The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-01-19
Refugees Almost Fam
ished From Three
Days March.
WILL BE INTERNED
AT FORT BLISS
More Than 5000 Mexican Fed
eral Soldiers, With 1867 Wo-
men and About 800 Children
and Infants, in Custody of
United States as Pris-
oners of War.

Maria, Tex, January 1S.-Foot- sore,
ragged. almost famished from their
three days march on foot of sixty
seven miles over a wind-swept nouns
tain road. tho 3,a0O Mexican Federal
soldiers routed from Ojinaga, Mexico,
but the rebels, with 1907 women and
about 800 children and infants, arrived
to-day within few miles OF Maria.
They are to be transported by train to
Fort Bliss. at El Paso.
The ragged remnant OF the Huerta
army, which sought asylum In this
country, rather than face possible eX-
termination by the rebels, will be
formally interned at Fort Bliss, as
wards of the government They will
be held there indefinitely on footing
of prisoners of war.
None of those in the unique caravan
was more visibly affected on coming
within sight of Maria than General
Salvatore Mercado, Huertas former
military chief, who ordered the evacua-
ton of Ojinaga In face of the rebels
fire. General Mercado was contessedly
humiliated, not only at defeat, and the
necessity for flight but because of a
report that he would be court-mar-
country.
Six Generals in Party.
BESIDES General Mercado, and ming
linG with the United States calvarymen.
who acted as guards, were the Federal
Generals Castro, Aduana Landa. Or
pima land Romero, all shorn Of their
swords, but some still retaining their
uniforms.
The picturesque march abounded with
incident The birth OF child, tho
death of several wounded soldiers, the
search for water in the desert, the
constant struggling away from the line
OF march and the rounding up again
of scores of the refugees, were some
of the difficulties with which the United
States cavalarymen had to contend.
The MeSicans outrrmbered the es-
corting American soldiers ten to one.
Viewed from hill top. the oncomfng
army as 1t zigzagged through the
mountain passes end reached backward
into the dusty distance ten miles away
was picture OF exhaustion, although
the prospect of soon reaching their
destination seemed to revive courage.
Since they were routed from Ojinaga,
the Mexican soldiers have had only
scant food supplies. Their march to
Maria was made possible by the es-
tablishment of three camps provided
en- route. But these camps were sup
piled with limited rations because all
foodstufrs and water had to be car
ried by wagons Many were poorly
clad and without blankets, and their
suffering at night was intense
Women Arc best Mnrchers.
OF all the marchers. the Mexican
women are the best. There were in
stances of women who yielded their
places on horseback or burros to men.
All semblance OF the uniform ranks
of an army disappeared during tho
march. 1t was curious mlngling OF
people and animals. while In places tho
women, with their red dresses ana
shawls, gave a touch OF brilliant color
to the scene. Wherever there was
space In the line or between q horses
legs. there was almost cure to be a
mongrel dog. A rooster. saved from
the wreck Of ojinaga. crowed from the
back Of burro. to which he was caro-
fully attached with a leather string.
Children perched on the top of burros
that were almost covered with their
burdens of domestic property, laughed
and beat tho animals with sticks.
Now and then. some on staggered To
the roadside and sat down, to be piot-
ed up by the relief wagons following
the main body of refugees
Wide-oyed babies looked from the
arms OF mothers on the moving scene.
Women, children and men, from time
to timo. yielded their palce on horses
or burro to some friend or klnsman
who needed a rest
And so, soldiers and civilians, who
had been through the battles, and who
had endured exposure, hunger and
misery, and who had turned their backs
on their own country, tonight looked
forward hopefully to life In q new and
strange land.