The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1914-04-10
VILLA CAPTURED
CITY Of 7ORREON
MANY PRISONERS TAKEN AND
LOSS OF LIFE HIGH ON
THE FIELD.
FEDERAL COMMAND SEIZED
BugIer in Front of carranza's Juarez
Headquarters Announced That
Rebels Had Triumphed.
FEDERAL COMMAND SEIZED
Western Newspaper Union News Service.

Western Newspaper Union News Service
Juarez, Mex.--TorreOn fell COM
pletely into the hands Of the rebels
at 1920 O'clock Thursday night, &C.
cording to announcement made ~
Gen. VenustianO Carranza.
The news first was announced TO inc
world when the bugler in front OF
Carranza's residence blew the staccato
notes of victory. The paen, CarranzS
said, was sounded here even before It
was heard in Torreon, Villa delaying
cut of compliment to his chief.
The meager bulletins, excitedly an
nouncing victory, after the bloodiest
of battles known to modern Mexico,
said that Villa captured large num-
Der of prisoners and that the fleeing
Federal remnant is being pursued.
There was heavy fighting the last
day, and the end came when, after
capturing the three remaining bar
racks held in the city by the Federals,
the rebels stormed the trenches and
barbed wire entanglemepts of Canyon
del Guarache.
The prisoners captured we're the de-
tenders of the barracks, while the
troops in the canyon, which formed an
egress from the hill-girt city, were able
to escape.
The campaign against the Federal
stronghold of Torreon, the main object
Of the rebel campaign, began suddenly
two weeks ago, after General Villa had
spent months in making the most care.
full preparations. The rebel loss ~
this campaign is said to be more than
1000 in killed and wounded.
The rebel commander moved with a
rapidity hitherto unknown in Mexican
warfare. He worked his men in shifts
and as one shift became exhausted,
he sent fresh hosts against the enemy
A number of small towns of lesser
Importance in a military sense fell
first-Mapimi, Noe and Sacramento.
where bloody battle was fought.
This opened path for the main at
tack.
Nexa came Lerdo and Gomez
Palacio, populous suburbs of Torreon,
and all three connected by a belt line
of street cars. Lerdo was not defend
safnshRtsits sssls5sfss re spaaia asssssassaae
Gomez Palacio.
In the final attack on the city troops
were withdrawn from Lerdo, where
upon the Federals occupied it and an
other sanguinary conflicts was neces.
sary to retake 1t.
Last Friday Gen. Monclovio Herrera,
with his own brigade and part Of Ben
avides' Zaragosa brigade of veterans,
made the first dash against Torreon.
He entered by the east and penetrated
to the bull ring north of the center OF
the town, before he was checked.
Street fighting, In which hand gre.
nades were the most useful weapons
followed
General Villa, then at Gomez Pala
clio, announced that he would Join IN
the attack assuming supreme com
mand. He also announced that the
newspaper men with him would not be
allowed to send out any news what
ever until the town was completed;
in his hands.
To the thousands whose very living
l. hinges on conditions in Mexico there
followed a period of anxious waiting
4 Early in the evening Carranza an
nounced that the status at Torreon re-
manned unchanged.
Then came the bugle call of victory
Mexicans recognized it In flash and
the streets became thronged instantly
The throngs stormed up the street te
Carranza's residence.
Repeatedly the bugler sounded the
call, and great wave OF cheering
arose. The electric lights struns
about the Carranza residence to vel
come him were turned an. lighting ur
the draped and festooned red white
and green of the Mexican national col
ors.
"Viva Carranza. Viva Villa! Viva
Madero! Viva Mexico!' came the
shouts of the crowd.