The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1914-01-07
A BLOODY BATTLE
MEXICAN RERELSFORCE FEDERALS
TO THE RIVER
BORDER PATROL ACTIVE

Ruerta's Northern Army All But
Ready to Surrender to Rebels
Who are Threatening Them With
determination Wounded Cross
Into the United States.
The northern division of the Mexi-
can federal army at Ojinaga, Mexico
with it II generals, other officers and
about 1000 soldiers, after a merci-
less three-days' attack by Gen. Orte-
gas 5000 rebels Thursday night ap-
peared ready to fee in disorder
across the river into the United
States. With a line Of struggling
wounded at the border to indicate the
extent of the carnage, and deserters
already appearing in numbers, Mai
NJ. n. McNamee, commanding the
border patrol at Preside, Tex, made
every plan in anticipation Of the
fight.
Lest than 500 cavalrymen, mostly
from the Fifteenth cavalry, form the
border patrol. To this small body OF
American soldiers would fall the task
of surrounding and disarming, per-
haps, 1000 foreign soldiers, or 1900
of them if 1000 have been. disabled
or killed. The ability of the Ameri-
can soldiers to handle the refugees
was based on the assumption that the
rebels would pursue the federals
merely to the river.
An estimate, as carefully as could
be obtained, of the wounded on both
sides was 1000. Most of the wound
ed were left on the battlefield. The
less disabled reached the river and
were cared for by the Red Cross on
the American side. Scores Of unin-
jured federal deserters, in defiance OF
the American patrol, crossed the rlv-
er. All were disarmed and forced
back to the Mexican side. More than
200 rifles and other arms and ammu-
milton were taken.
It was impossible to learn accu-
rately the number of dead and the
belief that it would be great was
based on the number of wounded.
Many were believed to have died
through lack OF medical attention, as
Red Cross officials we're not permit
ted to ford the river even under a
Red Cross flag. Those who ventured
to help the wounded from the river
risked being shot. A few shots fell
on the American side, north Of Pre-
sidio, but no one was injured.
Maj. SIcNamee sent Gen. Ortega a
warning that any further firing
across the river might entail grave
consequences. So far Maj. McNamee
has adhered to a policy Of sending
back all the unwounded combatants.
Should all the federals come across
they would be disarmed, but they
might be permitted to remain on this
side under temporary arrangement
on grounds Of humanity. Final dis
position of the prisoners would be IN
the hands Of higher army authorities.
It was hoped that the federals, If
they came, would cross without any
unexoected incident, and that the
rebels would not pursue them un-
necessarily near.
AS for the battle at Ojinaga, one
mile back from the river, it proceed
ed uninterruptedly, with the federals
confined in and fighting from the
adobe houses in the village, while
the rebels, always drawing closer,
fired artillery and small guns from
the hills and approaches.
Soon after daylight the federals
made a desperate attempt to rally.
They even extended their line Of fire
outward, but this brought heavier
firing by the rebels that sent the de-
'~nders back e their inner defenses.
Thereafter the relative position Of
the opposing forces remained much
the. same with Gen. .Ortega driving in
shot and shell from three sides while
Gen. Francisco Castro's federals fired
from what vantage points they had
within the horse corral, the custom
house and trenches.
Never in bordaI history had there
been a scene equal to that of the fed
eral wounded and deserters who
scrambled to reach the United States,
while from their rear there poured a.
parting shower of shells and bullets.
The rivers edge was a ragged
and half naked soldiers, some rush
ing pell nell into the river, some
crying from the pain of their wounds,
others crawling, because Of shattered
limbs, over rocks and cacti, some
greedily stopping to drink the muddy
water, and all begging the Americans
on the opposite side for shelter from
the turmoil from which they had fed.
The river bed is of soft mud with
water. in the middle about waist deep.
At one point 200 men, all carrying
arms, waded across. They were sur
rounded by a handful Of United
States troops, disarmed and forced
back. The wounded were picked up
as soon as they reached the shore, or
if a wounded soldier got stuck in the
mud he was dragged out and placed
in the care. of the Red Cross.
A soldier who had his arm shot off,
another limping with wounded foot,
still more who had actually crawled
into the water, a federal lieutenant
bearing. the uniform Of the rank; a
bugler with bunch Of yellow tassels
on his arm, barefooted private who
had lost his shoes, all formed part OF
the bobbing line that came down The
ni1e which interyeneS between Dim