The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1914-01-16
BIGGEST VICTORY OF THE WAR
American Patrol Takes Charge of
$500 Men, Six Generals, 100000
Rounds of Ammunition and 1900
Civilians Who Crossed Border to
Escape From Rebels.

General Salvador Mercado, who was
Huerta's chief military commander,
crossed the river and surrendered to
Major McNamee of the United States
army.
The defeat of the federal army fol-
flowed only few hours fighting in
which the rebels, beginning at sun
down, started to close in on the be-
sieged garrison with cannon and rifle
fire.
General Castro and General Mer-
cado Of the federals saw the assault
was to be nothing less than a mas
sacre The federals only had left fifty
rounds of ammunition for each man.
The generals therefore gave orders to
eYaCuate.
All the federal soldiers and their Of
ficers who could scramble to the
American side did So The others ran
in all directions.
General Pascual Orozco, command
ing federal volunteers, threatened
with summary execution by Villa, was
the first to cross. It was believed he
had escaped into the mountains of
Texas.
After the fighting had been in prog
ress about five hours, seven wagons
loaded with documents belonging to
the Huerta government came over
and were captured by the United
States border patrol.
Major McNamee Immediately order
ed all cayalryInen to meet any emer-
gency. Women, children and wound
ed soldiers had been crossing in num-
bers, but the apparent advance of the
rebels gave reason to believe a great
er rush across the border was immi.
nept
For five hours the sharp flashes Of
the rebel fire had been seen drawing
closer to the federal 5ntrenchments.
The whole scene was witnessed in tha
moonlight partly obscured by dust and
powder smoke.
Among the federals were nine gen.
erals-Castro, Mercado, Orozco, Man
uel Landa, Ynez Salazar, Antonio
Rojas, Bias Orpina, Lozaro Alavis and
Rogue Gomez
Defeat Of the federal army at this
point marks the most important rebel
victory of the present resolution. 1t
leaves the rebels in possession of
virtuallyall of the north of Mexico.
Mercado, Castro and Landa were
the only remaining commanders of
the federal regulars. The other gen.
erals commanded volunteers and had
been threatened by Villa with death
should they be captured
Led by General Francisco Villa, just
before shutdown the rebel army ad-
vancing from the southeast and west
drove back the federal outposts, cap
tured fifty men and opened heavy
rifle fire on the federal trenches back
ed by shrapnel from the rebel field
guns.
General Villa had with him 1000
men, while Generals Herrera and Her
anndez led 1900 from the west from
base at the village of San Juan.
The main body of rebels, compris-
ing about 1890 men, advanced along
the river road from the east.
Steadily creeping toward the fed
eral Notifications high on the plateau,
where Ojinaga stands, the rebels oc-
cupied positions within four miles of
the village before they met resistance.
The federal outposts then opened
fire, their rifle volleys being supported
by the fire of a few machine guns.
The rafting return fire of the rebels
soon silenced the guns of the outpost.
The scattered federals were thrown
into disorder and dashed for the Tex
as side.
Twenty-eight hundred Mexican fed.
eral soldiers, six generals, 100000
roundB of ammunition, two cannon.
four large field pieces and 1900 civil
ian refugees are now in the custody
of the United States army border pa
troll as the result of the federal evae-
uation of Oiinaga, Mexico, and the oc-
cupation of the Mexican village by
General Francisco Villas rebel forces
Saturday.
The distress of the refugees is in
tense They have scant food and no
shelter. MEM Women, children, dogs,
lGhickens and cattle packed together.
requests for the immediate
removal Of soldiers and refugees to
some ether place were sent- by Major.
rMcNamee TO the war department
Through General Bliss. Ga {
General Ianda said he ss. osriain
all the federal troops escSIed.
Charges Of cowardice Mere taade
against orozoo, Salazar Aahd R5}as,
General Mareado said the generals
abandoned their troops at the begin.
1ilng of theIbattIe and thus weakened
the federal defense.
GsnerSis 6foEeo and sssl:sssf
capped to the mountains.