Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1914-01-21
UNCLE SAM CARING {Oa 4667 MFxICANS
Ragged Army Zig zsgs Its Way Through
Mountain Passes, a Picture Of Exhaustion.

from their three days march or
foot of 81 miles over a wlnd.swept
mountain road, the 3,5C0 Mexican
Federal soldiers routed FROM
Ojinsga, Mexico, by the rebels,
with 1,O67 women aud about 300
children arrived today within
few miles of Maria. They are te
be transported to Fort Bliss al
El Paso.
The ragged remnant of the
Huerta army,which sought asylum
in this country rather than face
possible extermination by the
rebels, will be formally inte re o
at Fort Bliss. as wards of the gov
ernment They will bs held there
indefinitely on footing of prison.
ers Of war.
General MeEcado was confessed
ly Inundated not only at defeat
and the necessity for flight, tut
because of a report that he would
be court. martialed should he re-
turn TO his native country.
Besides General Mercado and
miugling wish the United States
cavalrymen, who a,ted as guards,
were the Federal Generals Castro,
Aduna, Lar da, or Plnal and Ro.
nero, all shorn Of their swords,
but some still retaining their uni.
for ms.
The picturesque march abound
ed with incident. The birth Of a
child, the death Of several wound.
el soldiers, the search for water
in the desert, the constant strag-
Cling away from the line of march
and the rounding up sgain of
scores Of the refugees were some
of the difficulties with which the
United States cayalrymen had to
contend. The Mexicans outnum-
bered the. escorting American sol
dIe1s 10 80 one.
Viewed from a hilltop. the on
coming army as il zig-zagged
through the mountai,. passes and
reached backward ITO the dusty
distance 10 miles away, was q pic
ture of exhaustion, although the
prospect of soon reaching their
destination seemed to revive ur-
age.
Since they we're routed from
Ojinaga the Mexican soldiers have
had only scant food supplies.
Their march to Maria was made
possible by the establish mont of
the three camps provided en-
route. But these camps we're
supplied with limited rations be-
cause all foodstuffs and water had
to be carried by wagon. Many
were poorly clad and without
blankets aud their suffering at
night was intense.
Of all the marchers, the Mexi-
can women are the best. There
ware instances of women who
yielded bheir places on horseback
or burros to men.
All sem blance of the uniform
ranks Of an army disappeared dur
lug the march. 1t was curious
mingl!ng of people and animals,
while in places the women, with
their rsd dresses and shawls, gave
a touch of color to the scene.
Wherever there was space in the
line or between q horses legs
there was almost surr to he a
mongre' dog. A rooster saved
from the wreck of Ojinaga, crow
ed from the back of a burro, to
which be was carefully attached
with leather string. Children
pe1ched on the top of burros that
were almost covered with their
burdens of domestic property.
laughed and beat the animals
with sticks. Now and then some
one staggered to the roadside and
sat down to be picked up by the
relief wagons folio wing the main
body of refugees.
Wide eyed babies looked from
the arms of mothers on the moy-
ing scene. Women, children and
men from time 60 time yielded
their places on horses OF hurros to
scme friend or kinsmaa who need.
ed rest.
And 80, soldiers aid civilians,
who had been through the battles
and who had endl ID exposure