Our Troops Fight Nicaraguan Rebels.

New York Times 100 years ago today, August 15, 1912:
Their Good Marksmanship Repels Attack on Legation and the Presidential Palace.
WOMEN AND CHILDREN SLAIN
Rebels Make a Target of American Legation — Shell Hits Table at Which President Is Sitting.
    MANAGUA, Aug. 14.— The insurgents under the command of Gens. Mena and Zeledon resumed their attack on Managua at 3 o'clock this morning, but after a desperate fight were again repulsed. This is the fourth day of the battle which is being waged around the Nicaraguan capital.
    Before they were repelled the rebels succeeded in forcing their way close up to the houses of the city.
    The American sailors and marines guarding the United States legation and the Presidential palace, who, because of their marksmanship, had been specially selected from the American detachment stationed here to protect the lives and property of American citizens, directed a fire too hot for the attackers and the rebels were driven back.
    The bombardment of the city by field guns was continued, all night. The President's palace was hit twice. Three shells missed, striking the American Legation by the narrow margin of thirty yards.
    As this dispatch is filed there is a lull in the fighting, the insurgents having retired to a position a short distance from the city. All Americans and other foreigners in the city are safe.
    An attempt was made last night to assassinate the Commander in Chief of the Government's forces. Gen. Emilio Chamorro, while he was walking in the streets.
    The third day of the battle, which began with a bombardment on Sunday, began at 10 o'clock yesterday morning, when the insurgents made a sharp attack on the east side of the capital. After several hours of fighting the rebels were repulsed.
    The deposed Secretary of War, Gen. Mena, had brought up more heavy guns from Granada, and the fire of the biggest gun was deliberately directed on the residences of the city. Many shells fell near the President's palace and the American Legation.
    Several of the missiles struck within 50 to 100 feet of the legation. Evidently that building was an object of the rebels' fire.
    One shell hit the table around which President Diaz and the members of his Cabinet were sitting, but no one was injured.
    Early yesterday afternoon there was a temporary lull in the battle, but at 4 o'clock the insurgents made one of the fiercest attacks since the fighting began, They had more cannon in line, and there was a sharp engagement until darkness set in, but the Government held its lines.
    After dark the insurgents suddenly turned the right flank of the defending array and drove the Government forces back a mile to the edge of the town. Here the Government troops made a determined stand, and after a fierce fight lasting an hour the insurgents finally retired. The rebels' big gun then resumed firing on the residences.
    The improvised hospitals are filled with soldiers and women and. children. One shell hit a hospital yesterday morning, killing several men and wounding a child.
    There are many pathetic reports of the killing of women and children in their homes by the ruthless shelling of the insurgents. There is a great lack of the simplest hospital supplies.
    The Government has 4,000 troops, while the insurgents number somewhat fewer than that.
    Prisoners captured by Gen. Chamorro's troops state that the insurgents have lost many men since the fighting began. The casualties on the Government side are also heavy.
    President Diaz seems to have a force large enough to repulse the attacks of the insurgents, but he has not an army sufficiently strong to permit him to take the offensive.
    Many of the citizens are praying for active American intervention in order to prevent further loss of life among innocent people, to say nothing of the soldiers who are being killed. The Government officials openly desire intervention.