The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1914-01-15
FEDERALS DRIVEN
ACROSS RIVER BY
REBEL ONSLAUGHT

III t..a#I ONOLHOOIIt
Preside. Tex. Jan. 13-Believing that
the retreat Of federal army from Dim
aga, Mexico has completely crushed the
Huerta government in the north OF
Mexico, Gen. Francisco villa today
said he would begin tomorrow to move
This army to Chihuahua, preparatory to
his campaign southwark. ."
Since all the federals who were In
OJinaga have fled to the United States
General villa said he would leave only
a few soldiers o. the border. :.
T~wenty.eight hundred Mexican fed.
eral soldiers, six generals, 200, 000
rounds of ammunition, two cannon,
four large field pieces and 1900 civilian
refugees were in the custody OF the
United States army border patrol to-
day as h result of the federal army's
evacuation OF Ojinaga, Mexico Its flight
ton of the Mexican village by Gen.
Francisco Villas rebels. -
Distress 10 Intense. '..'
The distress of the refugees is In
tense They have scant food and nc
shelter. Men, women children, dogs,
chickens and cattle are packed together
in a space covering Several acres.
About them are scattered all the wreck
and turmoil which they brought in flee
ing from the Ojinaga battle.
AT Chihuahua he expects to have q
force OF 10000 men from which to draw
In attacks on Zacatecas, Aguas Calien-
ties and Guadaljara.
The defeat of the northern division
OF the federal army leaves us concerned
only with the SOUTH" said General
Villa. "The few remaining federal
garrisons on the west and east costs
VIII be driven out by the rebel forces
now surrounding them. Mexico City
mas always been my destination"
Ihe little village Ojinaga Is a. wreck
rom its recent b~ombardment, but Gen.
eral VITA has ordered 1t put in condi-
uon. According to General Ortega nc
military executions have occurred
only 1000 rebels occupy the houses,
others are scattered over the country
on forag1ng expeditions. About 5000
LAWS already been sent en- route to
Prisoners to Maria.
ders from Brigadier General piss q,
q Antonio, to remove to the near.
est railroad station all the federal sol.
olers and civilians now being haId IN
Prssldio. the crowd Of more than 4o0(
refugees and soldiers will probabIy
march 0 for Maria, Tex. 81 miles
oser roa All the refu.
Eees are to be put to work preparing
their own camps,
among the wounded In the Red Cross
p is William Stelnhouse M
Frensno, Cal. a IL year old man vbS
was wounded In the arm while fight.
ing Win Villas army. His injuries are
Story Of the Battle.
lowed only a few hours flsbtinp T.
which the rebels, beginning at sun
down. started to close In on the be.
sieged garrison with q terrific fra n,
cannon, shrapnel and rifle fire.
General Castro and General Mercado
OF the FEDERAL regulars, saw that the
assauit was TO be nothing less than 9
massacre. The federals had left only
80 rounds Of ammunition for ZACH man
General Castro and General Mercadr
therefore gave orders to evacuat AIl
the FEDERAL soldiers and their officers
who could scramble to the America
side did so. The others ran in all d.
rections. Gen. PascuaI Orozco. com.
mander OF the federal volunteers
threatened with summary execution by
villa, was the first to cross. It was be-
leved he escaped into the mountains ir
Texas. About 9 o'clock, when the
fighting had been in progress about
nVe hours, several wagon loads OF
documents belonging to the Huerta
government. came over and were cap.
tured by the United States border
patrol This vas believed to be a pre-
Hminary to h evacuation.
Cavalry Called Out.
Major McNamee, commanding the
United States patrol, Immediately or
dered out all cavalrymen to meet ar
emergency. Women, children and
wounded soldiers had been crossing In
numbers, but the apparent advance oil
the rebels, turned to the very heart
of the federal garrison, gave reason tc
believe a greater rush across the border
was imminent.
For five hours the sharp flashes OF
the rebel fire had been seen drawing
closer to the federal i~ntrenchments
Then came the retreat. The whole
scene was bathed in a moonlight, partly
obscured by dust and powder smoke.
The downfall of the Huerta govern
ment in this vast section of Mexico was
proceed I'd by a series OF dramatic Incl
dents. Just six weeks ago today Gen
Salvador Mercado. with his 1000 fed
ri troops, evacuated Chihuahua City
| the capital of the state Of that name.
His flight across the desert to DIN
aga, where he hoped to repIenish his
food supply and ammunition, required
almost q week. He was accompanied
by many rich Mexican families, among
them Luis Terrazas. of the most
extensive land holders In the world
who feared violence at the hands of the
rebel forces.
l. Mercado's Last Stand.
On this little hilltop of Ojins ga, ar
obscure border village, 81 miles from
any railroad, and that in the United
States, Mercado elected to make a last
| stand. He had said he would never