Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-06
NO FLIGHT ACROSS
BORDER PLANNED
Huerta's Northern Aids Say
They Do Not Seek Safety
in the United States
Vera Cruz, Mex, Jan. 5.-Ad-
vices received by wireless by the
American warships here indicate
that the rebels are planning to at
tack the federal troops at Tampico
imm mediately.

Ojinaga. Mex, Jan. 5-(via army
line to Marfa)-All doubt as to the
intention Of the northern division OF
the Mexican federal army to defeat the
rebels or to stay here until every SOL
dier has died for President Huerta
through the exhaustion of ammunition
was dispelled by General Francisco
Castro and General Ynez Salazar in
interviews given by them at head
quarters during the rebel attack today.
A retreat of federal soldiers across
the border to u S. territory would be
induced only by some unexpected
event and even if all soldiers deserted
the generals would remain to die at
their posts, according to General Cas-
tro.
General SalaZar is commander of the
federal volunteers, while General Cas-
tro who is suffering from wounded
hand, is commander of the regular
forces.
The belief that some large and so
important a division of the Mexican
army would ask for asylum in for
eign country was predicted in the
flight of the army with General Mer-
cado from Chihuahua about five weeks
ago said General Castro. @
No Idea OF Surrender.
"It was thought that we come to the
border so that if we were pursued by
Villas rebels we could step across the
border he said. "Such a plan was
preposterous. Our forces evacuated
Chihuahua because we had been isola-
ted there. We had no way to obtain
money to pay the soldiers who remain
ed loyal to General Huerta and we
had no means of communicating with
the war department at Mexico City.
Our duty was to open line of COM
munication with the head of the gov
ernment and to escort from Chihuhua
citizens who feared they would be
murdered by Villa We selected
Ojinaga because it is one of the best
natural fortifications in the world. 1t
also offered source of communication
with Mexico City as we'll ias a port
through which we might import pro-
visions. Our position here is impreg-
nable. We have ample stores of am
munition and more than fifty field
pieces. Our losses have been greatly
under those Of the rebels.
"Ortega. whoc anne to attack us on
orders from Villa thought his presence
alone would cause us to flee Immediate
ly to the United States. He was sur
prised when we resisted him. Our four
thousand loyal soldiers because of our
superior Notifications are able to resist
10000 rebels and there are not that
many rebels in the north. Each of us
is ready to die should it be necessary
and II we evacuate this place it is not
to be to foreign country
Many FederaIs Desert.
Despite assurances today from Gen
eral Castro and General Salazar that
the federals had no design to flee to
the United States. in case of utter de-
feat. the United States army patrol
did not slacken precautions taken with |
a view of that emergency. Already !
about 500 federal deserters have cross |
ed and either have been disarmed and
sen. back or have escaped into Texas. |
Because of the tendency of both the
contending armies across the river
from Preside to send their wounded |
to the American side to be cared for, |
the Red Cross today wired Ernest p |
Bicknel, the national director to pro- .
vide more hospital supplies. The mes
sage said that hundreds of wounded .
might have to be cared for ultimately. !