The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-24
REBELS REPULSED
BY FEDERAL TROOPS
Attack on Saltillo By the
Mexican State Troops
Fruitless

Mexico City, March 23.-Tha rebels who
attacked Sa1tllo were repulsed last night
by the federals after the latter had been
reinforced by Gen. Cazo Lopez.
General Lopez, reporting to the war de-
partmeht tonight, says a detachment IL
following the scattered rebel forces. The
rebels made their last stand in an old
fort known as "F'uerte Americana but
we're dislodged by the federal infantry.
advancing under the cover of artillery.
Gen. Trucy Aubert has strong force
at Monterey and the government is not
worried over the theratened attack upon
that city. Keen satisfaction was ex-
pressed by government officials today
over the victory at Saltillo, which is the
first important engagement of the pres
ent administration, but the public is not
sc enthusiastic, because the operations
| OF Venustiano Carranza, backed by a con-
| siderable body of adherents so far to
the south, appears to reveal unexpected
| strength.
| The railroad has been cut south of Sal
| tillo
With the rebels in control of the
| northern part of the state of Coahuila
| the Sonora frontier particularly dom
mated by the followers of Maytorena
and bands which may be independent
| but are none the less troublesome,
| operating in the states of Durango and
| Chihuahua the residents of the capital
are beginning to realize the seriousness
of conditions although not admitted to
be dangerous by the government Off
cials
| How many rebels are engaged in this
latest movement in the north is not
known, but 1T is believed that in Son
ora there are not less than 1000 and in
Coahuila 5000 and that independent
leaders have at least another thousand
making total of at least 5000.
The situation in the south appears
likely of settlement although not all
the military men are convinced that
the adherents of the Zepata brothers
will be content with the alternative
of returning to the fields or entering
the army. General Trucy Aubert's re-
treat to Monterey from Villaldama,
when he had moved 200 cars of troops
and regained the railroad is regarde
here as evidence of clever strategy on
the part of the rebels who tented an
attack on Monterey and would probably
have carried this into effect had not
General Aubert returned, thus leaving
them in possession of the territory be-
tween Monterey and Laredo
Railroad Cut
The railroad to the south of Mon
terey has been cut both by fire and by
dynamite and the time it will take
to complete repairs is problematical.
To the north of Monterey the destruc-
tion of 40 bridges makes it certain that
the line will not be open for weeks and
possibly more than that ON account OF
the difficulties to be encountered in
dislodsing the rebels
The International railroad from Ciu-
dad Porfirio Diaz to a point further
south than Monclova is in possession
of Carranza's men, iwho are operating
trains.
The revolution in the state of Neuvo
Leon, of which Monterey is the capital,
is considered to be complicated owing
to the resignation of the governor, Gen.
Geronimo Trevino. Tt is not believed
that the aged general will join the
rebels. but 1t is feared that his resig-
nation will be interpreted by many as
a sign of his disapprobation of the
Huerta government and this possibly
Will result in bringing recruits to the
rebels.
The arrangement was made through a
telegraphic conference between Salazar
and Huerta. The rebel general some days
ago in a written proclamation denounced
Huerta, insisting on the presidential
claims of Emilio Vasquez Gomez. 1t is
not made clear what the present position
of Vasquez Gomez and his party will be.