The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1899-08-22
CRISIS IN YAQUI CAMPAIGN
Warriors on the Move, and Gen.
Torres Prepares to Strike.
tains Believed to BE Advantageous
to Iudians-sIore Troops Are
Going TO the Front,

Bacatete, Mexico, Aug. 49, via Potam,
Mexico, Aug. 2.-The situation along the
Yaqui River from Medano to TORN has
now reached its most critical period. The
Indians have commenced their passage to
the Pitsya and Bacatete. The main body
Of the warriors are reported to be in the
vicinity south of Bacum, while the re-
mainder of them are scattered through
out the woods as far down the river as
Medano in small bands, numbering from
four or five to fifty.
The inhabitants keep themselves close
within the town limits. and especially the
peaceable Yaqui element, who have had
the opportunity to witness twice within
the present week the execution of Gen.
Torres order that any Yaqui found out
side the towns would be brought TO the
cuartel and shot A small band of rene
gades approached the river bank oppo-
site Potam yesterday afternoon and made
an effort to drive off some mules, but
were discovered and retreated.
Torres entire field comman1 is now az
Chumampaco, four miles north Of TORN,
on the south side Of the river. The gen.
erals next move will be to send out an
advance column to favorite watering
place of the Yaquis. Other cetachments
which will follow are intended 20 form
line across the four miles of woods along
the river. II is pretty well established
that there are few OF the renegades above
this position. An advance Will then be
made down the valley almost TO the sea
with the purpose OF clearing the valley of
the enemy.
It is the opinion Of many who know
the Yaquis well that this removal Of the
scene of hostilities to the mountains will
be more advantageous to the Indians
than the troops, for Il was in these came
hills that the unconluerable Yaquis sue
cessfully stood off the government and
killed something over 5000 soldiers in
the war that ended in the making OF the
peace treaty of 1897.
A detachment of the Seventeenth Regi-
ment, under Capt. Morales, leaves Potam
this morning for Chumampaco, and 100
men of the Eleventh will start in the
morning for the same destination. The
total number of soldiers now on the
Yaqui River is $500. About 200 of these
are in the field and the rest stationed at
different points along the river doing gar
risen and other duties.
The Don Lorenzo, a small steamer ply
ing between Potam and Gen. Torres
camp, vas attacked by the Yaquis Tues
day. but got away with one killed. Capt
Macdonald. a Scotchman. well known in
FL Paso, was wounded in the shoulder
during the skirmish. Gen. Lorenzo Torres
is so far recovered from the wound In
his thigh that he expects to take the
field again within ten days
One hundred volunteers have been or
ganiZed in Hermosillo and will leave for
the front via Batamotal The soldiers of
the Seventeenth Regiment arrived in Po-
tam on their march TO join Gen. Torres.
whose command left the lower river yes
terday from Torin. and they will be given
three days for much-needed rest They
are footsore and sick. and bordering on
the condition of being entirely unfit for
duty. II has Seen found that the machine
guns. OF which so much was expected. are
a complete failure in the fiat jungle river
as the Indians usually fight in
small f2nds when they enter the noun
tains. The guns are expected to be of liz
tie service there also. In the last engage
ment the troops fought Colts automatic
gun which was brought into action. but
was broken by unframed hands before il
was felt by the eremy.