Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-31
Federal Troops Seem Certain
of R0ut in Battle of
0iinaga.
VILLA PROMISES DEATH
FOR HUERTA VOLUNTEERS
Cavalry of United States Has Prob
lem in Case Men Start
Across River.

PRESlDO. Tex. December Alt was
the opinion of military experts here to-
DAY that the battle of Oiinaga. Mexico.
would he decided within twenty-four
nours Likewise IL was believed that
the only chance of the federals to escape
determination should the rebels pour IN
on them was precipitate flight across
The United States border The federals
were reported short of ammunition, while
the rebels by the frequency of their fire
appeared to have an ample supply. said
TO have been taken with the occupation
OF Chihuahua City. The tactics of mar
rowing their semi-circle around the fed
erals Were continued by Gen. Ortega's
forces
Whatever the outcome II was certain
that no surrender would be considered.
Gen. Villa at Chihuahua had said that
he would execute all federal volunteers,
whether they surrendered or not.
Problem for u. S. Troops.
United States cavalry patrolling the
border considered what they would do Il
the 1900 men commanded by almost
dozen generals should start a rush across
the river. Maj. McNamee, commanding
the patrol, had less than LOO men sta
toned at points along the river where il
was likely refugee soldiers would cross.
If the federals cross the border into the
United States, il is believed they will be
arrested and disarmed
Gen. Ortega, acting under orders from
Gen. Villa to drive the federals into the
United States and return TO Chihuahua
with no prisoners, has in a two-day bat
tie fought an aggressive fight which has
terrorized the federal troops. A desultory
fire was continuous through the night.
both from federals and rebels, but the
casualties from the two days fighting re-
main unknown.
Conflicting Reports.
Conflicting reports arrived in Preside
today concerning the numbers of wound
ed and dead, but always the greatest
number of conjectured fatalities We're on
the side of the federals whose firing was
believed to have been Intellectual against
the guerrilla tactics of Gen. Ortega and
The resumption of the battle this morn.
ing was expected to be the beginning Of
the end. for Ojinaga was tightly sur
rounded and the fighting must almost pe
hand to hand before the government
troops could be dislodged from their
trenches and the Notifications of the
town.
No surrender was the slogan under
which the federal general entered the
battle today.
Think Federals Will Flee.
American army men. commanding the
troops here on border duty, think that
the result will be flight and all night
kept close patrol on Rio Grande, now
and then capturing a deserter. disarming
him and driving him back into Mexico.
The rebels yet must take the circular
line of hills which protect Ojinaga be-
fore they can direct their fire into tie
heart of the federal fortifications. With
the heaviest artillery directing shot and
shell at the hill fortifications, however.
il appeared but a matter of hours before
the rebel cavalry would enter the little
Mexican village. The federal army has
not the guns to match the rebels and IL
depends mainly upon its rifle fire and the
protection of q few mountain guns.