Salt Lake Telegram | 1912-05-01 | Page 6 | Rebels Defeated by Federals at Tepic, Mexico, with Loss of over 400 Men

REBELS DEFEATED B BY FEDERALS AT TEPIC MEXICO MICO WIH LOSS OF oi OVER OVE MEN MN TEPIC Mexico April 26 26 b by courier to to El EI Paso May 1 YIh 1 With 20 0 dead anti and antimore more than that that number wounded many many of oC whom were ere unable even eyen to crawl from the field feld of battle batte a 1 band of 2000 rebels under under under un un- un- un I der command of or Manuel Guerrero have been beer completely routed lOUte by th the garrison arlson I of this city aided by the police of tho the I 1 local ocal The attack began on Wednesday April Apri 24 24 4 the In the hills his surrounding surrounding sur sur- rounding Tepic on the tho day pre preceding and demanding the tho surrender surender of the garrison which was under command of ot Col ol M Martin Martin Mar Mar- r- r tin tn Espinosa This town which has as 1500 Inhabitants is excellently situated for tor defense on a level plain almost almot at atthe atthe atthe the foot toot of ot the extinct of or San- San The plain plan is surrounded by bylow bylow low ow lulls hills his but is all ni cultivated and is free from underbrush or other cover so 80 that the ho rebels did not not dare daro approach closer clor to the city than the rim of the low hills his where they plainly visible and whence they were driven twice by the fire of a three three placed on th the roof of the local before the tho batte battie battle bat bat- tie tle actually began te Wednesday Clonel Colonel Espinosa replied to th the tho messenger from tram the rebel chief by means of at a a cannon annan ball bal which landing on a topped flat topped tnt hill bill hi on which a number number num num- ber of ot the rebels had gathered killed three of ot them and wounded two others other At 3 o'clock in the afternoon the rebels leaving their horses in the tho hills his and crawling on their breasts the several hundred yards across the plain attacked Topic from the north east n and anit west Defenders Gallant Band Bad In th the garrison garison were men of the Seventh Eighth and Fourteenth cavalry all dismounted their horses remaining inthe In Inthe al the thc patio of ot the cuartel Added to these thee was a small mal body bod- of fifty lf state police l and 10 llo foot toot police from the tho city's streets a n t total tal force torce of loyal federals Colonel had stationed men In scattered locations on the lie plain some da days previously and as IS the rebels approach approached ap ap- ap- ap preached these men waited waite as a long lonG as BS their positions were tenable and then re re- re returned returned turned to report tho the number and armed strength of ot each of ot tho the three bands o of attackers approaching the town Then it was seen that t the rebels would enter cuter If possible tl by the three main roads which I penetrate the heart of ot the capital the fourth leading to the south being little more than a trail trail Putting a small guard at this last en en- en Clonel Colonel Espinosa sent a f third part tart of th tho thu state police polee mounted on the tho best horses houes In town to each of ot tho the main bet roads rods to receive and return tho the first fire tire of ot the rebels Behind them were placed six squads of regulars fifty men in each each squad one body ju Just t behind tach each party of cavalry and one half one way Into the main plaza This gave occupation to all the tho mounted police and of ot the al regulars the remaining fifteen of ot whom were left In the cuartel while the foot toot police of the city were armed with rifles ries and distributed through the alameda alameda Plaza Plaza Parque Diaz ln Jardin San Roman Parque o osa au t and Loma Lra de la 10 Cruz Crux Three Effective On the roof of the cuartel three men throwIng throwIng throwing throw- throw were operating the three Ing solid shot Into the rebels as they approached approach while In each of the three entranceways mentioned a rapid gun gun was planted to reinforce tho the cavalry and Ind the foot tot soldiers Espinosa stationed five hu buglers In fit the tow towers u of the tl cathedral with orders to sound soum once tho the al Fronto Fronte and Immediately to blow the tho fuego and thereafter thereafter there there- after to pia play the national hymn of tile the republic until ordered to cease ceale The fhe steady teady fire fre of ot the tile three booming over the city like the notes of ot ofa ota a giant clock gave gase Iao first warning to the Inhabitants of plo that the battle batte was wan wanon wason Wa on In earnest and did such effective work In the ranks of ot the approaching rebels that they were cere delayed until the garrison had transported abundant ammunition to all the outposts and completed all al 5 al san arv saly preparations for the battle batUe Then at B 6 o'clock In the afternoon Just usta aa as the tho coolness of the tho tropic evening be begAn began began be- be a gan to settle sette over tho the sunburned valley valey the bugles In iii the cathedral tower shrilled forth bUlles the call to battle Doors were bar bar- shutters rai clanged on windows and all non combatant Tepi burred bunTed It Itself Itself It- It self within ni lt iti Is three toot walls wals while the handful of defenders r gathered themselves Into one couchant mass ready to receive the onslaught of Guerrero's Guerreros horle hordes It was Ivas not long in 11 coming liven Even as ni I WI not the tho echoes of ot th the first hugl higle call died into the sharper command to open fire Cre half hidden en machine guns three responded with Rn an n opening that soon roon became of a deafening purr Tile THe young younK glnn thi th floral federal army hail had ha th and the I elevation rebels rebel began t to fall fail b by ones one and twos here and there then then by br squads as tho the assailants rose rosc from the tho furrows of ot tho the fallow field ld to run forward ten yards and then to drop again Into the sheltering earth Despite Despie the hall hail of or destruction raging through the tho ranks the rebels rushed on seemingly h increasing in numbers until they were werA within yards ards of the stone stonewalls walls wails wals which hid the machine guns and the waiting cavalry Then for tor one ono brief Instant the song of the rapid fire ceased the bugles bugle's cry ct of fuego rose hun hung for foran foran or oran an Instant and as it I merged merRed into the Mexicanos Mexicano's al do dB GUerr Guerrero ro th the tho cavalry cay cay- crL- crL air aIry alry sabres sabre and carbines sheathed but with wih revolvers re In each hand and bridle reins hung about their necks leaped forth In Info o the tho oncoming horde Pistols to t Sabres It I wa 3 j a short sally intended to be so 80 but it I took the rebels by bv surprise and the crackling revolvers did their work well wel and many a rebel fell fel without time timeto to cross himself or to mutter muter the name of his God Go Barely to the first firt line of ot the rebels did the chargers reach reach lne when tho the sabres cabres were drawn For Tor or them thor the machetes of or the tho attackers were no match and with full arm arm uJ-arm sweeping blows blos the tho mounted police polee cut their way to the second second sec see ond end line lne where tho they turned and amid amida a a whistling halt hall ha of bullets rode for tor their lives Ins In's to the cover of ot the he walls wails wals re The rebels thinking the tho force tore of or tile the garrison garison had retreated Into tho the cuartel as wa was wan the to custom of garrisons under the Diaz regime followed In a charge One hundred yards they gained Rained then fifty more and then from machine guns the rifles rles well concealed behind thick stone walls r perfectly sighted and cool coolly operated came a crackle as of dr dry boughs in a 1 swept flame forest a ripple that became a a roar and that turned from tram tire fire Into a wave of ot leaden lenen death The rebels rebel fell tel like leaves but on they camo came fresh tresh bands of or attackers poured themselves out of the his hills mounted and li ld d h bv by Guerrero himself With their com corn I Ing fresh tresh strength th s seemed to inspire the I loJ reb rebel l ranks and the they gained almost the the entrance to tho town before their stead stead- ted ted- It Ity falling dead deal forced them to drop In Inthe Inthe inthe the face ace of or the charge but with wih the coming of the tile rebel cavalry the rapid rapid- at n a word from rom rein an orderly sont sent by Colonel Espinosa who seemed to be beI I everywhere h re In th the thick of the light fight withdrew withdrew with with- wih- wih drew to tho the corners of the cuartel where they had a a. 1 clean sweep of oC the the plaza and the approaches to tho the heart of tho the town Rebels Fall Into Traps Then under cover over of ot renewed heavy hevy firing b by th the tho Infantry tho the cavalry betook itself Iselt to the cuartel gathering up as it went the foot toot police in iii the tho various plazas plaza Once at the cuartel the mounted mO men left let their horses In the tho protected patio pato secured fresh tresh supplies supple of cartridges and scattered themselves on the housetops to cover the incoming of ot the infantry still fighting for tor their lives n against th the In Increased Increased In- In creased number of rebels on the rim of tho the town Instantly the bugles hugles changed from the tho steady notes of ot the national hymn ho to the sail ad call cal of the retreat The Infantry shouldered lt its Il rifles rles and gIlding gliding gIld gIld- ing IkA three blue blut serpents down the three sinuous streets gained tho the cuartel cuartel Into the trap so suddenly laid for tor them the rebels fell feli el as u easily as ns they fallen alen into the first They rushed packing the streets to tho the plaza hailed for tor an in instant instant In- In stant stan t behind the tho church reformed themselves themselves them them- selves into a n rude rde semblance of or military mili ml- ml tar tary formation and swarmed swarmed out on the level le grown grass tree-bordered tree park over O which loomed the portholes of at the cuartel Too late the they saw jets Jots of flame name leap lep front from the tho mouths of the machine guns that had dealt dent them death from Crom the walls wals of ot the rim of ot the elt city They turned to itt flee nee but hut the packed horde coming b be behind behind be- be hind forced d these ahead ahad to turn an and standing In the open without cover at attempted attempted attempted at- at tempted to reply to the deadly volleys of ot the tho federals Panic finished the work worle the federals and police had begun