El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-04-07

fought desnerateIy from behind adobe walls.
through which loop hole e-.l naG Oeen made
reached the roundhouse anu abroad bridge
on the edge Of town DuL tHe men were
chine guns mounted on the roofs. The range
was so close that the artillery was able to
IRE point blank and the greatest losses were
Suddenly detachment of rebels darted
out on the flat to the northwest OF town
win WIN, rebel flag flying ana me Ihe machine
command of long Tom GIiuaII ana Greg
Leyva. They numbered their machine guns
and started, dislodging the federals, killing
me artillery captain and three ggnners who
Howitzer batteries
When the Mexican flag bearer was killed
~ a volley OF bullets from the federal Pc
sition Greg Leyva seized the bullet riddIed
II as a signal to the men Of his command.
EliGart was struck in the leg by a federal
putlet but continued to fight with his ma
Snlne gun until his ammunition was ex-
hausLed. Many houses in san PEDRO were
pa plaz4HE by this time from the reDeI arul-
ieIy, the IRE consuming the railroad round
house and station and the city home Of
rshciSco MaderO. The battle was continued
S after lark by the lurld light OF these burn
ing buildings. The battle circle extended
almost completely around the town by this
JlIne ana the fiercest fighting was done in
rebels succeeded in completely surrounding
the 1ederals and cut off all possibility Of es-
cape by burning the railroad bridges in all
dlrectlons. By midnight the ammunition
supply Of the federals had become exhausted
and the battle ceased
Federals Shoot Own Men.
Inc Iederals continued to fire at inter
Vals and seemed to have an abundance Of
ammunition. Early in the morning the fed
eral cavalry undertook sortie out Of town,
oul IN the darkness mistOok a part Of its
own command for the enemy and many were
ElIled before the mistake was discovered.
one entire federal company Of So men, three
Officers ana a color bnhTer uTODeQ their
back to the federal line in the dark and
became entangled in barbwired trochas and
ammunition
In the meantime. the federal cavalry re-
captured Buena Vista under cover OF a
neaNy artillery fire. My horse was lost in
the ensuing melee and was saved by Greg
LeyVa who pulled me onto his horse behind
him and we rode out Of the danger zone
Gen. Toribio Ortega on a white horse with
MS faithful bugler at his side, rallied his
men and turned his brigade back against
the enemy The fight was resumed around
the flaming Buena Vista ranch house but
II was soon found that the men were prac-
ucally out Of ammunition and a silent re-
treat was ordered TO permit them to recon
centrate and the entire rebel battle line
moved west toward La COncordia,
The Rebels in Retreat
The machine gun detachment covered the
retreat and the fighters silently withdrew
after 16 hours OF the most terrific fighting
OF the entire campaign and this without a.
Ier or FOOD ana without leaving the saddles
The "COnstitutionaiist'' losses mum bered A
uedur over 1UU wounded and II missing, be-
heved TO have been executed. Federal losses
We're reported by deserters to have been $50
dead, including two colonies, one major, sew
en- captains and the capture or 81 prisoners
with federal flag. Two Of these prisoners
were executed because they were officers.
The remainder were detailed to the hospital
corps.
The following day while couriers had been
sent to TOrreon for ammunition and food
a message was brought that a large force
Of federals from Torreon with refugees and
supplies was advancing toward San Pedro
Ihey were marching under cover Of q blind
ing dust storm and were heading toward
SaltIllo along the Coahuila and Pacific rail-
road. ~ miles further north. The whole
Ortega brigade resaddled and engaged in a
not pursuit riding a hard galIOp all dav
until they reached the railroad and had cut
the line of the federal retreat. While the
Ortega brigade awaited the arrival of the
retreating federals I returned to TorreOn
alone riding two days, meeting the rebel
relnIo ments with ammunition on the wav
70 the relief OF the rebels When I reported
TO Gen. Villa in Torreon- he told me thar HE
endorsements and ammunition which had
1een sent TO La Concordia, together with
the rebel force pursuing the Torreon furf-
yves MADE another big battle certain in the
vicinity Of San Pedro - ~