Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 77, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 March 1913 — DESCRIBES BATTLE OF PARRAL, MEXICO [ARTICLE]

DESCRIBES BATTLE OF PARRAL, MEXICO

Perry Gwin Saw Rebel Attack and Repulse March Sth—Was Shot at Several Times. Perry Gwin, son of J. 0. Gwin, of Rensselaer, has for some time been stationed at Parral, N. Mex., where he is employed by the Waters Pierce Oil Company. -On March Bth, following the three days’ battle of Parral, he wrote describing the battle, and The Republican is in receipt of a copy of a letter sent to his mother, and it is here printed in full: “I survived the battle unharmed, but We sure had a warm time for three days and nights. On Wednesday, March sth, General Manuel Chao, a former leader of the volunjin Parral, who, with his men, deserted about ten days ago and returned and made an attack on Parral with 1400 to 1600 men, who we're t rebels and' called themselves "Madwistas.” They had the city completely surrounded and for three days and nights a terrific battle raged in the town. There was a constant boom of cannon, crack of-'mes, roar of Gatlin guns, bursting of shells and crash of windows breaking night and day. Most of the-Americans went to U. S. Consul Bong’s house during the battle. His mouse was out of the range ot thejiring, but I did not have time there as General Salvador R. Mercado, the federal commanding the .defense of the city, issued orders that all persons seen on the streets would be shot and I saw a number of citizens shot down trying to get to their homes, so 1 stayed in the foreign club, the firs& night sleeping on a billiard tabw in the club, and a bullet came through the window and broke an electric globe just over my head, and the second day the federate planted a battery in front of the cluk which drew the rebel fire, trying to dislodge the cannon, andpnore bullets and shells hit the elutt than the battery, so things got >oo warm there for me and I macle a dash for my room a block away and the rebels from a distance fired at me, as they could not tell whof I was, and bullets lafrly rainsd around me, hitting so close thal tIW threw dirt all over me. Tb<« wire All poor shots. However, L time- fchaii .1 everdW on the football field. I then watched the rest of the battle with a pair of field glasses from my window. The second night the rebels rushed the city and some got inside and burned the market, but the federal’s rapid fire guns soon ran them out. The afternoon of the day the federal bugles blew a call not to surrender as re-enforcements were coming, and at 4 o’clock 800 troops arrived from Chihuahua, with four cannon and six rapid fire guns and soon put the rebels to rout, but-if they had been three hours later the rebels would have had the town, as they had driven the federate from their important positions, and the rebels had drawn their lines in until they were most all inside the city and the federate had but 10,000 rounds of ammunition left out of their 500,000 they had to start with. The •federate had but 450 men to start with and they had lost 200 killed. I enjoyed every minute of the battle. It was better than a picture show. It was a good fight and both sides displayed a great deal of bravery, although they were all poor shots. It is estimated that about 800,000 rounds were fired, but the number of killed and wounded was small compared to the number of shots fired. The next morning I rode my horse all around trying to count the killed who were lying all over the streets and hills. I did not see but 69 dead, however. Since then there is reported to be 200 dead, but I do not think there was over 100. The federate have executed 60 rebels since the battle who were captured after the re-enforcements came. If the rebels had taken the city they would have hung the federal general and sacked the city. They were a tough looking bunch and they were after plunder. -“Everything is quiet now with federal troops patrolling all the streets, and the rebels have scattered to the mountains. I think the revolution is about all over now, as Lunderstand that this was the last stand of the rebels and the rest of them have all surrendered, in fact, a part of the re-enforcements were Orosszco’s men who are now federal troops. , “My office was hit 16 times but not much damage dona I think Huerta, the new president, will be able to control the country, as he has started a reign of terror to the insurrectlng forces, killing every one that does not surrender. No Americans were killed or wounded and I am perfectly safe, so will close for the present”