The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1914-01-15
MEX|CANS ARE
PRISONERS IN j. S.
L,5Oo CIVILIANS ALSO HELD At
PRESIDE, TExAS-coWARD-
ICE LOST STRUGGLE.
NOT ENOUGH AMMUNITION
This Given as Cause of Evacuation Of
Town to Rebeis-Scenes of Dis
order on Both Sides of
Border.

Preside, Texas, Jan. 13.-Six Next
can federal generals and $500 SOL
diers are prisoners on United States
soil here following the disastrous rout
of the Federal forces at Ojinaga, and
urgent request tor the removal OF
these troops as well as of 1900 civil
ian refugees who accompanied the
soldiers in their fight from the Mexi-
can town, have been sent to the war
department through Brigadier General
Bliss.
Distress Is Intense.
Hungry, cold, without shelter, these
1900 soldiers and civilians, men, wom-
eli and children, are packed in a cor
raj covering several acres, together
with dogs, chickens and cattle. Their
distress is intense.
Two cannon, four large field pieces,
and zoe, 900 rounds of ammunition
which were brought to the American
side by the Mexican soldiers when
they abandoned the town acros the
border to General Francisco Villas
rebel forces, are also in the custody
of the United States troops under
Major McNamee.
Other results of the rebel successes,
which placed General Villas army in
undisputed control of a vast section
of northern Mexico are: Federal Gen.
erals Mercado, Castro, Orpinal, Rem.
ero, Aduno and Landa are in custody
of the United States troops awaiting
their disposition by the war depart
ment.
Escape Along Border.
General Pascual Orozco and General
Ypez Salazar, federal volunteer COM
manders, escaped along the border to
some point remote from Preside. SAL
AGAR was wounded. They were ac-
companied by General Caraveo and
General Rojas and 800 cavalrymen.
Salazar and Orozco are being watched
for in the United States on indict-
ments charging them with violating
the neutrality laws.
General Landa said he was certain.
all the federal generals escaped the
rebels.
Charges Of cowardice were made,
against Orozco, Salazar and Rojas.
General Mercado said these generals
abandoned their troops at the begin
ming of the battle and thus weakened
the federal defense.
Lack of Ammunition.
General Mercado reiterated that the
foderals were compelled to e~vacuata
because of lack of ammunition. He
said at the retreat his soldiers had an
average of only IS cartridges.
Camped in Ojinaga, for the posses
sion of which he had been fighting
less than "a hours previously, General
Villa started the work of establishing
rebel government. He telegraphed to
General C%arranza:
Il have proved my ability TO capture
Ojinaga."
After the confusion incident to the
evacuation of Ojinaga by one army
and its occupation by another, the
battlefield opposite Presidio revealed
a scene of desolation.
The whole sweep of land leading to
the heights of Oiinaga appeared to
have been ploughed up by the frantic
rout of the federal army and the eager
scramble into the village of General
Villas rebels.
Reminders of Battle.
There were many living reminders
of the battle. Those who went across
in behalf of the Red Cross found many
wounded who had remained for hours
uncared for. They were sometimes
traced in the trenches by their groans.
1t was the belief Of the American
army physicians that many soldiers
died because neither federals nor reb-
els had a hospital corps,
The scene of disorder was almost as
bad IN the American side rs on the
Mexican.