The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1914-03-27
REBELS ABOUT TO
ATTACK TORRE0N
KHAKI LINE OF VILLAS AD-
VANCE SURROUNDING
CITY.
ARMY is IN HIGH SPIRITS
Villas Men Believe Federal Troops
Cannot Long Withstand Force
Being Brought against Them
The Maneuvering.

Bermejillo, Durango, March "a
The ragged khaki line of General Wiz
las advance is surrounding Torreon.
with the other divisions scattered
along the route for Is miles further
the vanguard.
Villa Goes to Front.
Villa has left for the front to take
personal command. While his main
guard is closing in on Torreon, hav-
ing driven the federals from the out.
posts in the smaller town to the
north, other rebel columns are report
ed to be drawing closer to the invest
ed city from the south and southwest.
From Gobez Palacio, a suburb three
miles from TOrreon, to the city Itself
the country is laced with irrigation
bitches which the Federals are report
ed to have adapted for rifle trench
es. AT some point along these three
miles a pitched battle is probable,
possibly at Cerro La Pila, a mountain
which the Federals are reported to
have fortified.
Must Be Taken.
II this proves true the position
must be taken, as the big guns have.
ample power to cover the three miles
between the mountains and Torreon.
1t is said that the manning of La
Pila would be a legitimate part Of the
defense of Torreon, although its COM
parative isolation would make support
from other parts OF the Federal de-
lenses practically impossible. The de-
tenders would be in danger of being
absolutely cut off, and for this rea-
son the Rebels doubt that the enemy
if really there, will make more than
q long range defense before falling
back upon the main force.
Army in High Spirit.
The army is in high spirits and the
generals are Of the opinion that Tor
reon can not hope to hold out against
the forces now being brought against
it.
The first important move Of the
week just passed took place when
General Villa, having appeared sud
denly from Chihuahua, set his troops
in motion early Friday morning from
Yermo. which is about 100 miles
north OF Torreon. Fifteen miles north
OF this city he came upon a strong
advance column of the Federals, who.
are believed to have been under or
ders to retreat upon appearance of
the enemy. The appearance of the
Rebels was SO sudden, however, that
the retreat became almost a rout.
The Federals. like the Rebels, were,
mounted, and the encounter became
a sort Of a st~eeple-chase, with the,
pursuers, smothered in the dust kicked
up by their mounts, firing blindly
from the saddle, not in the least i'm
peded by the scattered bullets which
the Federals sometimes turned to fire.
The fight continued at a sallop right
into the streets OF this little city, and
here it was that most of the Federal
losses occurred. The bodies of 1O8
were picked up by Villas men. The
Federals are believed to have carried
Off those who were wounded in this
city, as only three We're found. The
Rebel loss was practically nothing.
On the heels of the cavalry came
Ol11A tAOOPS, anu icIlGIdl ~DGudSlueS,
with a superior force was sent, by rail,
against T%lahualilo, a town northeast
of Bermejillo.
At a great irrigation ditch, shortly
after leaving Bermejillo, Benavides
came upon a Federal force which he
estimated to number 400. An hours
engagement ensued, as a result Of
which the Rebel commander reported
to General Villa the rout of the enemy.
leaving 80 dead on the field. His own
loss he reported as three killed and
seven wounded.