Federals Repulse Rebel Night Attack.

New York Times 100 years ago today, March 18, 1913:
Constitutionalist Raid Upon Nuevo Laredo Costs Thirty-five Lives.
NO SHOTS ACROSS THE LINE
Combatants Avoid Clash with American Trocps Stationed at Laredo, Tex.
    LAREDO, Texas, March 17.— The streets of Nuevo Laredo, the Mexican town opposite this city, were the scene of a battle this morning, in which twenty Carranzistas and fifteen Federals were killed. Nearly fifty soldiers were wounded. The Carranzistas retreated to the hills south of Nuevo Laredo, where they appeared to be preparing for a fresh assault. The street battle continued for an hour and a half.
    The Carranzistas stole into the town undor cover of darkness, 200 strong, and at daylight began a stubborn fight with the 350 Federals defending the place. The fighting for a part of the time was near the Rio Grande.
    The small band of Constitutionalistas, in a running fight, drove headlong into Nuevo Laredo, past the Custom House to a lard factory, where they made a stand. This occurred between 4 A.M. and dawn. At daybreak tlie Federals deployed about the lard factory, apparently taking care to draw the rebels' fire in a line parallel to the Rio Grande, so that no bullets could fall in Laredo. After some fighting the rebels retreated in good order into an open area, where they halted and checked the Federal pursuit. The Federals divided, one detachment swinging around to flank the Carranzistas. This flank movement brought the Federals directly between the rebels and Laredo, so that the rebel fire was directed at this city. The close range at which the battle was fought, however, saved the American city from harm.
    The Federals did not pursue the enemy beyond the city limits. They estimated the number of their wounrled at sixteen and rebels' at more than twenty. After the battle the American Consul at Nuevo Laredo requested American physicians to cross into the Mexican town to care for the wounded.
    This afternoon the Associated Press correspondent saw twenty dead bodies in the municipal palace at Nuevo Laredo. In the hospital there doctors were treating eighteen wounded soldiers. Nuevo Laredo was almost deserted.
    Armed soldiers guarded most of the street corners. American troops allowed no one to pass to the Mexican side without a permit.