The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-22

Chihuahua, Mex, December fvin El Paso-December 21)-Conser- vatiye Americans living In Mexlco WI" strenuously contended that the oisor ders in this country were largely iocui ,n their nature, and that they would he Immediately suppressed, are talk ing bn a different strain tonight. Cerro prieto was a drawn fight; Malpaso was a victory for the rebels which sum narizes in effect the result of the inn ,,ortant military happenings in the state of Chihuahua.
 The most ardent sympathizers wltn inc revolt, and they include most or the unofficial population, scarcely hopeo tne Insurgents would be able to make more than one stand against the ois- ciplined soldiers of the government.
 The government stated that the re- volt consisted of but little else save a nucleus of bandits augmented by mis- ruided peons who could not handle a rifle and whom it would be but police work to suhdue. Official reports now double. their estimate of tbe number of insurrectors in the field.
 Discussion here runs mostly as to how long General Navarro, with the main force of federals can hold out. Reports that General Navarro had been killed remain without confirmation. His force, however, 1t is reported, Is sur rounded in the vicinity of .Pedernales, This story came in with Americans who returned from Bustillos, considerable distance from Navarro's scene of action. with the hospital train They had 1t by hearsay and while stating their con- fdence in the report could not assert positively that 1t was authentic.
 Pedernales, which has been the chief theatre of action, Is on the plain about six miles from Malpaso.
 Navarro's official report of his ex- ploits last Thursday as given out sby the war office at the City of Mexico are interesting in view of the defeat at Malpaso. It Is commentary on Mex 1can official reports. The war office said that he dislodged the rebels from Malpaso after two hours engagement and then returned with the Malpaso contingent to Pedernales, where, after six hours of desperate fighting, the rebels broke and disappeared in all di rections.
 Tonight comes the story of the federal. wounded. They ran into very serious predicament at place where the official report declared that the enemy had been dislodged and had fled in disorder. not only from Nal Paso, but from Pedernales.
 It is true, though not given out by the war office so far as known here, that Ne-
 
 unable to hold his advantage at Nal Paso and had been twice repulsed. He had been ordered to hold Nal Paso to form junction with the soldiers of the troop train. He made a desperate attempt to Ao so, but failed.
 Rebels Increase in Numbers
 His failure in this regard Is attributed to the remarkable augmentation of the revolutionary numbers. It has been re- ported all along and asserted by insurrec- to leaders that a thousand men were held 1n reserve, having been ordered to remain at work in the mines until called for. This call went forth over a week ago. whereas their number at that time was not over a thousand the official reports now put them at 200.
 Navarro has not grown stronger. The food has grown scarce with him. Small engagements have depleted his ammuni- tion supply. He has been compelled to move his force to meet the enemy at Pc cernales, as well as Nal Paso and to use come of his men for scouting and main tanning his line of communications. Also he has had to place guards at the varl- GUS railroad bridges when 1t was deter mined to use the railroad for the removal of troops. The troop train left here Sat urday morning The night was spent at San Antonio. It had been proposed to dise,nbark at that point, but the country
  use the train still further. This brought the detachment to the east entrance of Nal Paso (Bad pass). It was intended by the federals to take up the march here, scouting as they went.
 Rattle At Nal Paso
 Amplified advices change but little the venorts of the cutting up of the govern n,ent troop train at Nal Paso last Sun day. The defeat of the troop train with its three field pieces and 800 mcn inten- e;fes the situation here. Coming on top Inf the drawn battle at Cerro Prieto 10 days ago, 1t is taken as confirmation of the assertion that President Diaz con- fronts real revolution.
 The troop train which was shot up carried a large amount of ammunition, and this was brought back to Bustillos. Those of the troops who were pot killed or wounded retreated to Bustillos, which Is between this city and the scene of the engagement. They wished to return here hut 1t was pointed out that such action probably would result in courtmartial and they concluded to take a chance of join ing General Navarro by some overland route, hoping to elude the insurrectos.
 The insurrectos opened fire, on the troop train from mountain tops and sides. The federal soldiers fought back for five hours in a fashion which showed them to have been well trained, but their efforts to board the train again are described as disorderly-almost panicky. That they brought their wounded with them is de-