Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-12-09
Former Officer Who Accom-
panied Disastrous Sonora
Campaign Tells First De-
tailed Story Of. Defeat
CHIHUAHUA CHIEFTAIN
SACRIFICES HIS MEN
Two Thousand Are Killed in
Attack on Aqua Prieta;
Three BattaIionS Wiped Out
at HermOSiII0,

.eY uoRHiEa JOURNAL Special teAseo SlRsl
Et paso, Tex, Dee S.-A detailed
account of the campaign in Sonora
Of Gen Francisco villa, pOrtraying
disastrous defeat was given here today
bv an officer whose name is with
held bat who was known 10 have been
with General villa until recently
when he crossed into the United
states. He said.
when we started from Juarez to-
ward Sonora. the column was com
posed of /, 900 men with forty heavy
guns and several machine guns. The
general appearance of the troops was
good and we had enough ammunition
hoth for rifles and cannon which
would have lasted for several big
fights
Inactivity Not Explained.
eve reached Casas Grandes by rail-
road. using the Mexico Northwestern,
without difficulty General Villa re-
NAMED in Casas Grandes and there
was no satisfactory explanation for
this inactivity. After one week Gen
eral Villa ordered the troops to So
nora. The soldiers made their way to
Sonora satisfied and contended, but
when We reached that state we found
neither food nor water
General villa announced his in
tention of attacking Aqua Prieta. He
feared attack upon the rear guard
and another in front.
we were aware that General Gales
had 500 and some guns at Aqua
pretI and knew he was expecting re-
nf0rcements bringing his force 10
5000
villa l. Obstinate
Gen. Alberto Ocarranza, an expert
enced military man, advised villa to
pass in front Of Aqua Prieta detach
inc a small cavalry force to draw
Gales into the open, and into the vi
entity of HermosillO. weakening II
with the cavalry detachment Her
mosillo was defended by only 5000
men under General Dieguez and Ocar-
rlnza. believed easily conquerable.
Then, according TO Ocarranza plans,
the villa force was to turn upon
Gales force.
"Eilla declared he was getting tired
Of being taught" by everybody, and
ordered the attack on Aqua Prieta.
The first day of the attack, the villa
infantry was repulscd with 1000
killed and 1000 grenades exploded
without greatly damaging the Car
rama forces.
Divides Forces and Retreats.
at night the Carranza scarchlghts,
barhcd wire entanglemonts and show
ers of bullets prevented our ap-
proach. After three days Villa di-
rlded his force of 5000 men into three
divisions Gen Jose Rodriguez head
ed 5000 men and thirty-six guns at
Naco, Gen Manuel Madinaveitia COM
manded 1900, mostly mounted. Ma
dlnavetia was sent to the Ures dis
trict cc northeastern Sonora. Villa
went to Nogales. Rodriguez was left
IN Naco.
From Nogales. villa went to Her
mosIlo and was joined by Urbaleio
with 500 Yaquis.
Diegue2. Carran2a commander of
Hefmosillo, has entrenched on the
heights surrounding the village of Sc
ls in the southern part of Hermosillo,
Just across the Sonora river, and on
lhe Campana mountain commanding
lht Hermosillo valley
Advised by Yaqui Chief.
villa approached from the north,
distributing his army near the flour
mlll Of Ramon Carral, an undefend-
ed open place dominated from Cam
pana mountain, on Urbalejo's advice,
Crhaleio, with his Yaquis, went into
NE southern part of Hermosillo.
The battle began at dawn and the
remainder of the grenades were eK-
pl0ded, about 1000 by the artillery
Without result. villa ordered Cen.
jose Heron Gonzalez, chief of the Villa
infantry to charge Campana noun
lain and take il before sunset Con
,Sdlez said his men We're tired and
hungry and wanted TO wait until dark. |
IVA repeated the order, angrily say
lns Madinaveitia and his 5000 cavalry
were due to arrive and would rein
lofee the infantry.
Charging Force Slaughtered.
Gonzalez charged, the reinforce
ments did not arrive and Gonzalez
came back with forty men. Three
Dallalions lay dead on the mountain
Sde under Carranza machine gun
Gonzalez retreated to an orange
sfoYe where he was killed by a Car !
rama volley.
lrbaleio and his Yaquis remained |
inactive and retreated upon Gonzalez /
At Zamore, on the retreat from
hefmosillo, where Urbalejo's cavalry |
vas scattered by Dieguez' forces, TIr-
3alelo became disgusted with Villa, /
necause he ordered the execution Of !
some faQuis at Magdalena for loot
Nilla, on his return to Nogales, said /
ne was confident Of rising again and /
'apl turing Mexico city
Ihe narrator deserted villa at Mag
w qpaiena and came to the United States
ilr concluded by stating Rodriguez
tgst all of the thirty-six cannon, and I
shat he and Madinaveitia had never
.eported to Villas headquarters villa
~ the time of his departure had in
FRded going to Sinaloa
VILLA. WITH 1000 MEN.
IN CHIHUAHUA STATE