The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1914-04-08
fEDERALS LOSE
men ON RETREAT
Rebel Cavalry HarGSS VeIaSCO'S
Shattered Army
TGRREON BELONGS TO VILLA
Fleeing FederaIs Drop Arms and Bag.
gage in Their Haste to Get Away.
Torreon Battle BIoodiest Of Revolt.

'SS"'S 'SNS'alS OTOp HTHS ana Dag
gage in Their Haste to Get Away.
Torreon Battle BIoodest Of Revolt.
Rebel cavalry under the commands
OF Generals Hernandez and Ortega are
pressing the remnants of General
Velasco's fleeing federals, who left
Pancho Villa in undisputed possession
of Torreon, Mex.
The rear guard of the routed army
was Overtaken at San Pedro de Los
Colonis, says dispatch to Supreme
Chief Carranza from General villa. IN
the fight 100 federals were killed and
l53 were made prisoners, reads the
message.
The telegram adds that the men and
officers of the fleeing federals are dis
carding their arms and baggage in
their fight, which has now become a
rout. The rebel cavalry is pressing
them closely in an effort to either kill
or capture all Of them, especially Gen
eral Velasco.
Another message from Villa an
nounces the capture of four cannon,
1000 shells and an immense amount
of rifle and small arms ammunition
in Torreon.
Villa is rapidly restoring order In
the city and will have business re-
sumed in a few days. One Of the
first things he did was to order the
destruction of all liquor in the place.
Stores were broken open, looted and
many of them burned. Foreigners
have suffered the most from losses
to the stock Of goods as most of the
merchandising in Torreon was carried
on by Germans, Italians, Spaniards,
French and some few Americans.
Many of the larger stores, according
to press dispatches, were used as for
tiications.
All accounts agree that the fighting
was the most terrific that has ever
taken place in the history of a Mex
ican revolution. Fortified as they were
inside the city, the federals were able
to make the rebels pay dearly for
every position they took. And when
the federals were driven from one
building often they retreated but half
a block and again made a stand in an
other building equally as easily forti-
fed.
Thus the rebels forced the .federals
back inch by inch toward the noun
tains in the west. These mountains
were heavily fortified by the federals
and it was in these trenches that the
force of Velasco made its last stand.
After two days OF fighting from the
hills, most his army sheltered in
Canyon Guarachi, basin between
two hills, Velasco was able to with.
draw unseen by the rebel army and
get well upon his way before the
rebels were aware of the evacuation.
Velasco took with him as many as
possible of the volunteers in his COM
mand, leaving the regulars in the
trenches to keep up the fire against
the enemy and cover his evacuation.
The rebels had threatened to exc
cute all volunteers, and they have al
ways carried out the threat where
such men were made prisoners, while
the regular army men generally have
their lives spared if they embrace the
cause of the rebels.
Orozco the former rebel leader
against Madcro, is a particular object
Of hatred on the part of the rebels,
but he was not captured He was
south OF Torreon and, while reported
as marching to the relief of the be-
leaguered garrison, did not reach it in
time to join in any of the fighting.
It is consi !ered that Villa has prob
ably been very fair in reporting his
own loss, as 500 dead and 1,500 wound
ed. 1t is b. ~lieved that the federals'
dead will nct exceed the list of rebel
dead and that the federal list OF
wounded is not as large as that of
the rebels because the rebels had to
do more fighting in the open than the
federals.