as much as the
,roeress of the rebel fighting that
onvineed Major McNamee early In
he dag that the retreat to the United
States Of the whole federal army was
The wounded were kept on this side
n grounds Of humanity The little
mission church OF the Spanish type
vas made their asylum, and above the
hurch was flung the Red Cross flag.
4 message addressed by Major Me-