The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-11-04
He Withdraws His Forces
from Before Aqua
Prieta
MARCH AWAY TOWARD
THE SOUTHWEST
A Lack Of Food and Water
Was Cause Of Their
Departure

| Douglas, Ariz., Nov. 4.--General Villa
forced by hunger, thirst and scanty
supply of ammunition to abandon his
iplan for an immediate assault on the
strongly entrenched village of Aqua
Prieta, commenced withdrawing his army
yesterday and shortly after 8 o'clock
most of his force was moving toward
Anavacachi pass, IL miles southwest
1t is his apparent intention to reach
water, which is plentiful further south
west, and provisions for his hungry men.
General Mendez, with about 1000 men,
has been holding the pass for several
days and will remain there guarding the
entrance to the valley for the return of
Villa. Meantime, it is said, heavy sup
plies of ammunition will reach Villa
from the East. Villas retirement was
saluted by an occasional shell from the
big guns of Aqua Prieta, but by $50
this firing had ceased. That his deter
mination temporarily to withdraw was
sudden was shown by the fact his gun
lieutenants in command of rapid firers
on the right wing took nothing but their
guns with them, Large quantities of
ammunition in cases were left behind.
A body of Villa infantry, estimated to-
be between 1000 and l 800 men, marched
through Gallardo pass and swung to the
southwest to join the retiring main
army.
American army officers are somewhat
mystiied. Some believed it was Villas
intention to withdraw from the Aqua
Prieta field altogether and march south
west to attack large body OF Carranza
troops reported to be coming from that
direction.
Villa dead left on the field are 1886. |
Two hundred were counted lying west
Of Aqua Prieta and 1876 to the east. |
wounded 10. Gales sent out cavalry
forces to keep in touch with the Villa
rear guard.
Villa, although REINFORCED by troops
which arrived from the east, marked
time early yesterday. A Carranza force
party which ran into
Villa machine gun troop southeast of the
Mexican town early yesterday was said
% have been cut to pieces.
Dawn yesterday revealed that the main
Villa forces had withdrawn TO the south
vest, leaving only rear guards. with q
ew quick firers and three-inch guns, to
worry the garrison.
-Four Villa soldiers, part of a skirmish
inc that lay all day Tuesday in the
rush within three-quarters of a mile OF
he wire entanglements guarding Aqua
'rieta, started for Carranza lines at ,
lawn waving white flags. One OF them ,
Jumped the wire fence guarding the
oundary line, and was promptly arrest
d by American soldiers and taken TO
The other three crawled i
lto the Caranza trenches.
When the intention OF the deserters was !
lade evident Villa machine guns opened !
vigorous fire on them, to which Aqua !,
rieta guns replied by sending two or !
hree dozen shrapnel shells toward the !
outhwest, where heavy bodies Of villa /
Dldiers still lay. !
The Villa army's desperate need Of \
rovisions was described BY a deserter
iken prisoner by Americans. For Is 1
avs. he said, raw corn was all they had !.
, eat. The suffering from the lack Of ,
alter was intense. A large supply Of
our and corn is available for the Villa
'rces at Naco, Sonora, but not enough
" all Of his men now surrounding Aqua {
rieta. Until supplies arrive and his
en- have been recuperated il is believed
7 American army officers that Villa win
II attempt 10 capture Aqua prieta. r
Villa Tuesday night began artillery a
Re on the CaTranza stronghold, but made b
, assault. General Funston earlier in &
ie day ordered all civilians kept out Of 81
zone within range Of the boundary. al
Infantry battalions were shifted 20 lC
rengthen the United States army posi. 4
on facing the Mexican battlefield. Four
oops Of cavalry ordered from Naco,