Lasso versus Artillery.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 3 April 1914, Page 8

Lasso versus Artillery.

Surely never did the fortunes of war take such an unexpected turn as when: the Argentine revolutionaryleader, El Chacho, captured the ; enemy's cannon. It was not the j capture itself, but the manner of it j that was most remarkable. With- ; out a single field piece, and at the : head of a brave but undisciplined ' body of Gauchos, El Thacho (which j means "the boy") found himself sud- j deuly face to face with a superior j force of Government troops in the ; centre of which six pieces of can- \ non bellowed forth death on the rebels. El Chacho saw at once that only two courses were open to him, he had either to retreat or capture the enemy's guns. The idea of retreat could not be entertained, but how was the other alternative to be carried out ? The Government troops, in addition to being better armed, outnumbered his force by two to one, and an assault was almost out of the question. It was then that the idea, which cooild only have come into the head of a Gaudio, crossed the revolutionary leader's mind. Galling together about a hundred of his most expert lassoers, he explained his idea to them, and the next moment, with the lassoes swirling furiously in the air, the intrepid horsemen rode forward at full gallop. Not even their own comrades understood what was meant, and as for the Government leader he thought he had to deal with a miml>er of madmen. At every step, as they advanced men and horses fell, but a sufficient number survived to execute what will probably stand for ever as an unique feat of arms. When within about forty yards of the enemy a word of command rang- out, and half a hundred lassoes flew furiously onward, the horses stooped suddenly, turned round and galloped back, dragging every one of the six guns behind them ! immediately after the same guns were turned on the Government troops, who, in their amazed consternation, galloped from the field. Tin's is gjobably the only instance in which the lasso has been used in war.