The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-29
Concealed Siege Guns Play Havoc With Infantry and Villas Troops Are
 Drawn Off
THE ARTILLERY DUEL WOULD ENDANGER
 AMERICAN LIVES
Villa Troops Reported To Be Awaiting Arrival of Heavy Guns-Three Wig Orous Assaults Repelled

Brownsville, Tex. March 2s.---FaIf- ing In their attempts yesterday and Inst night to disiodsc the Csrrnnzn garrison by rifle md machine gun fire Villa forces besieging Matamoros vir- tuaily ceased their attacks today. | awaiting. 1t was announced. the ar- , rival of artillery.
 In the event of an artillery duel Brownsville directly across the Rio Grande from Matamoros would be endan- gered and tonight one of the gravest of border crises is feared. The likelihood of shells falling in Brownsville was demonstrated by the rifle bullets which dropped here yesterday dur ing the first Villa assault on Matamoros trenches, a costly failure of Villa forces. in which their losses were officially given as 100 killed and 4o0 wounded. This att tack was a headstrong dash of ecoO mounted rhemen.
 The Carranza losses were 10 killed and 45 wounded. Two persons were struck by bullets in Brownsville. Neither was seri- ously injured.
 The coming Villa artillery must bc
  field pieces of the defenders none of which was fired yesterday. In addition the carranza troops are said to have four g. and one is-nch guns. Brilliant Success 1 Concealed machine guns won several brilliant successes for the Carranza forces in the opening fight. A troop of aoo Villa cavalry eircling five miles south Of Brownsville, approached unwlttingly at Il town named Rositas. a machine gun trenchs hidden beneath brush They were trottlng past thia trench when the mn chine guns opened Ire Nearly the entire l Villa dead were said 10 have fallen at this point. while, almost to man. the others were wounded. This incident ex- plains why so many of the Villa wounded 1 who were brought here today were hit in ], the left side.
 Gen. Emiliano P. Nafarrate. commando, Ing the Carranza garrison of 120o men in Matamoros. gave the Associated Press this account of yesterdays cavalry att tack:
 There were three separate cavalry charges In the first led by Gen. Jose E. Rodriguez. not more than 300 men par ticpated. The second was made with about 6l0 men, by Commander-in-chef Cabral Tho third assault comprised about 200o Villa troops. Like the other two 1t was beaten off I was on the iirng me, ana uuflnR the tn1fu uttack Houccu a great number of Villa soldiers were dis mounting. At first I though they in- tended to fight on foot. Later discovered they were falling off their horses, either killed or badly wounded With the aid of machine guns, the few men had were equal to tho thousands of the enemy The Villa troops came to within 5o paees of where we were entrenched Then We would turn the machine guns loose and mow them down..
 To Defend City Nnfarrate said he would deefnd the city to the limit. Four flags. captured yes- tcrday. noated in front of his headauar- ters today. the band played In the piazza and men and women of Alatamoros aele- brated. filling the streets with color One flag is inscribed. ''Second brigade, M Chao" This battalion, the constitutions alists claimed was almost wiped out by it's dashng assaults in the breastworks- Both Villa and constitutionalist soldiers say three Villa troopers were killed car rying this flag. Another flag is inscribed. 'vilIh brigade" These and the other two captured banners were bloodstained General Precopio Elizondo of the Carranza garrison was wounded ser- ously. 1t was said tho bullet which hit hih was fired by one of his own soldiers General Nafarrate an- nounced that Of the 10 Carranza lead five were killed at o'clock this
 
 lieutenant ordered his men to fire on a party of Villa soldiers gathering dead and wounded in front of the trenches. one Carranza soldier caught footing house during the night. WIS executed. mtoxicants are forbidden.
 Reports of the Villa dead conflict. The American consul, Jesse II. John son. had a report of 200 killed and 300 wounded. Many bodies lay in tho sun today in the open space before the
 
 wounded are housed in Brownsville and this probably comprises the bulk of seriously wounded
 Not Discouraged
 The Villa wounded are being ferricd across the Rio Grande in skiffs. sew eral miles west of Brownsville. and hurried in automobiles to hospitals here. All available cots in Brownsvillo have been called for.
 The Villa officers said today they are not discoeraged. It was said that Gen. Jose Rodriguez in supreme com- mand of the attacking troops had de- cided that the breastwor<s must be reduced before they are charged again. The Villa lines today lay near Las Russia. four miles southwest of Mata- moros.
 Gen. Ildefonso vasquez with force of Carranza troops said to number 1900 Is known be a few miles souti, of Matamoros.
 He may be in\ uch with the Car- ranza troops reNrted aboard the transport Oaxaca at the mouth of tha Rio Grande.
 Three Americans who did not wish to go to the American side are housed In the consulate at Matamoros.
 The Carranza consul here confirmed a report that Go Villa troops were caps tured. but denied a rumor that they had been executed. E$ <
 Villa officers said 300 horses wera killed in the first few minutes of fight ing. When Gen. Manuel Chaos brfgaslc charged. his officers claim. they once reached with in 10 feet of the trenches when. bN.. some thunder | retreat was