Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-04-03
TORREON IS TAKEN
BY. REBEL FORCES
Last Stronghold of Huerta
Government in Northern
Mexico Falls.
SIX DAYS OF FIGHTING
RESULTS IN HEAVY LOSS
Juarez. on Receiving News, Holds
Midnight Celebration-villa
Hailed as Foremost Soldier.

Hailed as Foremost Soldier.
loRREON. Mexico. April 3-Torreon.
StreWn with the dead and wounded or a
slX-day battle. was occupied bv the re-
oels last night the heels ef the fee
ing federals. In all the fighting no for
eisner was killed or injured The taking
OF Torreon marks the climax Of the first
campaign of the revolution to oust. Vic
toriano Huerta from. Mexico City II
gives the constitutionalists virtual con
troll over the whole northern tier of
Mexican states
Gen. Villa sent the following telegram
to Carranza:
''Torreon. Coahuiia Mexico.
April .. 1914.
General Nenustano CarranZa supreme
chief of the constitutionalists:
In TINS moment the remnants of the
federals are leaving Torreon in flight
After eleven days of terrible fighting in
which we lost 1.IG0 wounded and $40 kill
ed. and the federals. for the enormous
number Of bodies burned. must have had
over 1,oW killed, and their number of
wounded ! am unable to estimate Our
forces have full possession of Torreon-
| regret to announce that among the
wounded We're Gen. Yzabell Robles and
Gen. CaiXt0 Conteras. 7 congratulate
and salute you with respect and esteem
subordinate.
GEN. FRANCISCO VILLA.
'Commander-in-Chief of Constitutional
list Forces of Chihuahua"
Fight Lasts Six Days
The fighting began last Friday and was
almost continuous. At first Villa at
tempted assaults on the strong federal
positions in daylight, but these proved
costly. so the days were spent in can
nonading and the nights in assaults.
Positions were taken and lost time and
time again. Several night attacks sent the
federals scurrying from strong positions.
but at daybreak the -captors would he
compelled TO abandon them by tn.
strength and accuracy of the enemy
artillery fire. much of which is said to
have been directed by French and Ger
man gunners.
Losses have not been compiled but
Gen Villa estimates his own losses at
800 killed and 800 wounded and the fed
eral loss at 1000 killed and 900 wounded.
with an unknown number of prisoners.
Villa believes that the federals. whom
his cavalry is pursuing to the south.
form but a remnant OF the federal force.
whose loss he says probably is close to
being total. Not all the subordinate gen
erals have reported, however. and until
they do just how many were captured
cannot be accurately stated
The battle line was four miles long. and
the field was determined by three great
hills formed like carpenters square at
either end of which lay the towns of Co
mez Palacio and Torreon.
Many of Wounded Die on Field.
There were about 10000 men in each
army. The federals had fortified the hills
with rife pits, trenches and barb wir.
entanglements. The nature of the ground
made it difficult to recover the wounded
and many of them died of thirst and
hunger or lack of attention where they
fell. Automobiles were used in rescue
work, but they could not ascend the
hillsides
Some of the tiercest lighting occurred
in the hills south of Gomez Palacio and
west of Torreon. The battle ragged with
great fury in the Canon de Huarache,
where the federals made their last des-
perate stand and from which they finally
fled. followed by column of Villa 5
horse
Twice the rebels took two of the hills
only to lose them, but all the time the
attack was becoming more formidable
the soldiers, attacking from all sides ey-
cept the west, fighting from house tn
house. drew the circle closer about the
enemy.
hundred small encounters occurred
intermitteutly in the streets over
the possession of some favored roof but
the roar Of cannon was almost contin-
nous. Both sides used armored trains.
These, with big guns mounted. would
suddenly elbow
of the hills discharge "A broadside and
then retire. Early In the attack or
Gomez Palacio the trains ventured out at
the same time and n lively exchange o.
shots ensucd, like naval engagement
on land.
Rockets Used by Federals.