Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-01-12
Rebel Leader Declares Huerta
Government in Northern
Mexico Is Crushed.
RESULT OF THE DEFEAT
OF OJINAGA GARRISON
Over 1000 Refugees, Including Mex
ican Federal Officers, Cared For
by U. S. Patrol. :

PRESIDIo. Tex, January I2-Believ.
ing the retreat of the federal army from
Ojinaga. Mexico, had completely crushed
the Huerta government in the north of
Mexico. Gen. Francisco Villa today said
lie would begin tomorrow to move his
army to Chihuahua. preparatory to his
campaign southwark
Since nearly all the federals who wera
IN ojinaga have fled to the United
states. Gen. Villa said he would leav.
only Few soldiers on the border near
here. At chihuahua he expects to have
q force of 10000 men from which to
draw in attacks on Zacatecas. Aguas
Calientes and Guadalaiara
The defeat Of the northern division
of the federal army leaves us concerned
only with the SOUTH said Gen. Villa
The few remaining federal garrisons
OH the west and east coasts Will be
driven out by the rebel forces now sur
rounding them. Mexico City has al-s
ways been my destination"
The little village OF Ojinaea is wreck
i from its recent bombardment, but Gen.
villa has ordered it put in condition.
According to Gen. Orteea, no military
executions have occurred. Only 1.oOu
rebels occupy the houses. Others are scat
tered over the country on foraging ex-
| petitions. About $3.50 have already been
/ sent toward Chihuahua.
Transfer of Refugees.
| Mai. McNamee, commanding the United
States troops. having received orders
from Brig. Gen. Bliss at San Antonio to
remove to the nearest railroad station
all the federal soldiers and civilians now
being held in Preside, the crowd of more
+ tl,nt A ,-af, .i.ah
viii! march soon for Maria, Tex, sixty
| seven miles. over a mountain road. All
! the refugees are to be put to work pre-
| pairing their own camps.
| Both Villa. the victorious rebel leader.
and Mercado. the defeated federal COM
! mander, standing on opposite banks OF
| the Rio Grande: discussed the incidents
in Mexican history in which they had
phantly in the little adobe pa ace on the
plaza In DINA ga. Gen. Mercado sat in the
camp Of the American border patrol.
1T was hopeless" said Gen. Mercsdo.
the rebels, it would have been mas
sacre. ordered the evacuation and flight
I to safety across the river on grounds OF
| humanity"
Gives Credit to ortega.
Gen. Villa said:
| THE credit for this victory is due to
Gen. Toribio Ortega. He led the original
attack week ago. We knew the fed
erals had only limited supply Of am
r,Iunition. Our tactics were to exhaust
tnat supply Gen. ortega started an at
I tack to draw the federal fire. He sue
ceeded we'll Our renewed attack settled
| the conflict.
Twenty-eight hundred Mexican federal
| soldiers. six generals, 100000 rounds OF
! ammunition, two cannons, four large field
1 nd I refugees
| the custody of the United States Army
| border patrol as the result of the federal
| evacuation of Ojinaga and the occupation
of the Mexican village by Gen. villas
rebel forces. The distress of the refugees
! is intense. They have scant food and no
| shelter. Men. women. children. dogs.
chickens and cattle are packed together
| in a space covering several acres
| About them are scattered all the goods
and baggage brought in flight from OIL
\ naga.
! Mexican Generals In Custody.
| Federal Gems Mercado, Castro. Orpinal.
| Romero, Aduno and Landa are in GUS
| tody of the United States troops, await
ing disposition by the War Department
Gen Pascual Orozco and Gen. fnez
| Salazar, federal volunteer commanders
escaped along the border to some point
| remote from Presidio Salazar was
wounded They were accompanied by
Gen Caraveo and Gen. RoJas ana 40
cayalrynen. Salazar and Orozco are be
ing watched for in the United States for
| indictments charging them with violating
| the neutrality laws.
| Gen. Landa said he was certain all The
| federal troops escaped
The only generals who quit tiie pattie-
| field with honor. Gen Mercado said, were
| those who accompanied the federal army
across the Rio Grande Gen Mercado
| reiterated that the federals were com
! pelled to evacuate because of lack of am
| munition. He said his soldiers only had
| an average of seventy-eight cartridges
| EACH
Mothers and Children Separated.
The l,5c9 civilian refugees who rushed
across the river when Gen. Mercado
went through the streets of Ojinalsa tell
ing the people to flee suffered az much
distress as the soldiers. Scores OF
woman camp followers had lost their
children in the scramble and were crying
piteously in the corral provided for them
on the American side.
Suddenly made guardians of entire
foreign garrison. generals and all, the
American border patrol considered what
was to be done with the Mexican soldiers.
Mai McNamee asked Brig. Gen. Bliss at
San Antonio. Tex. for instructions From
Il military STANDPOINT lhe situatioii was
regarded as being without a precedent.
since in time of peace the United States
Army never has had to surround. dis
arm hold in custody and care for SO large
a body of aliens. Less than 800 cavalry
men handled the panic-strieken mob OF
almost ten times their number.
Though many federal soldiers had
loaded rifles and well filled cartridge
belts. the rounding up and disarming was
done without any untoward incident.
United States to Feed 1000
Huerta Soldiers Who Fled
Across the Mexican Border