Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1912-03-29
Aubert, Almost Within Grasp of
Rebel Forces, Fades Into the
Mexican Hills Leaving His
Camp Fires Burning,
LIBERAL ARMY HAS ARTlL-
lERY AND AMMUNITION
About 5000 Men MaSSed to
Attack Federals When Wasp
Like Little Command Can be
Captured or Scattered,

tBy Morning JournaI speciai Leased wire.l
| liminez Mexico, March sS.--Gen-
eral Trucy Auhert and his column of
twelve hundred federals was COM
PEELED to wage desperate battle
again today in his attempt TO escape
the greatly superior force OF the
rebels The fight occurred at Ato-
tonilco and vicinity, eighteen miles
west of here. Losses on both sides
We're heavy. The battle lasted for
hours. but shortly after o'clock to-
night It was reported that Auhert had
| extricated himself for the time being.
at least. leaving the rebels In possess
sion of the field.
General Auhert led his column In
southernly direction. For three days
the federal Leader has been engaged
IN desperate efforts 10 extricate him-
sslf from alposition which momentar-
lily threatened the capture or annihiln-
don OF his column. ny brilliant state
egy and forced marches, hc succeeded
IN outwlttng his enemy. or holding
them IN check.
Never were his fortunes at lower
'hf's HPHHi'liNiNf tiA'A ANho1F It's hitUs
tootsore and weary from night
marches, burned BY the sun and the
swirllng alkuli dust, often hungry and
thirsty, were compelled by sheer
exhaustion 10 waste precious mo-
ments IN rest at the village of Ato-
tonilco, known also as villa Lopez. Dn
his heels We're the columns of Generals
Fernandez, Salazar and Campa num-
hering $500 men or double the
.strcn-th 80 he fu9id,e feaerais. ~.
was out thanked ON both wings and
attacked In the rear. The fighting
was the most desperate of all engage
ments fought since the original attack
at Escalon last Friday. The combat
opened with long range artillery fire.
hut as the insurrcctos forces drew
nearer the battle of rive shooting be-
came almost continuous.
The rebel generals admit that the
defense was the most desperate that
they yet have encountered. The fire
Of the federals was tar more accurate
than before ana their machine guns
moved down assaulting liberals Ia
heaps
The latter crawied through irriga-
tion bitches for shelter. only to emerge
in the open and charge fiercely across
the dust -clouded plains. Their own
fire was .adly, MS testified to by the
federal dead left on the field. but
Auberts genius, when one position
became untenable was always equal
to finding another.
The federals made rush after rush
in attempts to escape. but were driv-
on back to the shelter of the adobe
houses, corrals and the irritation
bitches As darkness came on the
rebel forces on the south Of the town
having hecome weakened, a dash WAS
made and the federals escaped for the,
night apparently.
Tracey Richardson. an American
gunner. with the rebels, was slightly
wounded. His home is In Missouri.
The liberals viii continue their pur-
suit tomorrow and further fighting Is
expected.
II was Aubert with his i.25o men
who came from Torreon by way OF
Mapimi through tortuous defiles of
the mountains and 10y threatening
Jimincz made Il impossible for orozco
to follow up his brilliant victory at
corrnlilos by pursuing the routed
federas rs they fled toward Torreon.
Had his own base at Jiminez not
been endangered by Aubert, orozco
could have easily annihilated the flee
ing remnants of The joint commands
or Salas and Blanquet. Aubert with
daring, knowing that he
was out numbered three To one. or
perhaps four to one, pushed his way
On Monday tn the Dolores Rancho,
about nine miles west of Jminez. and
was only driven back after hard
five-hour fight Tuesday night. which.
however, was an artillery duel. and
which had comparatively few casual
lies.
When the federals were finally dis
edged they fled to the southward
,nd were pursued until darkness pre-
-entcd further pursuit. and II was not
they would return.
After nights rest the federals
anne back yesterday with the intent
4 cutting the National railway north
IT Jiminez aud isolatiug orozco from
iis base Of supplies at Chihuahua and
orciue him to Withdraw frum linn
nez Co save the cities uf santa Eos-
lila and Chihuahua from attack aud
90 maintain unbroken hts line of conn
with his port ~ entry al
Iuarez.
Auhert's forces were halted al the
ian Podru ranch it a liberal force
lndsr General salarsr and after n
kirmifh retreatef in good order to
iilla Lopez Nh.rs they took rrssr
inder the projecting banks cf the