The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1914-01-06
Federals in Ojinaga Forts
Pluck Up Courage and AS
sert Their Ability to De.
feat the Rebel Forces.
TWO CAPTAINS AND A
COLONEL. EXECUTED
Rumor Revived That Huerta
Is to Resign the Presidency
to Take Command of the
Army in the Field.

MARIA, Tex, Jan. 5.-Hostilities
between the northern division of the
Mexican federal army, defending the
forts at Oiinaga, Mexico, opposite here,
and General Ortega s. 5000 rebels to-
day ceased as suddenly as they began
week ago. Without any federal ac
tivity TO provoke his move, General
Ortega withdraw all his troops seven
miles westward along the Rio Grande,
supposedly to await the arrival Of re-
Inducements from chihuahua.
Information also had reached tho
rebels that large body Of fedcrals
Jiminez, under command of General
Argumendo, were within four days
march Of OJinaga, and were planning
to steal up on Ortega IS rear and rescue
the federal garrison with its half n
score of generals who were driven
from the interior to the border.
Six Days of Battle.
Although both armies, after six days
Of fighting, had been resting since day
light and not q shot had been fred
since then, General Ortega suddenly di-
vided his army into three formations,
and III the blue haze which has hung
over the valley from previous battles,
started to move along the border away
from Ojinaga.
General Pascual Orozco, commander
of federal volunteers, who was sent
out to scout, reported that the rebels
evidently had taken up a position to
await more forces.
General Ortega departure was re-
garded by the federal garrison as indi-
eating that both armies will delay
further fighting until both of them
have been strengthened,
Should larger numbers of federals
arrive from the interior, it was be-
lieved, battle on larger scale will
ensue, with prospect that the fed |
erals will attempt to do more than de- |
fend their position.
May Take Aggressive.
General Francisco Castro. commander
Of the federal regular troops, expressed
confidence that if he is joined by Gen
eral ArgumeDdo. as Is reported from |
Mexico City, he will be able to take
the aggressive and seriously handicap
General Villas projected campaign |
southwark.
So long as federals remain along tho
border in great numbers, General
Castro said, Villa s rebel army will be
open to a rear attack, because the fed |
erals have recupcrated from much of |
the disorder which attended their
flight from chihuahua City, and here |
gathered courage from the failure of |
the rebels so far to take Ojinaga.
AS soon as the rebel forces had |
cleared from sight the federals |
up the wounded The dead were burned, |
and after dark fires dotting the land.
scape showed where the killing had
been heaviest.
Women Return.
Some of the women refugees who
had taken shelter on the American side |
returned to Ojiuaga.
Colonel Cruz Roza and two rebel
captains, taken prisoners with two
automobile loads Of ammunition from |
Chihuahua, were executed in the
plaza at noon. The federals have sew
ernl hundred prisoners, captured in |
various skirmishes.
The removal, at least temporarily, Of |
SO much fighting within mile of !
Preside caused great relief to the |
United States border patrol under |
Major McNamee and the Red Cross |
officials, who have been made to bear |
the burden of caring for the sick and |
wounded from both armies.
No definite view was obtainable as |
to whether General Ortcga. in with
drawing, was to attempt some sur
prise to he executed at once or intends |
merely to await reinforccments, how
ever long that might take.
Cut OF by Federals.
Part of the rebel reinforcemonts |
which General Villa was recently re-
ported to have dispatched from Chi |
huahua was intercepted by the fed |
erals, it was learned tonight In this |
action il was that Colonel Roza and |
the two rebel captains executed today |
were captured with two automobiles |
loaded with ammunition.
The quantity of ammunition taken !
led TO the belief that the withdrawal |
of General Ortega was due TO fear of |
running out Of munitions.
Losses of Railroads.
NEW YORK, Jan. S.-Some idea Of the
losses sustained by the railroads during !,