El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-03-21

. -AlE TO one OF the DIGEST lQule IAIulAlet
[ Of Spain. dating their ancestors from
I the time OF the struggle between In
fdels and christians in the 18th cen
fury.
Ponce de Icons Report.
The official report Of Ponce de Leon
on the Temascalitos battle is here for
the first time published in English
and IS taken from the ''Periodico Of
ficial' (official newspaper) Of the Chi
huahua state government reprinted in
the first volume Of the Historical An
nails OF chihuahua" issued five years
ago by Jose n Ponce de Leon. great
grandson OF another brother OF com
mandant Ponce de Leon
Army OF operations in New Mexico
General in chief, vanguard section ad-
Tancing upon the enemy Yesterday ]
started from the place where YOU are,
with a force OF more than 500 men.
between regular soldiers ard national
guards and howitzer with IL artil-
lerTmen- Executing your orders, 7
looked for the enemy and as from ny
spies learned that IL was in the point
named Temascalitos, at once gave ny
orders and with half the cavalry OF
''El Norte" L put myself at the van
guard OF my column, trying to learn
the number, positions and plans OF the
enemy When ] reached sight OF the
enemy ordered my command TO stop
and formed my battle line. placing in
the center the hOWltzer and Is infan-
trymen, as sharpshooters, at the right
and at the left OF the gun. Ny right
wing was formed by the second and
tha Il NCrte' and PRINCIPE reEi-
ments. and my left was occupied by
the rest OF my cavalry and national
guard.
Orders the Charge.
Under this arrangement and in the
presence OF the enemy I cheered TO
president Santa Ana and my father
land and. as all my soldiers answered
with their loud cries and hurrahs, 7
believed victory was sure. Then at
once I ordered the advance OF my
whole battle line but as 7 observed
that all the column Of the cavalry
at my left did not move. I repeated
my commands through nv aides de
camp and ordered all the buEles and
trumpets 10 command a general ad-
vance and 20 put TO the sword the
foe. Noticing certain coldness among
some OF my soldiers, determined. in
order 10 euthuse them, 10 put myself
az the head Of my columns. IN front Of
everybody, and at once the cavalry
moved, with the exception OF the ma
t1onal guards and nearly all the 'presi-
diap soldiers
The firing began and the infantry
and hpWitzer acted so vel that i'm
A-A1 AE4g v G elM LQLE men Le1Aas IN the
second enemy line, and some others
under the fire Of my sharpshooters.
In this moment 7 saw that the Vera
cruz dragons were not in line. but out
Of the reach OF the enemy's fire. and
that all the cavalry Of my left wing
and the national guards were begin
ming TO take flight Trying TO restore
The action. 7 in person advanced TO
give the charge but the terrific fire
Of the enemy and the numberless
grenades discharged upon US. in those
critical moments, disordered utterly
my cavalry that lied like wind TO in
credible distances, in all directions
especially $50 dragons that were
mounted on mules. frightened by the
burst OF the Erenades OF shells.
Force Ia Defeated.
IN a word, my chief. from a sure
victory I went 10 a loss snd and com
plete dispersion Of all my cavalry.
and I was reduced 10 the infantry and
artillery. who. without hesitation,
fought and advanced for more than