The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-12-31
REBELS STEADILY
GAIN 0N5EDERALS.
Forces Engaged for Thirty-Six
Hours, With Many Killed
and Wounded.
NO BULLETS CROSS BORDER
Many Wounded and Dcscrtcrs
Wade Through River to
American Side.
NO BULLETS CROSS BORDER

Preside. Texas, December so.-Tho
battle between 5000 rebels under Gem
eral Toribfo Ortega and the Northern
Division OF the Mexican Federal army
entrenched around Ojinaga, Mexico.
across the border from this place. still
was In progress when darkness fell
tonight. No bullets came across the
border.
The forces had been engaged for
thirty six hours and many had been
killed and wounded
General Ortega, executing n series
OF flank movements, steadily kept on
the offensive, gaining foot by foot the
approaches to the Federal stronghold.
The Federal forces, crippled and dis
organized by the first rebel onslaught.
chung to the hillside trenches wher.
their leaders had decided to mako n
last stand. They rallied somewhat
from the panic that seized many of
them with the first volleys Of the rebels
when daylight disclosed the position OF
o eSt men and put up u plucky
haht against heavy odds. although
their losses were heavy from wounds
and assertions. Many wounded and de-
serters waded waist deep through thu
river to the American side.
1t was impossible even to approxt-
mato the number OF dead and wounded.
Fifteen Federal wounded who waded
were cared for by United States Army
physicians, but several score unwouhd-
ca Federal deserters were disarmed nv
me United States border patrol under
Major McNamec and sent back across
the border
Army officers were convinced tina,
casualties had been heavy, and Pod
Cross representatives. sent requests for
more help and hospital supplies. They
also requested permission to cross the
border 10 attend the wounded on the
battlefield.
Neither of the opposing forces is
provided with hospital facilities, and
wounded have been left on the hill
sides whero they fell.
Although 5000 rebels were engaged
| much OF their fire was ineffective In
the early hours of the battle because
OF the position they occupied below
the village.
ojinaja, n cluster OF adobe buildings.
stands mile from tho border at the
top or high hills which line the val
ley through which the rebels advanced.
When day dawned. Ortega's men had
gained the foot of a hill three miles
from the village. where the Federal Ia
mad planted fort to command ap-
proachcs TO the town. They spread
along the hillsdes and opened q hrc
which was maintained all day and
"AiSh WIS supported Dy ten machine
guns they had dragged across the des-
ert from Chihuahua.
Foot BY foot the rebels approached
the Federal trenches until their fire
became too severe for the defenders.
who retired. Soon as darkness fell.
all Federals who had not fled were
huddled in the shelter of tho town It.
self.
Although the rebels tonight appear
ed to have much advantage. the out
como or the struggle was not clearly
defined. That tho Federals will sur
render is improbable, because General
Ortega has explicit orders to execute
the so-called volunteers and their com
manders, General Pascual Orozco, Yneg
Salazar, Antonio Rojas. Bias Orpinal
Lazare Alanis and Rogue Gomez.
Eighteen hundred volunteers also come
under the sentence of death imposed
by order of General Villa. That the
Federals, with all their generals ex-
cept perhaps General Francisco Cas-
tro. General Jose Mancilla and General
Manuel Landa, of the regulars, will be
forced over to the United Statos in
case of defeat was thought on the
American side to be most likely.