The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-03-26
VILLA DEFEATED
IN HIS ATTACK
ON TORREON
Rebels Fall In Attempt to Take
the City
HAND TO HAND FIGHTING
Now Believed That Federals Had
Been Reinforced by Troops
from Mexico City
HAND TO HAND FIGHTING

Juarez, March 25.-Gen. Villa mas
suffered decided repulse in his at
tack upon the outlying Federal posi-
lions at Torreon.
This afternoon he sent Gen. Chao
the Military Governor here, a mes
sage saying that his forces had been
driven back out Of Gomez Palacio by
'ederals, who had crossed the river
rom Torreon and retaken the town
Villa is now at ElVergel, ten miles
rom Torreon. with his command of
1000 men.
Gen. Benavidess Zaragoza brigade
which crossed the Nazas, is now fight
1g on the outskirts of Torreon from
the east and northeast. The Federals
are making stubborn resistance.
lila has wired for 5000 hand gre.
nades to be used by Benavides in at
lacking Torreon from the east. Train
ervice has been renewed to rush am
nunition and supplies south.
Villa announced that he would re.
ew the attack tonight and started de
ploying his troops in a semicicce to
ne northeast, northwest, and north
4 Gomez Palacio. The fighting is ex
'ected to continue tomorrow, unless
Villa succeeds in driving the FEEDER.
ais across the steel railroad bridge
nto Torreon again.
The smartness of the uniforms Of
he attacking forces, the precision of
their movements, and their up-to-date
machine guns made Villa suspicious
hat they might have come from Mex
20 City. having been sent there Tor
he purpose of fianking his troops.
Had the Federals followed up their
advantage, IL seems from the meagre
lfiicial bulletins, they could have
lanked Villa successfully. But Gen.
0. Carranza, with his cavalry divi.
on, was fighting on the plains OF
orreon to the east and had no time
, cooperate with the force that
marched out before daylight and fore
the rebels back to FL Vergel The
'ederals had a decided advantage In
lis attack, as the rebel artil'ery had
leen removed to reinforce the left
7ing, and there were few field or ma.
hine guns to cover the rebel ad
ance, while the Federals had again
tatoned their artillerymen on the
row of the hill overlooking Gomez
Palacio.
on to the southeast, in the tumble.
own abode settlement called Cercan
mas, pitched battled was in prog.
ess today Benavides, with Natera
md Rodriguez commanding his TANKS
hraged the irrigation bitches, drove
he Federal outposts in and killed
many.
The Federals were slowly forced
'ack to their improvised fortified.
ions, which has been made by plac-
ng steel gondola cars filed with
and on the railroad tracks in such a
vay as. to form barriers on three
sides. Sacks of sand were piled be.
lind these and the whole made a
'ood place for defensive fighting.
The machine guns were placed on
op of other cars, and they swept the
irrigation bitches. causing a heavy
oss of lie, as the rebels advanced, Of
en- fighting their way from ditch to
Itch at close range with revolvers.
Soon after noon today the Federals
desperate under heavy fire, sent out
90 infantrymen in a thanking attack
which failed because the entire line of
re was directed against il. Not one
# those 800 regained the protecting
heller OF the steel cars. Fifty-eight
lropped within five minutes after
hey left their protection. Two hun.