Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-04-03
TORREON TAKEN;
1900 SLAIN AND
1900 WOUNDED
Remnant of Federal Garrison
Fleeing, According to
Villas Despatch.
REBELS NOW CONTROL
IMMENSE TERRITORY
Viva vilIa!" Is Cry as Juarez
Goes Mad With
JOY.

TORREON. Mex. April 3. via
Gomez Palacio. - Torreon, strewn
with the dead and wounded of a six
day battle, was occupied by the rebels
last night, on the heels Of the fleeing
Federals.
In all the fighting no foreigner was
killed or injured The taking Of
Torreon marks the climax of the first
campaign OF the revolution 10 orst
Victoriano Huerta from Mexico city.
It gives the Constitutionalists virtual
control over the whole northern tier
of Mexican States.
The fighting began last Friday, ard
was almost continuous At first villa
attempted assaults on the strong
Federal positions in daylight, but
these proved costly, so the days were
spent in cannonading ana the nights
in assaults.
Foreign Gunners Aided FederaIs,
Positions were taken and lost TINS
and again. Several night attacks
sent the Federals scurrying from
strong positions. but at daybreak the
captors would be compelled to aban-
don them by the strength and accu-
racy of the enemy's artillery fire,
much of which is said to have been
directed by French and German gun
ners
Losses have not been compiled, but
General Villa estimates his own losses
at 500 killed and 1900 wounded and
the Federal loss at 1000 killed and
$500 wounded, with an unknown
number of prisoners.
Villa believes that the Federals
whom his cavalry is pursuing to the
| south form but a remnant of the
/ Federal force, whose loss, he says.
probably is close to being total All
/ the subordinate generals have not
/ yet reached here. however, and until
I they do just how many were captured
! cannot be accurately stated
Four-MiIe Battle Line.
The battle line was four miles long,
and the field was determined by three
great hills formed like a carpenters
square. at either end of which lag
the towns of Gomez Palacio and ToEa
1e9P, Ther5 were z--.-7r ; Out 1o,y6s men n
each army. The Eederals had fortified
the hills with rdc pits, trenches and
harbwire acknowledgements. The nature
of the ground made it difficult To re-
cover the wounded, and many OF
them died OF thirst and hunger or
lack of attention where they fell.
Automobiles We're used in rescue
work, but they could not ascend the
! hills.
Some of the first fighting occurred
| In the hills south of Gomez Palacio
and west of Torreon. It ragged with
great fury in the canon De Huarache,
! where the Federals made their last
! desperate stand and from which they
/ finally tled, followed closely by Villas
cavalry Twice the rebels took TWO
/ of the hills. only to lose them but
! all the time the attack was becoming
i more formidable, as the soldiers, at
/ taclSing from all sides except the
west, fighting from house to house.
+ drew the circle closer about the army.
Roar of Cannon Continuous.
4 hundred small encounters oc-
CURED intermittently in the streets
or over the possession Of some ia
vored roof, but the roar of cannon
was almost continuous.
! Both sides used armored trains.
These, with big guns mounted. would
+ suddenly appear around an elbow of
/ one OF the nils, discharge a broad
/ side and then retire. Early in the
/ attack on Gomez Palacio the trains
ventured out at the same time, and
| lively exchange of shots ensued.
The Federals made use of huge
rockets, which were shot to a great
I height. exploding i'm the air and let-
/ ting down "a haik of buckshot
4 On the fourth day of the dght, the
/ intense suffering from heat and
thirst was relieved by . rain thought
+ to have been brought on by the heavy
firing.
During the battle scouts brought
word that Federal reinforcnments
from Monterey were approaching on
the east General Herrera was sent
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