Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1914-10-24
CHAPTER XXI.

The uperintendent's house stood on
low bench above the town. looking
out over all the valley. but protected
! by high hill behind. upon the summit
of which was placed a mammoth black
water tank
In its architecture the casa grande
was an exact replica OF a hot-country
hacienda, a 6at-roofed. one-storied
square of adobe bricks. whitewashed
TO keep off the sun and presenting on
three sides nothing but dense trees
planted near for shade. Along the
| front was long arcade. the corredor.
graced by a series of massive arches
which let in the light and air Inside
were low chambers and long passages;
and, behind. the patio and garden of
orange and fig trees.
Built for a sumptuous dwelling, 1t
became in a moment a fort and, with
men on the high hill by the tank. 1t
was practically impregnable to direct
assault.
As Hooker stepped out on to the Gov
cred porch with his saddle-gun in his
hand he became simply one more of a
band of excited Americans, all armed
and ready to defend the house to the
last. Some were pacing back and forth
in the corredor, others were hurrying
up from the Mexican quarters with a
last belated handful of women. but the
major portion were out on the open
bench. either gazing north and south
at the scenes of the distant firing or
engaging in a curio-mad scramble for
any spent bullet that struck.
The fighting, such as there was. was
mostly up the canyon, where large
party of Sonoran miners had rushed in
pursuit of the rebels. The firing down
the canyon in the direction of Old For
tuna had died away to nothing, and for
the moment II seemed as If the futile
charge and retreat was the beginning
and the end of the battle.
A party of rebels had penetrated
clear into the town, but 1t was appar-
emily more by accident than intention,
and they had been quick to beat a re-
treat. AS for the main command of
the insurrectos, they were reported at
Chular. six miles up the railroad.
where they had surrounded and taken
a small mining camp and captured a
train at the summit.
The column to the south-the one
which Hooker had encountered-had
taken to the high hills west of the
ha clr 81 81
buttelike submits they could now be
seen in scattered bands making their
way to the north.
The defenders of Fortuna consisted
of a rag-tag garrison of twenty fed
erals and the hot-headed, charging
miners. But apparently that was a
combination hard to beat. for, while
the federals entrenched themselves be,
hind the black tank on the hill and
prepared to protect the town. the So
norans in shouting masses drove every
thing before them and marched on to
attack Chular.
But in this they made a mistake, for
the rebel scouts, seeing the great body |
OF defenders pressing on up the mar
row canyon, rode back and informed |
the tricky Bernardo Bravo. He would |
be a poor general indeed who could |
not see the opening that was offered
and, while the valiant Sonorans pur-
sued the rebel cavalry up the pass.
Bernardo Bravo sent the half of his |
thousand men to cut off their retreat |
from behind.
Along the broad top OF the noun
tain above they came scampering by |
tens and twenties. closing in with a
vastly superior force upon the now
defenseless town. In the depths of the
canyon below the miners we're still
chasing the elusive cavalry. their fir.
ing becoming faint as they clambered
on toward the summit and the rebel
headquarters at Chular
. They had, in fact, been handled like
children. and the Americans Joined In
curses Of their mistaken
bravery as they beheld in what straits
1t had left them.
Forbidden by the superintendent to
in the combat, yet having
in their care the women of the camp.
hey were compelled to stand passive
y aside while rebels by the hundred
came charging down the ridges. Only
IN the last resort. and when all diplo-
macy and sfederal defense had failed.
would they be allowed to so much as
cock a rife. And yet-well, twenty
Americans might easily
urn back this charge.
Taking advantage Of HIS Mexican
Hooker was already on the
'un for the trenches when the super
ntendent stopped him with look
fTo BE cOSTINUEDJ