The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-12-17
ARRIVE At BORDER
FROM CHIHUAHUA TRAGIC
INCIDENT Of war
Army OF DESERTERS

EhMl Ut DE0LAlLA1
Remarkable Hegira Presented Spec
tacle of Despair and Confusion a.
Stragglers Struggled Across Des.
erts in Heart Rending Eight Days
Journey.
The complete rout OF Huerta's fed
eral army il Northern Mexico, with
the frantic flight Of his generals for
safety to the border and the demoral-
ization Of the unpaid troops, was es-
tablished with the arrival Monday al
Ojinaga, Mexico, opposite Preside:
of the civilians and soldiers who de-
serted Chihuahua City.
In the remarkable. hegira, which
struggled for eight days over an 15S-
mile trail through the desert and en-
dured great hardships for want Of
food and water, were Gen. Salvador
Mercado. Huerta's deuosed m;litarT
governor and command der Of ,he Fed
era1 troons in the north: Cen. Pas
cual Orozco, Gen: Antonio Rojas.
Cen. Caraveo. Gen. YneZ Salazar and
host Of subordinate officers. Thev
bad deserted their post in fear o.
Con F~arcsern Nil1a'e -eNol arnv 49,
Irtnallv hid surrendered to the
rebels Chihuahua. the State canito'
and the largest Of the far northern
cities.
Along with them came burdened
with what property they could carry
mon. women and children re--ceent
ing come Of the richest families in
+he rennh1'c. Their h'oht With +h~
,--,- VOC IN +he are of rnnor+s that
they might expect no mercy should
i1.~- s-1I '-+o +ho h--a- 80 49, --|-'-
1.rfs T.rraz.s. a wealthy land owner
re,rted 70 own h.1f ~ Tho State Of
Chihrahra. was eo'1 to have h~nneh+
r-i+h hin, vaat for+rne IN cash fee--
ing II rnisht he looted nv the reheIs II
no ramained In the evarnated citv.
witnesses viewing the onrominr
th-or~ f-o-, +he h'1'e az N''-~on 70
no-+ed the refugees wore ena++Ared ir
a thin 1fna for several nn'1es into tho
,r+o-in- ,nd that the dne+r confusion
- hrnken-dovn w.eo,e. d'eah1a1
t'11n-v and min o1ine 81 dieh neS
sc1diers and famiehe1 civilians ae
thav slowly moved over the dasn-+
rreeented a spectacle Of universal de-
spair.
The fear Of he'ne unable to kea"
mare with the eeror+ing army Of no.
ing lost on tho 6eaert or "anoht hv
the rebels. sdded +o tha rn'sn-'es 81
sn n-acinitote a Aight and Eent tho
rofugAne IN a1r,na+ = continroue from
~ Their arrival in nonio. hrt nm
m n1eeted nv the -.ho1s formed one of
the rccs+.+-as'r incidents Of the pres
emit revolution.
MANY who had started nnt in vehi-
c1es later marched on foot: scores
who attempted to carry their treas
nres had TO abandon them through
cheer weariness eo thar tracle we-e
literally strewn with discarded inned-
iments. clothing. h-'n-a-b-ar. and val
ned trinkets which thev had hoped to
carry to safety. Behind them they
left the b1ackened ashes Of camn
fires. marking at eight stages on the
trim the eight nights where thev ha7
CANNED. sometimes IN cold wind.
blowing of the hish p1ote,u. and
often within the hearing Of the howl
ing covotes. The travelling in the
dav time was sometimes through
sand storms. It was imnoesible to
estimste the number Of refugees. but
observers say they would total sew
ersl thousand.
Whether the Federal officers and
the soldiers would attempt to seek
refuge in the United States was not
made known on their arrival. Just
before the annroach of the Federais.
whose oDcoming was announced by
twenty exhausted soldiers early in
the day. the few rebels at Oiinaea
who were greatly ontnnmhered by the
Federa1s. LETT their earri- |
son and retreated to the field. This !
left the way open FOR the Federals to
advance to the Rio Grande River
fighting. 1t was believed
thev probably would remain on the |
side so long as they were not |
pressed by the rebels. Gen. Villas
rebel forces had been in nursnit Of
the fusitives. but the Federals. bv
avacuating the city unawares. had an |
advantage in point OF time. and vii
las forces were unable to overtake
hem.
United States troops were on the
border to take action in cases Of any
OF the neutrality laws.
It was known that the authorities
had telesraphed to El Paso for
.apias for the arrest Of Gen OroZco.
who Is under indictment in this
country. Gen. Salazar is also under
Indictment in the United States.
There was no indication Of what !
action the rebel leaders might take in
7iew of the assembling Of so large
'orce OF Federals on the border. It !.
ras believed that II they were not
attacked the Federals might occupy
he sraH ojirasa garrison quarters