Daily Kennebec journal., 1914-01-12

The mute suggestions Of what had gone
before.
/ Yet there were many living remind
ers of the battle. Those who went
| across in behalf of the Red Cross
found many wounded who had lain ne
elected for hours.
The American army physicians be-
lieved that many soldiers died because
neither federals nor rebels had hos
rttal corps.
.he CIVILIAN refugees Nho rushed
acl oss the river when Gen. Mercado
went through the streets of Ojinaga,
telling the people 10 flee, suffered as
muen distress as the soldiers.
Scores of women camp followers had
lost their children in the scramble and
were cr5 ing piteousy in the corral
provided FOR them on the American
side. Others We're without clothing
sufficient to protect them from the
cold, and all were drenched from wad-
ing through the river. The scene of
disorder was almost as bad on the
American side as on the Mexican.
Scores of Federal guns had been
thrown into the river and were pro-
truding from the mud. Federal and
rebel wounded who had crawled to the
river bank, side by side, were wading
across, helped by the American SOL
diers.
Mexican women and children who es-
capped from the corral were trudging up
the mountain road toward Maria and
had to be brought back.
Suddenly made guardians of an en-
tire foreign garrison. generals and all,
the bcrder patrol considered what was
to bo done with the Mexican soldiers.
Major McNamee asked Brig. Gen.
Bliss ct San Antonio, Tex, for instruc-
tions. 1t was believed that the ques-
tion would be referred to the war de-
would be ordered to deliver the SOL
diers to the nearest point in Mexico
where the fugitives might return to
their own country without jeopardy
to their lives. At ali events the soldiers
will be taken to Maria, Texas, the
nearest railroad station.
From a military standpoint, the sit
uation was regarded as being without
precedent, since in time of peace the
United States army has never had to
surround, disarm, hold in custody and
care for sc large a body of aliens. Less
than 500 cayalrymen handled the panic
stricken mob of almost 10 times their
number. Though many of the Federal
soldiers had loaded rifles and weil-fill-
ed cartridge belts the rounding up and
disarming was made without any out
ward incident.
Both General Villa, the victorious
rebel leader. and General Mercado, the
defeated Federal commander. on oppo-
site sides of the Rio Grande, discuss
ed the incidents in Mexican history in
which they had Just taken part. Gen.
Villa sat triumphantly in the little
adobe palace in Ojinaga. General Mer-
cado q refugee, sat in the camp of the
border patrol
1T was hopeless" said Gen. Mercado.
I'VE could not have resisted a charge
by the rebels--it would have been a
and fight to safety across hte river
on grounds of humanity.
Hundreds of women and children
We're in one village who refused to de-
sert the soldiers. These non-combat-
ants would have been killed in the
confusion. We also had many loyal
soldiers and officers who had reason to
believe they would have been execut-
ed IL captured,
Tho loyalty of the government
forces was unquestioned, There was
no indication of a general desertion.
When l saw there was no hope l had
70 command the soldiers to leave. We
are grateful for our hospitable asy-
lum."
General Villa said; The credit for
this victory is due to Gen. Toribio Or
tega He led the original attack a
week ago know the Federals had
only a limited supply of ammunition,
Our tactics were to exhaust that sup
ply. Gen. Ortega started an attack to
draw the Federal fire. He succeeded
well.
Our future plans are now we'll de-
fined. AS soon as the situation here IL
clear /, with some of my troops, will
return to chihuahua, whence We will
(aY n Yd