New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-02

'' NiSothntu nNi thtN nliEni ne lfI
mitted TO remain ON this side on
grounds OF humanity after they had
oeen placed under temporary arrest
The latter disposition Of the prisoners
would be in the hands Of higher army
authorities
The inclination Of the deserters to
carry their guns 10 this side With them
ges the cause Of some uneasiness. in
iew Of the expected arrival OF so many
foreign soldiers at a point where the
United states border patrol numbers
fewer than hve hundred cavalrymen.
u wac hoped that the Federals II they
came would cross without any uneX-
pccted incident and that the rebels
would not pursue them unnecessarily
ncar
Soon after daylight the Federals
made a desperate attempt TO rally
They even extended their line of fire
outward. but this brought only an in
ercasmg 6re from the rebels that sent
The defenders back 20 their inner de-
fences
Thereafter the relative position OF
fhe opposing forces remained much
She same. with General Ortega driving
in shot and shell from three sides,
while General Francisco Castro's Fed
erals fred from what vantage points
they had within the horse corral the
customs house and trenches
Never I'm border history had there
been a scene equal TO that Of the Fed !
eral wounded and deserters who
scrambled 10 reach the United States
while from their rear there still poured
. .parting shower Of shells and bullets.
Ptiful Scenes at the River
The rivers edge was a ragged fringe
of smoke begrimed. manned and half
naked soldiers. some Of them rushing
pen-mell into the river some crying |
from the pain Of their wounds others
crawling, because Of shattered limbs, |
over the rocks and cacti, some greedily
stopping TO drink the muddy water
and all begging the Americans on the |
opposite side for shelter from the hor-
rible turmoil from which they had ned
Major McNamee, the American cav
alrymen and others watched at the |
river bank from dawn on the rush OF
deserters. The river bed at this point |
IS formed Of soft mud, with water IN |
the middle about waist deep. At one |
point two hundred Federals, all carry
ThpV /
surrounded by a handful Of United |
states troops. disarmed and forced |
back.
The wounded were picked up as soon |
IS they reached this shore; or II a !
wounded soldier got stuck in the mud |
he was dragged out and placed in the
care Of the Red Cross. A soldier who |
had his arm shot off, another limping |
with a wounded foot, still others who !
had actually crawled 10 the water !
Federal lieutenant wearing the uni |
form of his rank, a bugler with |
bunch Of yellow tassels on his arm, |
barefooted private who had lost his |
shoes-all formed part of the hobbling |
line that came down the mile which |
intervenes between Ojinaga and the
river.
The protests of the unwounded Fed |
erals against being forced back into |
Mexico were pitiable. The deserters |
vent back. but wailing as they went |
hat they would surely be killed with
out their arms.
tho r.
age Of the Tederals and to give them
a. better reason for remaining in the !
battle. money was sent from FL Paso
to pay what was lacking Of their SAL
aries for the last two months. The
money was carried to Preside by Pedro
iarma. Mexican Consul at Maria. Just
as Garma was preparing TO drive his
automobile through the town TO the |
river the automobile was overturned /
and the consul was killed. The money !
vas scattered on the ground, but was
gathered up. although no one VINO |
could he trusted would volunteer to |
take it across the river
Means Control of North.
with the fall Of Ojinaga the Mexican !
Federal government will be without a I
garrison i'm Northern Mexico. and the |
rebel control Of the whole north coul- !
try, with the exception OF Guaymas on !
the west and Torreon, in COahuila, both !
besieged, will practically be complete. |
Fighting in Ojinaga to-day was the |
most desperate yet witnessed in Mex |
leo. The Federals have been battling |
for their very existence, and to the !
leaders especially, defeat will mean eX-
termination unless they can escape 10 !
the American side.
Conditions in the rebel positions are
said to be desperate because Of the
great number Of wounded and the utter
lack of facilities for treating them. !
American Red Cross nurses would give
aid If it were possible for them TO
reach the rebel camps, and the rebels
would send their wounded across the
border if il were not for the Federals
being between them and the American
side.
Practically all non-cOmbatantS on
the Mexican side have crossed TO Pre-
sidio and are being cared for by Next