El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-01-12

man anu trusted captain under Mer-
cado' escaped to this side and rode
NJ NId sunday afternoon IN an
automobile. He explained that the day
before the fight, Mercado had a con-
ference IN his presence with all his
generals ana nearly all agreed to de-
He is the man who got $4,000 in
Maria 10 pay federal troops. he
says only a small portion was paid
and that MercadO and a few others,
have the rest. One mast and a
few friends hid nearly $4,000. he says.
Offieers Under Strict Guard.
under strict guard, butaare allowed to
mingle with their men and issue ra-
lions, etc.
Red Cross and army doctors are
making a strict examination for small
poX Every prisoner is being exam
Villas Men Celebrate.
Villas men celebrated the victory
Sunday night with bonfires and extra
food.
some rebel officers disguised as
Red Cross men came over Sunday try
ing to get news.
The list of federal generals here
includes MercadO, Castro, Landa'
Aduna and LOmera.
Ran In Sheer Fright.
The explanation of how the town
of Ojinaga came to be deserted is
virtually the same from various
sOurces-men ana officers now refu-
gees here. Iimmered down, it is that
they o fright and ran before the
rebels had charged their trenches.
a number of federals in the outpost
trenches came rushing back into the
Qualifications Tor more ammunition
with which to meet the rebel charge.
In the darkness, the federaIs in the
trenches thought the man after am
munition were rebels and began TO
shoot them. This scared the men az
ter ammunition, who thought the REP
els had by some trick gained the
thenChes behind them, so the federals
on both sides thought each Other -reb-
els and began to run. Once the panic
started, nobody could stop it.
Some say the men ran out of am
munition, but the officers say this is
not true; that they left much ammunl
ton in the trenches in OjinGga, which
the rebels captured, together with can
non and other arms.
Gen. Salvador MercadO and Gen.
Francisco Castro. the two ranking fed
side ahead of many of their men.
They surrendered to Capt. Ben Lear, Q.
S. army, and were disarmed.
Fight tOs Escape.
In their flight from Ojinaga, many
of the federals encountered the rebel
army already charging up the hill and
had to fight their way through the
rebel ranks to escape.
The federals were disarmed as soon
as they waded out of the Rio Grande
onto the American side, if they had
not already dropped their rifles, sa-
bers and ammunition in the race from
their abandoned fortress or thrown
these impediments into the ~interna-
tiOnal stream as they waded.
United States troops formed a great
circle into which they forced the fed
eraI prisoners. Wood was gathered
and fires built, to enable the SILVER
ering federals to thaw out their wet
clothes and keep from freezing. as the
night was cold and a high wind was
blowing, making it most disagreeable
in the outdoor air. There were many
affecting scnes as husbands and faith
ers of the fleeing federal army were
reunited with their wives and children,
already refugees upon this side Of the
river.
Deserters Grad to Escape.
As soon as they could regain their
cOmpOsure, the deserters began to chat
happily and seemed to be relieved of