New Britain herald., 1914-04-03
10YYe0n Finally Falls
 Int0 Hands of Rebels

hold By Villa -Corpses
 Fill Streets. Wild Scenes in Juarez When News of
 Capture Reaches Town-Omcials
 Embrace Soldiers and Revelry Is
 Galore.
 Torreon, Mex, Via. Gomez Palacio, April 3.-Torreon, strewn with the dead and wounded of 8 six day bat tie, was occupied by the rebels last night on the heels of the fleeing fed erals.
 Tn all the fighting no foreigner was killed or injured.
 The taking of Torreon marks the climax of the first campaign of the revolution to oust Victoriano Huerta from Mexico City. It gives the con- stitutionalists virtual control over the whole northern tier of Mexican states.
 Attack Began Friday.
 The fighting began last Friday, and was almost continuous. At first Villa attempted assaults on the strong federal positions in daylight, but these proved costly, so the days were spent in cannonading and the nights in assaults.
 Positions were taken and lost time and again.
 N Several night attacks sent the fed erals scurrying from strong positions, but at daybreak the captors would be compelled to abandon them by the strength and accuracy of the enemy's artillery fire, much of which is said to have been directed by French and German gunners.
 Losses Not Complied
 Losses have not been compiled, but General Villa estimates his own losses at 500 killed and 1,5OO wounded, and the federal loss at 1000 killed and B. 500 wounded with an unknown num- Der of prisoners.
 Villa believes the federals whom his cavalry is pursuing to the south, forms but a remnant of the federal force, whose loss he says probably is close to being total. All the subor- dinate generals have not yet report ed, however, and until they do the number of captured cannot be &C., curately stated.
 The battle line was four miles long and the Held was determined by three great hills formed like a carpenter'a square, 3! ' ats satess iaeaf reon. sss s
 10000 Men in Each Army.
 There were about 10000 men in each army. The federals had fortified the hills with rifle pits, trenches and barbed wire entangle1nents. The na- tnre of the grounds made it difficult to recover the wounded and many of them died of thirst and hunger or lack of attention, where they fell. Automo- piles were used in rescue work but they could not ascend the hillsides.
 Some of the fiercest fighting oc- cured in the hills south of Gomez Palacio and west of Torreon. It ragged with great fury in Canon De Huarache where. the federals made their last desperate stand and from which they finally fled, followed by column of Villas horse. Twice the rebels took two of the hills, only to lose them, but all the time the at tack vas becoming more formidable as the soldiers, attacking from all sides except the west, fighting from CT abo 1t the enemy.
 A hundred small encounters oc- cured intermittently in the streets or over the possession of some fav- pred roof, but the roar of cannon was almost continuous.
 Ar1nored Trains Used.
 Both sides used armored trains. These, with big guns mounted, would suddenly appear around an elbow of one of the hills, discharge a broad side and then retire. Early in the at tack on Gomez Palacio the trains ventured out at the same time and a lively exchange of shots ensued.
 The federals made use of, huge rockets. which were shot to. great height, exploding in the air and let ting down a hail of buckshot.
 On the fourth day of the fight the intense suffering from heat and thirst waa relieved by rain.
 Achievements Routed.
 During the battle scouts brought word that federal reinforcements from Monterey were approaching on the east Gen. Herrera was sent against them and later reported that he had sent them scurrying into the hills.
 The battle surged first into Torreon. then back to the railroad yards and ravines in the suburbs for two or three days. The F'ederals grew weaker each day in their fighting. Finally the fed erals evacuated to the south and the rebels took possession of Torreon. AGreat supplies of food, ammunition and artillery and stores of cotton fell into the rebel hands by the capture.