New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-19
by COLONEL JASPER EWING BRADY
TormerIy of the nited states Army.)


frorm.rIv Of the United states Army
After all his talk Of starting move
ment southwark toward Torreon General
Pancho villa, Constitutonalist com
mandcr Of chihuahua. made back track
and has gone TO Jusrez to attend bull
fight and baillie in his honor.
You cannot get away from the Mexican
character, which will stop an important
military movement TO receive the plaudits
of the multitude And villa can well re-
ioice tonight because he has positive in
formation that Generals Salazar and
Carveo. two of his most implacable enc
mics. have been captured in the United
States and will be held as prisoners until
the trouble is over. Now, If Villa can he
assured that Pascual Orozco has been
captured or killed ne will rest easy in the
advance his troops are about 10 begin on
Torreon.
Il appears that a strong rebel force OF
more than three thousand men, under
command Of Torriba Ortega. has actually
moved out from Chihuahua TO begin the
attack on the Federal troops under COM
mand of Veasco at Torreon II may be
remarked in passing that Torreon mas
changed hands oftener than any other
place in Mexico. When General Villa
made his first attack on Chihuahua, and
then marched around 10 the west and
north and captured Juarez. he left a
strong force Of about four thousand men.
under command Of Tomas Urbina. TO hold
Torreon.
After Juarez fell and Chihuahua was
evacuated villa supposed that all the Fed
eral opposition in that part Of the coun-
try was wiped out. and consequently he
ordered Crbina TO move to the south and
attack the Federal troops at Zacatecas.
This left TOreon with very small rebel
garrison, and the Federals sprane an I'M
expected trick on Villa and his men. Cen
eral NelascO with three thousand men,
moved by way Of the railroad from Mon
terey three hundred miles to the east,
and suddenly invested Torreon. Two days
later he attacked the place, and the rebel
garrison withdrew 10 the southwest, in
the direction Of Durango.
Recapture Part of Town.
Tomas Urbna and his rebels heard Of
!
home and made a quick march 10 the
rear. and after hard fight. lasting the
greater part of two days. succeeded in
driving the Federals out of the main part
OF the town to the hills TO the west. But
| Trbina did not have men enough 10 totally
destroy the Federals all he could do was
| TO hold them where they were and wait
until assistance could be sent him from
the north.
In the mean time the Federal defence
at Oiiuaea was more stubborn than had
been anticipated, and Villa could not send
a single man TO help out Crbina. The
| Federals worked their way around to the
north Of Torreon and captured Gomez
/ Palacio, which is really suburb of the
city.
There are rugged mountains TO the
east and south of the city and high hills
! 10 the west, so that with sufficient ar
tillery and an adequate supply of ammu-
milton the Federals can offer good fight
TO villa. IN fact. II their resistance is
what II should be they can hold him up
for a longer period than they did at
! Ojinsgs 1t will all depend on the morale
! Of fhe troops.
! Torreon is the richest city in the state
Of Durango and has population Of about
| 1900. Il Is in the midst OF a rich agri-
cultural and mineral country and is also
division point OF the National Railways
| Villa can make no move toward Mexico
! City until he has destroyed the Federal
garrison.
General Nelasco and his Federals will
| have to tight IL out alone in Torreon. as
it will be impossible for Huerta TO give
him any help unless he sends the garrison
J at Monterey and this is hardly possible,
as IL would give Gonzales and 500 rebels
at present between Monterey and Laredo.
an opportunity TO swoop down and capt
ure the former city anu make certain
the quick fall OF Nuevo Laredo.
on the other hand. il villa is sure that
Orozco is either In the United States or
dead. he can concentrate his entire army
Of 1880 men in the attack on Torreon.
lard to Meet at Guadala lara.
You have read in the iate dispatches
| that villa has stated that he expects to