Attack on Huandacareo January 8, 1918

[According to the memoirs of Jose Socorro Diaz Diaz, from the website: http://www.huandarevolucion.galeon.com/ . It is not a word by word translation because some of the language is objectionable and some of the meanings can only be understood in Spanish.]

Defender Group (Reten) 1: The Steeple, site of the most intense attack.

The rebels came up to the orchard belonging to my father, don Salvador Diaz and we took down three, two in the orchard and one at the corner of the house of Sr. Ezequiel Alvarez--(that one) killed by Epifanio Diaz. The bandidos advanced firing and threatening that they would soon have the pleasure of hanging us from the trees, but when they came within our predetermined range, they were stopped by our fire which seemingly found its mark or passed by them so close it scared them enough to seek cover among the trees in the orchard. Enraged, they continued firing aimlessly since they did not know where the shots were coming from that grazed them and because of the distance, seemed to be very effective.

They then attempted to take the presbytery, where senores Figueroa and Jose Murillo received them with shots. As they approached closer, three bombs were thrown at them. This made them retreat again to the orchard. The first bomb the defenders threw at them did not work and the bandidos ridiculed the townspeople saying: "Better to defend yourselves by forting..." But upon throwing the other two bombs, they netted two wounded which were taken away to hide in the orchard.

Fidel Gonzalez had asked Chavez Garcia to permit him to take the tower/steeple with his men and 100 others. But since it was 5:30 p.m. and the battle in that direction had not ceased, he (Chavez Garcia) ordered the "general" Macario Silva to--with 200 men--reinforce the attack on the steeple whichever way he could, even starting a fire. We became aware of Silva's arrival because we heard him (Silva) shouting at Gonzalez: "What happened Coronel (Colonel), didn't you say that you'd take the steeple in 15 minutes?" To which Fidel Gonzalez answered: "General, these sons of ... are tough: they shoot to kill and we don't even know where the bullets are coming from." Silva then said: "Well, let's go get them... We're going in guys!"

Firing intensely for 15 minutes, they were only able to advance as far as the border separating the orchard to the corral (curate's corral). Upon their attacking we'd return fire causing three wounded--since we were only 30 meters away and they could not see us because we were firing from between the "tejas del techo" (roof tiles). Silva retreated for cover with his men among the trees and from there shouted at Salvador Urrutia: "'Churruco', give up and we'll allow you to live, remember that we were 'companeros' (comrades) in arms under Gen. Prieto, Northern Division." To which Urrutia answered him: "I know of no friend of mine to be so vile to place himself under the orders of the biggest bandido in the nation and from the moment you joined him, you son of a ..., there's no difference in the two. You are both 'una chuzma de bandidos' and 'cuatro gatos' we're scaring you." Silva again insisted saying: "We've already taken the town." Then Urrutia shouted to the "Jefe" (Chief) of the defense: "Listen, don Nico, this son of a ... says you have given up!" To which don Nicolas Nunez answered, shouting: "Tell that low-life that we are still as we were when they began and 'nos han hecho los puros mandados.' (We have the upperhand.)" Then Urrutia shouted at Silva: "You heard, '...,' that you have failed. Attack, you sons of ... and don't pretend to scare us with your prattle!"

Again, a large number of shots rang with intensity on my side and I was obligated to send Epifanio, my brother, to tell Urrutia to send more men to reinforce us since it was growing dark and from the steeple (or tower) it was difficult to spot the enemy. He (Urrutia) then sent me five men. Seeing that the attack was lingering, Urrutia shouted at Silva: "What happened, Silva, 'bandido.' Show yourself to fight like a man and not just steal and rape women! You only attack when you far outnumber one to 100 like you did at Santa Ana Maya!" They (the enemy) did not attack but settled into a pattern of sporadic firing where they thought we might be located. One of these shots ricocheted the bell and caused a gash on Urrutia's head. Gilberto Fernandez and I took care of it.

We were doing this, when Antonio Vargas came down from the tower (steeple) and said: "These ... no longer attack; you tell me if we ring the bell to stir them up." Urrutia agreed, but this caused great alarm among the defenders who thought the rebels had taken the steeple. And the bandidos thought likewise because they redoubled their attack, shouting that they had triumphed. Don Nicolas asked: "What's happening at the tower?" Urrutia answered: "It's that these sons of ... no longer attack and we're falling asleep." This remark caused rage among the attackers but the townspeople remained focused.

Defender Group (Reten) 2:

The enemy succeeded in routing "companeros" (fellow defenders) who were on the terrace (or flat roof) of the store "La Concordia" causing them to withdraw to the house of don Antonio Alvarez, crossing over a bridge of laid out beams from one block to another. Having been wounded, Lorenzo Garcia could not be passed across and was left between the "tapanco" (attic) and the roof of the house, from where, after the attack was over, we took him down with "mantas" (blankets). In order to make our retreat from one block to another and believing that the bandits were already on the roof of "La Concordia" (store), they had to throw down the beams that formed the bridge; in this activity, don Agustin Rangel, Chief of the Section, was wounded in the right eye, falling inert. the "companeros" (fellow defenders) thought him to be dead, but fortunately, he lost only that one eye. Besides him, Nicolas Manriques, Eusebio and Federico Alvarez fought with valor in this group (Reten 2). Well, the ones that were at the "gariton" (cuartel) did not have but one opportunity to fire (their weapon), when they (the bandidos) came across the corner of the store (belonging to) Santiago Manriquez, causing them (the bandidos) two wounded.

Defender Group (Reten) 3:

The enemy, punching walls, was able to advance to the house of don Joaquin Torres (close to that of don Cipriano Gonzalez), but upon opening up a barrage (of rounds) in order to continue advancing, don Joaquin Torres, himself, fired his weapon (escopeta) (and) succeeded in killing the one attempting to enter there, saying: "Take that you son of a ...; bring on the rest!" This obliged (the bandidos) to retreat to the house of the Manriques--Fidencio and Josefat--where they kept on shooting at the group of defenders. About 8 o'clock at night, an individual who said he was Chavez Garcia, succeeded in approaching the house of Isaac Figueroa--across the corner where the general "cuartel" was located and in front of the Defender Group (Reten) No. 3 at the house of don Cipriano Gonzales--and, he (Chavez Garcia) asked to speak with the Chief of the Defense. Upon communicating by shouts, he sought that the town should give up, that they had no possible defense, that the tower/steeple (St. Jeronimo) had fallen to them and because of that he had ordered "Alto el Fuego" (cease firing) to be played. which was true, since the "clarin" could be heard playing everywhere (in all directions). Don Nicolas answered that we would never surrender, that it was impossible to trust the word of a bandit of his "calana" (ilk). And as for the taking of the tower/steeple, that was a lie, since they (the defenders) were communicating with each other through shouts from one group ("reten") to another. And he (don Nicolas) went on to shout: "Hear, don Salvador (Urrutia), what this bandit Chavez Garcia says, that they have taken the tower!" Urrutia answered him: "Tell him to go tell it to the author of his days, that they have fallen short; that they've tried to scare us with (nothing more than) shouts and lies."

Since, in effect, all firing had ceased, all the defenders heard the words of Urrutia, causing great enthusiasm and the ire of the brutes "troglodita," who continued to be insulted by those in (Defender) Group No. 3; and causing them ("troglodita") to retreat, swearing that come sunrise they would burn the whole town.

At Defender Group 4:

They did not attack "con brio," but as they had done throughout the town, advanced by punching through walls and taking cover behind fences until they got to the property situated behind that which in previous times had been the cinema house Urrutia and from a huge "capulin" plant, they were opening fire, approaching even to the house of don Fernando Nunez; but one or two close shots made by the defenders, contained them. Another faction of rebels attacked the house of don Socorro Murillo where defenders Marcelo Campos, Ramon Gonzalez, and Jesus Murillo Aguilar were stationed and who also contained them (approaching bandidos). True story: Marcelo Campos, who was the chief there, said that Murillo Aguilar's mother made him (Aguilar) come down from the roof (flat roof or terrace) because he was so tall he made himself a target. The defenders who were at the "gariton" (cuartel), who had opportunity to discharge their weapons--because they (the bandits) were not able to advance to attack through the streets--could fire only when the bandits crossed the street from the first block to the second.

At Defender Group 5, (led by) don Miguel Figueroa:

The defenders had to fight from the beginning of the attack, almost without interruption, up to 8 o'clock at night, when the bandidos began to play "Alto el Fuego." And they attacked with "brio" (vigor) because they thought there were no defenders, until they were received with close shots and handmade bombs that caused casualties. Even though the bandidos insulted the defenders, they (the defenders) did not respond when the bandidos advanced, they (the defenders) drove them back; which caused the bandidos to become enraged and return again to attack.

The leader of the group (of defenders) had ordered that no one shout back in answer to the insults. From that day on, we named that group the "silent tombs" because don Jose Villafuerte said that he (Reten No. 5 leader: Miguel Figueroa Guzman) had made them to keep the silence of the grave.

Defender Group 6:

At the section south of this "reten" (group of defenders), at the house of Messrs. Rangel, the bandits attacked from the west and advanced up to the "rastro" (market, flea market), from where they were firing and succeeded in wounding don Hipolito Rangel who was shooting from an "arpillera" (burlap sack). But with shots taken by the defenders -- who were on the azotea (flat roof or upper-level terrace) protected by the "bardas" (barriers) at the aforementioned temple (Templo de "El Hospital") -- they were driven back. Those shots (driving back the bandidos) were fired by Miguel Gazca, Pedro Diaz Diaz, and Lucio Alvarez of Defender Group No. 6.

At "Reten" (Defender Group) No. 7, the general headquarters of the defense:

There was nothing new, except for words exchanged between the Chief of the Defense and Chavez Garcia; since the defenders did not have opportunity to fire from the "gariton" (cuartel) established at the corner of Hidalgo and Morelos (streets).

Anticipating the intensity of the attack that the Chavistas would launch the following day, the defenders of the tower/steeple, Elpidio Figueroa, Maximiliano Calvillo and Soledad Gonzalez were ordered to reinforce the three that were at the tomb/vault of the presbytery and the others -- except for four who would stay inside the tower/steeple -- were sent to the lower floor to reinforce the trenches in front of the "zaguan" (entry porch), the windows of the curate's house, and the front of the corral.

While this is going on, about 9 o'clock at night, and with one or two shots fired by the rebels, suddenly there was heard a great deal of shooting to the west of the town. We immediately climbed up the tower to find out what was going on. We saw a line of fire "nutridisimo" (large amount) that took up almost all the west and was advancing toward the center. We thought it was a strategy of the Chavistas to "amedrentarnos," burning short-fused firecrackers, but the rapidity of bullets passing over the tower convinced us that it was a formal attack.

General Enrique Estrada, Chief of the Operations of the State (of Michoacan), to whom we had sent word regarding the rebels since the 7th (of January), had ordered Gen. Flores to mobilize to help us. Gen. Flores arrived at the "Rancho de Llano Grande" about 5 o'clock in the afternoon, and upon learning of the number of people that Chavez had brought with him, he (Gen. Flores) waited until 8 o'clock at night to leave the ranch and surprise the bandido (Chavez) by attacking his rearguard causing the Chavistas to be disbanded; since what they least expected was an attack by the Constitutionalist forces under (Gen.) Flores and Lt. Col. Anacleto Lopez and Lt. Col. Magana Uribe, head of the 216th Regiment and 8th Regiment respectively.

Source: http://www.HuandaRevolucion.galeon.com/
Translation: http://www.AngelinaSalasGonzales.blogspot.com/