Evening star., 1914-06-05
Capt. Burnside, U. S. Military
Expert, Reports on Forces
in Mexico.
PUTS STRENGTH OF REBELS
AT 10000 EFFECTIVE MEN
Expresses Belief That Taking Mex.
leo City Would Be Task of
Many Months.

burHSlue. formerly ln1llldrN atlaChe at
Mexico City and now intelligence officer
Of Brig. Gen. F'unston's force has sub
rnitted a memorandum on the strength
and disposition of Huerta's troops and
summarizing the territorial division be-
tween the federals and the constitution
alists. He estimates the total number of
Huerta forces. including police. students
and civil service employees. at 60.On0.
The memorandum says that the esti
mates are liberal. although the newspa-
pers controlled by the Huerta administra-
ton are claiming considerably more. AS
to the constitutionalists. the note says:
Practically the entire country is in
sympathy with revolution, and the paci-
fed condition in many places is due to In
tirnidation or indifference. For the pur-
pose of robbery and the appropriation of
property probably 10000 armed men
claim to be revolutionists However, the
armed revolutionists having an organiza-
tion and being actually under fair con-
troll of their leaders are estimated at
about 10000
Few Near Vera Cruz.
OF the Huerta forces the reports indi-
cate that about 5000 are scattered along
the railroads between Vera Cruz and the
capital, and that the garrison at Mexico
City numbers 1900, including students
an dgovernment employees. The estimate
is made of only 5000 regulars in the capi
tai.
The strongest federal garrisons. of 5000
each, are at San Luis Potosi and Aguas
Calientes. with 5000 at Guaymas. The
estimates show no considerable Huerta
forces in the immediate vicinity of Vera
Cruz
Referring to the situation at Tampico
and TuXpan, now in constitutionalist
hands. the memorandum states that the
officers there are deliberately deceiving
the men in the ranks regarding Vera
Cruz. declaring that that city is held by
the followers of Carranza. To the direct
question as to whether this was being
done, the rebel officers replied ''Yes. At
the present time it is not convenient to
let the men know that Vera Cruz is in
the hands of the Americans
Rebel Leaders Not Able.
The memorandum states that little
military activity or efficiency can be ex-
pected from the constitutionalists at Tam
pico and Tuxpan because they are not
led as ably as those directly under Villa.
According to reports received. Guaymas,
Mazatlan, San Luis Potosi and Zacatecas
are the only federal garrisons north of
the twenty-second parallel. They merely
hold the towns, controlling little of the
surrounding territory. The routed garri
sons of Torreon, Saltillo Monterey and
Tampico are believed to be concentrating
at San Luis Potosi
Outside of holding the points mem
toned" the memorandum continues.
he hacf tic for nc l2i nf
federal control north of the twenty
oud parallel
Capt Burnside points out that it is
improbable that any sweeping general
advance of the constitutionalists on Mex
leo City will be made, saying:
Fight Best at Home
1T must be remembered that the
northerrers would then be getting away
from the home territory. the only part
of Mexico they really understand and
il would not be at all surprising if the
leaders experienced difficulty in inducing
the men TO make further southern
advance. 1t is only recently that the
Mexican revolutionists have shown capac-
fty for organizing in one section of the
country and operating away from their
terra. and even now this progress in
the art of war is confined to the north
erners led bv Villa
The memorandum asserts that the gov
eminent reports printed in the capital
of garrison numbering 10000 men at
Guadalajara indicate fear that the con-
stitutfonalists on the west coast. now
holding Topic. are threatening to invade
the Guadalajara valley. Capt. Burnside
discounts the reported number of this
garrison by 10 per cent.
Discussing the probable next movements
OF Villas troops on the capital. Capt
Burnside sees no possibility of the sue
cess of that campaign for many months
He says that even with San Luis Potosi
taken. which is not vet accomplished. the
constirutionalists will have to fight their
way :'lJ miles to the capital through the
concentrated forces of the federals, now
fully supplied with arms and ammunition.
In his own opinion the battle would be
apt to result in the usual Mexican
fashion-a draw.
Desperate Resistance Probable.
He points out that of first Importance
after San Luis Potosi are Gonzales juno
tion and Celaya, which dominate the rail-
road lines supplying the capital with the
bulk of the native food supplies. 1t is
certain. he says, that desperate resist
ance TO the advance would be encountered
there.
The memorandum says that the consti-
tutionalists have made an important ad-
vance in the capture of Tampico. be
cause il cuts off much of the federal fue
oil supply and also opens a route for
arms and supplies to the constitutional