South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-03-25
ConstitutionaliSt Army of H.
600 Again Assaults General
VeIasco'S Force of 5000 in
Terrific Death Struggle.
ESTIMATE TOTAL LOSS
OF MEN REACHES 1900
"Army of Mexican Liberty is
Marching to Victory" Says
Villa - Soldiers Fighting
Without Food.
CONSTITUTIONAIIST

CONSTITUTIONALIST A r NJ Y
HEADQUARTERS. Ell VERJEL.
Mex. March 25-More than 10000
soldiers grappled in a battle to the
death at Torreon Wednesday. After
a cessation in his attack from 5
o'clock Tuesday until dawn Wednes-
day. Gen. Villa, command der-in-chief
OF the constitutionalist forces. re-
newed his attack upon the federal
army Of Gen. Velasco.
Villa sent about u 600 men into the
combat. holding in reserve more than
1000, mostly cavalry. Opposing him
were 5000 federals. The federal
army Originally consisted OF more
than 1900 men. but prisoners taken
10y Villa and sent on here declared
that fully 1900 government soldiers
mad been killed and wounded in the
lighting OF Monday and Tuesday.
Rebel Loss Is 200.
The rebel loss. according to consti-
tutiOnalist officers. is estimated at 700.
The total losses on both Sides as
based upon these two estimates, is
900 the heaviest that has marked
any battle in the present revolution.
The renewal of the attack was an
nOunced by Gen. Villa in message
he sent here by c6urier from his tenn
porary field headquarters near Gomez
PalaCio. In this he said:
The army OF Mexican liberty Is
marching 10 victory. We are renew
Ing the attack on TOrreOn. Every
thing is we'll. The artillery is doing
great service and our triumph is as
sured"
-,,,~t t,oa tear circ,Iotod 1,ara
during the night that the federals had
made a sortie from TQrreon and had
captured Gomez PalaciO. but as VII
las message said nothing of lighting
AT the latter point, the report is now
discredited.
Villa was compelled 10 halt his
main attack on TOrreOn over night TO
give his soldiers an opportunity for
rest They had been worn out by the
two DAYS battle that eliminated in
the capture Of Gomez PalaciO and the
defeat OF the defending federals
across the \azas river. Hundreds OF
rOnstitutiOnalist soldiers dropped at
their stations when a halt was called
I'm the lighting and slept all night like
logs
Probably more than half Of the reb-
els went into tOdaVS battle without
food. Villa has moved so rapidly IN
his campaign against Torreon that ms
commiSsary department has been un-
able to keep up with him and prac-
ticallv the entire army has had 10
fight on half ratiOns. Despite this
fact there has been little murmuring.
Villa himself has fought with his
men slept with them and eaten with
them. inspiring them and showing
that their commander fares no bet
ter than they do.
Todav's battle opened with a flank
movement bv the right wing, COM
manded by Gen. Tomas Urbina- villa
ordered U'rbina To cross the NaZas
river and take up a position west OF
Torreon When Urbina's troops were
ir motion Villa himself, commanding
the center. and Gen. Benavides, COM
uandinC the left wing. ordered their
soldiers 10 advance.
Gain Important Point
Before lighting ceased on Tuesday
the ConstitutiOnalists had occupied an
important position on the east side
~ the city Many guns had been
posted there during the night and the
advance movement of the troops was
accompanied 10y a terrific lombard
ment that hewed a way through the
outer defenses of the city. Gen.
RenavideS troops In their advance,
utilized the irrigation bitches east or
town for protection from the artli-
1ery fire Of the besieged federalS.
MANY of these ditches had been cut
hut others still contained water and
this forced the left wing 10 move
slowly The rebel cannon sank 20 the
hugs in the mud OF the bitches, but
Renavides sent his troops on. leaving
10 the following commands OF Gener-
ais Rodriguez and Natera the task -
extricatinE the guns.