El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-01-30
ORGANIZATION
IN RANKS Of
INSURGENTS
Rebels Gaining Strength in
J Chihuahua, According to
Chihuahua Enterprise.
MUCH SUFFERING
IN THE MOUNTAINS

During the past week the rebels have
displayed an unusual-amount of activity,
showing themselves in larger numbers
and with some indications of military
organization, says the Chihuahua Enter
prise.
The. principal event of the week was
the Galeana affair. The official accounts
are very meager saying that the rebels,
in force, attacked a body of federals at
that place. The fight was maintained
by the fedeTals with much spirit, al
though at great odds, when the arrival
of Col Rabago, with a party OF federaIs
who had been detached from Oiinaga,
turned the tide and the rebels were
forced to retreat.
Rebel Cause Grows.
'The conditions have been growing
worse and the pronunciados have been
gaining in strength, not only by local re
crlits, but by arrivals from Arizona and
New Mexico"
The above remark was made to an
Enterprise reporter by an observer Just
in from Guerrero district. Many OF
these recruits" he continued, "have
brought in their own ammunition and in
considerable quantities too.
ct would be only truth to say that
a large proportion of these border re-
crnits, but not all of them by any
means, are men who have had To fly
from Mexico on account of crimes COM
mitted; in fact, they left their country
for their country's good.
Il spoke to many who took part IN
the fight at Galeana, and they prac-
tically agreed on this statement, and I
believe 1t to be a fairly correct account
of that battle Blanco, with from 300
to 400 men, fell upon 100 federal cavalry,
lnfiicting heavy losses on them, the en-
tire detachment for time being in
danger of humiliation; but a reinforce
with a couple of field guns came tearing
up from Ell Vale, and, pitching into the
rebels, compelled them after a hot fight,
TO retreat.
People Suffering.
"All the towns in Guerrero district are
practically deserted, all the people hav-
ing run to the hills to escape the alleged
crlelties OF the sederals, stories of
which are industriCrsly being circulated
among the credulous people, In all the
towns reoccupied by the federals they
seem to have protected the people and
their property.
Most Of these poor refugees and their
families are suffering in the bleak, un-
sheltered hills and CANYONS. for the
necessaTies of life, not a grain of salt,
sugar or coffee in their possession.
In the whole district, at least where |
the federals are not in possession, there
are no supplies to be had in the stores, |
the rebels having emptied them as clean |
as a shotgun
Rebels Are Organizing.
Carl Decker, the world-famOus war |
correspondent, representing the New |
York Herald, has just returned from the |
camp of the noted rebel jefe, Orozco, |
where he has been studying the situation, /
was seen at the Palace last night.
"The rebels have learned several valu- |
able lessons by experience and Orozco is |
busy putting some of them into practice"
he said. This is the first time that |
they have organized force of 800 men |
into one body, such as Orozco had with
him for a week within Is. miles of
Minaca. This force has accumulated now
to 500 men.
up to that time groups of from so
to $50 men acted under one jefe and
moved where they pleased without
military plan or concert of action.
when | left him. Orozco had seven
of Sc units already organized,
and had within a radius of a few miles,
300 men that he could quickly concen-
trate against a given point. Besides the
300 he was expecting 500 from Ocampo.
He went to Ocampo a month ago to
round UP these forces and brought back
$50 of them to Tonachic five miles
from Gonzales. He expects 800 more
from Dolores, but will not get over 200.
Families Suffer.
NThere is much suffering among fam
lies who have left San Isidro and Santo
Tomas, many of whom are living in the
nils under branches"
Mr.. Decker said that the men engaged
n this insurreetion are mostly ranch
hands and with a few exceptions not
7ery intelligent. In the Cuban uprising
he said it was far different, LAWYERS,
loctors, college men and capitalists vol '
and shouldered guns in the !
ause.
In conversation with numbers of the J
efes, he inquired the causes of their re-
'olt against the government. The an /
wer was always the same, ''The author
ty is in the hands of favorites, we are
axed to death, the law is not enforced,
md we demand free and honest cleo
ions.''