Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1914-06-22
VILLA MAKES A
DARING ATTACK
Rebel Chieftain Leads in
Assault Upon Mountain
I Stronghold.
CITY is SURROUNDED
Reaching Crucial Point in Campaign
Against Capital City-San Luis
potosi Only Other Obstacle.

Saltillo, Mexico, June 22.-Personal-
iy heading an army of 25,OO0 men,
rGeneral Francisco Villa led a general
assault on Zacatecas today, Inaugural
Tting a battle which is expected to
rprove the crucial one on the, campaign
Ito capture Mexico City and dethrone
Huerta.
Dispatches from Zacatecas say Vii.
la arrived there late last night, coming
to the rescue Of General Panfilo Ma
terra, whose forces had been driven
back by the federals under General
Medina Barron. Today, at dawn, it
twas reported Villa started to storm
La Bufa hill and Guadalupe, the two
mountain fortresscs which guard Ia
1catecas to the north and southeast
VILLAS plans were said to be personal
Nv to lead the attack on La Bufa and,
If necessary, he will place himself in
the van of the force which must storm
,the heights guarding the city, which
lies in deep mountain gorge.
Villas putting the ability of his
'army to an open test before Zacate-
cas- is declared here to be his most dar-
ling exploit. The city IS defended by
Barron with not less than $4,000 men,
iwho are entrenched in hundreds OF
abanodned mine workings OIL III"
slopes of La Rufa. If the rebel chief
,can infuse the dash and daring nces-
isarv to La Bufa's capture into MS
men. San Luis Potosi would then be
the only obstacle i'll march to Mex
.co City. It's Notifications are weak
>compared to those at Zacatecas.
It is stated here that Villas forces
have Zacatecas entirely surrounded
4and that e-enforcements from Huerta
can not possibly relieve the city. Ii
This proves to be so, Villa may not
make a real attempt to storm La
Bufa hill. If the certainty of heavy
loss to the rebels is developed, Villa
then is expected to hold his army IN
front of the city and try to starve
Barron's fedcrals into sumlsslon.
Niagara Falls, N. Y, June 22.-Ef-
forts to patch up the totterlng medl-
alton program were made today. The
A. B. c. mediators met with the
American delegates and later in the
'dav a full conference is expected.
. Modified proposals for settlement OF
the Mexican embrogilo were submit
ted by the Alb. C. group. Selection
of a provisional president-the snae
in the proceedings-was Temporarily
laid aside. Consequently the pro.
'ceedings looked more hopeful than al
anv time for more than week.
I Ambassador Naon's plan today wa:
based on his own ideas, coupled witt
suggestions he CLEANED in Washing
ton from President Wilson and Sec
retary of State Bryan.
|. Calranza's reply, reiteratlng his re
fusal to agree to an armistice, wa
expected today, but the mediator:
were prepared to ignore further corn
municating in this tenor. There wa:
prospect, that constitutionalist dele
gates would come here for furthe
talk with the American delegates
thus having a semi-official represen
;tation in the conferences. The a. E
&c. group and the American delegates
we're more confident today that tn
constitutionalist difficulty would b
swept aside in a solution satisfactor.
to all parties