The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-26
VILLA ISDRIVEN
BACK % MILES
FROM TORREON
Division Under His Personal
Command Forced
to Retreat.
FIGHTING CONTINUES
Federal Troops Under Gen.
NelascO Make Fine
Showing.
GOMEZ PALACIO ATTACKED
Rebels Seek to Recover suburb
From Which They Were
Driven Yesterday.


"
'. PAso March 25.-overconhdenc
NAV ,os; Paucno villa his future. His
hurry to capture Torreon and his belief
that lie could hold Gomez Palaco with a
few men. after driving the Federals out
Of the place on Monday night, lost Gomez
psIac,o 10 him In the early hours of this
morning. but he is back hammering away
Al the place again, determined to retake
II. recoup his lost military prestige and
take Torreon In the bargain.
When Villa succeeded Tuesday morn
Ing In driving the Federals out Of Gomez
ps.aco and back across the Nazas River
into Torreon he retained but a small gar
rkon In the town and rushed all avail
able troops east along the river TO cross
and attack Torreon from the east or
th. plains northeast.
In the meantime the Fedeyals. being
reinforced, rallied IN Torreon and re-
TUNED 10 the attack of Gomez Palacio.
villa was away al the time. and as the
attack came early this morning. Iis gar
mon was taken by surprise and driven
ol, Nlna. on hearing OF the defeat, rail-
LED his troopers, Withdrew as many men
as he could spare from the east flank
and tonight returned 10 the attack, con-
ren.ratlrg all his svalla Bile artillery on
5om.z
From the news that has come from the
front Nlla IL furiously enraged with him.
81. for leaving the Fcdersls the opening
and with his subordinates for permitting
themselves to be surprised.
Ausck SIN II Prowress.
Villas lieutenants in Juarez declare
that n il had not been for the Federal
sally from Torreon against Gomez Pala-
clio. Nhe-e ne was least expecting IL. he
would have been in Torreon tonight
They maintain that his hanks have been
hammering the outskirts of the city two
days and have several times gained
points OF vantage inside that city.
A despatch dated Jimenez, and sent
BY An officer OF Villas army. which was
received IN Juarez late tonight, said that
when the officer left FL Vartel this after
ICON the attack on Gomez Palac!o was In
progress and tho battle was a very
desperate one. with no Roadway being
made apparently by either side. The
despatch stated that the sdvces reaching
e Varjel Just before he left indicated
hat the rebels had somewhat an ad-
yantage at that time. The officer came
IN a train and made the trip In a few
!. hours
Juarez did not know that villa had
been repuIsed st Gomez Palacio until this
afternoon late. but 1t was not long until
the officers were cheered by the report that
villa was at the fight again.
The telegram telling Of the repulse from
Gomez palaco said nothing about the
progress Of thu Torreon sighting. al
though throughout the day the rebels
have been declaring that they were be-
ING advised of the progress OF the attack.
:, may be possible that villa kept the fact
Of the repu.ae r secret until he was GER
tan that he could rally his men and re-
turn to battle.
Gen, RefuPio N.iasco. commander OF
the Federal troops defending Torreon.
was enabled to retrieve his losses of Mon
DAY and Tuesday by the timely arrival
Of reerfOrcements. This enabled him TO
'epel the attack OF Benavides upon the
cy proper from the east and at the same
Tine by a quick sally to retake Gomez
Paacio. The fact that Benavides has
tso-thirds Of the rebel army with him IN
his I.t
"mpathizers TO belittle the reverse suf-
Tered by villa. Their information Is that
seha' de- has already succeeded In get
ing d detachment into the city and they
argue from this that Villas retreat from
Go'nez PalaClo means only a temporary
hAlrG OF a part of the rebel army.
600 Prisoners Executed.
several dispatches were given out by
lie rebels during the day. all to the
1ect that the rebel attack against Tor
'eon was proving effective. one OF the
dispatches said that the rebels were In
'Ae outskirts OF Torreon and that at one
aMe during the day they captured zoo
federals, after killing sixty-eight OF 4
attachment OF 800 Huertistas who were
'Irounded In an improvised fort. The
E0 Prisoners we're later executed. II was
sami,ted in Juarez.
VIA and those with him were silent
"oushout Tuesday night and early thi,
H"'hlns regarding the lighting, although
"uuhe messages were received Tuesday
aSnt ono OF these asked that the
'usrss officials despatch certain clothing
MO supplies to the rebel army. VillA'i
S'ef for these nonchalantly said they
YOU'D reach him at Torreon. Tho siiencs
villa and the newspaper correspondent,
''a"Vs 10 the fighting, however. led Il
many conjectures.
ms OBVIOUS deduction. since the cor
~pondents were silent. was that thing