Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-04-16
Victory for Rebels after Fight
Perhaps More Bloody
Than TOrreOn.
LOSSES TOTAL 5000
Forces Engaged Numbered Up
wards of 30,O00-COmman-
der Asks for Two Mil
lion Cartridges.

Juarez, Mex, April 1.-THE rebel
wounded during a six-days' battle at san
pedras De Los Colinias, east of Torreon,
is placed at 5000 In an official report Of
General Villa TO General Carranza in
Which the comLIneg forces of the feder-
ais, said to have numbered 1900 to 1900,
were defeated by ten or twelve thousand
rebels.
A telegram from General Villa asked
that two million cartridges be shipped
south. There Were II, ether details.
While the ba tic Of Torreon was in
progress there We're persistent reports
that reinforcements were drawing near
% the assistance of General Nelasco,
The latter apparently dcspaired of their
arrival, or feared that they would be cut
20 pieces in detail, and withdrew in ex-
c,llen. order from Tn" city, although his
loss in killed and wCurdod was consider
ably less tnan that of the rebels.
He headed east and south, and for a
time the rebel pursuers over whom he
had a start OF ten or twelve hours were
unable to locate him.
Velasco, 1t is now assumed, cut across
from Parras to San Pedro, where a gem
eral engagement is reported TO have been
brought on last night.
Back of line north and south through
Parras and San Pedro there Is 50 miles of
Waterless desert, which must be crossed
before the fertile fields of Saltilo are
reached. The federals were supposed to
be headed for that important city. but 1t is
thought that they chose to make their
stand at San Pedro
What happened after the climax of the
battle last night is left by the reports
here to conjecture 1t is assumed that the
federals withdrew to one of their earlier
positions. and that both sides arc busy
with their wounded and dead.
The rebels claimed to have taken 70S
prisoners. The federal army is said to
have included the Torreon garrison, led
intact out Of that city in retreat by Gen
eral Velasco on April ., the commands of
General Mas. General Hidalgo, General
De Moure and two others.
Mas, Hidalgo and De Mourc were on
their way TO Torreon with reinforce
ments. but Velasco retired before their
arrival. Since then until the concentra-
ton at San Pedro and environs the fed
cral columns, their routes determined by
the presence of scattered supplies of wat
err. have been manoeuverng in an en-
deavor to mobilize in force, while rebel
attachments have scurrIed hther and
thither between Viesca- Parras and San
Pedro to prevent them from concentrat-
ing.
When the general engagement was
brought on, ii Is reported that the battle
line measured twenty miles In a semi
circle about the city.
A telegram from General Benavides
refers to the rebel loss as $50 killed and
wounded. 1t is pointed out as unlikely
that the rebels would lose half their force
IN wounded alone. as given in Villas
telegram.
Another telegram, source unidentified,
placed the federal loss at $500 killed
wounded and taken prisoners Deducting
the TOO prisoners reported captured in
General Villas message, the federal loss
would be $500 killed and wounded.
Another report had 1t that the federas.
having been defeated all along the line,
retreated in the direction of Monterey. To
do this they will hav to GROSS SO niles of
desert, hardship for which they are not
oquippd, It Is said.
The reports from Vera Cruz that the
rebels a Tampico had withdrawn to re-
organize is confirmed in advices received
here, although the reason given Is that
General Gonzales desired to remain out
Of the way pending sttlement Of the differ