The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-01-12
With Scant Food and
No Shelter, Distress
Is Intense. 4
PROMPT REMOVAu
URGED BY M'NAMEE
Men, Women, Children and Cattle
Packed Together in Space Cow
ering Several Acres-Villa
in Undisputed Control
of Vast Section of
Northern Mexico.

Presidio, Texas, January 11.-Twene
ty-eight hundred Mexican Federal sol
dicrs, six generals 100000 rounds of
ammunition. two cannons. four large
field pieces and 1900 civilian refugees
were In the custody of the United
States Army border patrol to-day, as
the result of the Federal evacuation
OF Ojinaga. Mexico. and the occupation
of the Mexican village by General
Francisco Villas rebel forces Tho,
distress of the refugees is intense,
They have scant food and no shelter.
Men, women. children. dogs, chickens
and cattle are packed together in
space covering several acres. About
them are scattered all the goods and
baggage brought in the fight from
Ojinaga
Urgent requests for the immediate
removal of soldiers and refugees to
some other places were sent by Major
McNamee to the War Department,
through General Bliss.
Among results of the rebel success
that places General Villas army In un-
disputed control of vast section OF
Nor thern Mexico are:
Federal Generals Mercado, Castro,
Opinal. Romero Aduno ard Elanda.
are in custody of the United States
troops, awaiting disposition by the War
department.
Escape Along Border.
General Pascual Orozco and General
Ynez Salazar. Federal volunteer com
manders, escaped along the border to
some point remote from Preside.
Salazar was wounded. They were ac-
companied by General Caraveo and
General Rojas, and 800 cavalrymen.
Salazar and Orozoo are being watched
for in the United States for indict-
QrAS,a t~gy t4I,
tho neutrality laws.
General NADIA said he was certain
| all the Federal troops escaped.
Charges of cowardice were made
against Orozco. Salazar and Rojas.
General Mercado said the generals
abandoned their troops at the Begin
ming of the battle and thug weakened
the Federal defense.
The only generals who Quit the bat
tieheld with honor, General Mercado
said, were those who accompanied tho
Federal army across the Rio Grande.
General Mercado reiterated that the
Federals were compelled to evacuate
because of lack OF ammunition He
said his soldiers only had an average
of seventy eight cartridges each.
Establishes Government.
Camped in Ojinaga, for the possession
of which he had been lighting less
than twentyfour hours previously.
General Villa started the work of es-
tablishing rebel government. He tele-
graphed TO General Carranza:
II have proved my ability to capture
Ojinaga"
After the confusion coincidentaI to
evacuation. the battlefield opposite
Prcsidio at daylight revealed q scene
of desolation. The whole sweep OF
land leading to the heights of Ojinaga
had been plowed by the frantic rout
Of tho Federal army and the eager
scramble into the village by General
Villas rebels.
cannon toppled muzzle downward.
blood stained sabre sticking in tho
muddy river bank, rifles thrown into
heaps, the crumpled forms among tho
cactus, and the unclouded eyes that
peered here and there from among tho
rocks. were among the mute sugEes-
tiors of what had gone before. Those
who went across In behalf of the Red
Cross found many wounded, who for
hours had remained uncared for. Many
were traced in tho trenches by their
groans. 1t was the belief OF the Amer
icat army physicians that many SOL
diers died because neither Federals nor
rebels had hospital corps.
Suffering of Refugees.
The 1,600 civilian refugees who rush.
ed across the river when General Mer-
cado went through the streets OF Oiin-
aga telling the people to flee. suffered
as much distress the soldiers. Scores
of women camp followers had lost
their children i'll the scramble. and
were crying piteously in the corral pro-
vided for them on the American side.
Others were without sufficient cloth-
Ing, and all were drenched from wad-
ing through the river.
Suddenly made guardians OF an en-
tire foreign garrison, generals and all,
the American border patrol considered
what was to be done with the Mexican
soldiers. Major McNamee asked Brig
adier-General Bliss, at San Antonio.
Tex, for instructions. IT was believed
the question would be referred TO the
War Department, and that Major Nc
Nance would be ordered TO deliver tho
soldiers TO the nearest point in Mexico
where fugitives might return to their
own country without jeopardy OF their
lives. At all events, tho soldiers will
he taken to Maria. Tex. the nearest
railroad station.
From n military standpoint, the sit
uation was regarded as being without
Il precedent since In time OF peace tho
United States army never has had to
surround, disarm, hold In custody and
care for so large body OF aliens. Less
than 500 cavalrymen handled the panic
stricken mob OF almost ten times their
number
/. Though many Federal soldiers had
loaded rifles and well-tilled cartridge
belts the rounding up and disarmipg
was done without any uptoward inci.
dent. #
Both Discuss Incidents.
Both villa, the victorious rebel lead.
er. and Mercado. tho defeated Federal
standing on opposite banks
OF the Rio C;rande, discussed the, incl
dents in Mexican history in which they
had just taken q part. General yiilS
sat triumphantly In the little adobe
palace on the plazu In olinasa. Gon-