Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-11-01
Decisive Conflict Opened Be-
tween the Forces of the
BelIigerents at Aqua Prieta.
FIGHTING TAKES PLACE
AT TOWN ON u. S. BORDER
Villa Denounces This Government
for Permitting Carranza Troops
to Pass Over American Soil.

| DOUGLAS, Ariz.. November 1.-The
struggle between the Villa army and
| Carranza forces for possession of Aqua
| Prieta, the border town opposite here,
| began at 10 o'clock today, when the
| advancing main body of the Villa army
! came in contact with the outposts of
| the defenders. The Carranza outposts
| opened fire, then fell back to the
| trenches surrounding the Mexican
| town.
| Villa moved his entire force. estimat-
ed at about 10000 men, under cover of
dense haze of Douglas copper smell
ter smoke. The first clash occurred
| about three miles east of Aqua Prieta.
Villa Is Confident
| Gen. Villa himself, with four officers,
came to the American line to get the
| bearings of the boundary line.
do you expect to take Aqua Prieta
| today" United States army staff
officer asked.
Sure. Mike" replied Villa, grinning
| broadly.
It was the only English he spoke
| United States army officers do not be-
| lieve, however. that he intends to at
| tack IN earnest until tomorrow.
| In Spanish Villa inquired whether the
| United States intended to help Gen.
| Gales garrison at Aqua Prieta in view
! of the fact that the American govern
| ment had recognized CarranZa and as
sisted reinforcements in reaching Gen.
| Gales.
| He was assured that the American
| forces in the trenches facing the pro-
spective Mexican battlefield would treat
| both sides alike.
II, There IRE mus must be no firing across the
| Villa said he did not intend firing
across the line. For this reason he
wanted to get his bearings on the
| Dawn disclosed the fact that Gen.
villa s forces had moved closer to Aqua
| Prieta during the night for their ex-
| pected attack upon the Carranza garri-
! son commanded by Gen. z. Elias Gales.
| The night passed quietly, no clashes
| being reported. The opposing forces
| partly around Aqua I'rieta in semi
| this morning we're early alert, ready for
| a battle which is expected to have an
| important bearing on the internal situa-
| tion in Mexico.
| Cen Villas troops were spread out
circle from east to south, about five
miles out. Gems. Urbalejo and Antonio
| Mendez, the latter commander of the
| advance guard, which had a skirmish
| with Carranza troops at Cabu!lora, are
at points west Of Aqua Prieta, one in
| the vicinity of Anavacachi pass, the
| other near Naco.
| This force totals in the neighborhood
| of 1000 soldiers, the majority being
| Yaqui Indians, of whom Uroalejo is the
| chief.
| Searchlights Sweep the Desert.
| Cen Gales two searchlights swept
| the desert brush all of last night. VIII
| las. campfires winkcd in the distance,
while American troops under Gen.
| Thomas f. Davis of the 9th Brigade
| slept on arms in three miles of trenches
! facing the Mexican boundary opposite
| Douglas.
| With the Aqua Prieta hospital. cleared
| of sick and wounded, trenches and un
! derground dressing stations manned,
4 Gen. Gales with 1000 men and ten field
T, pieces and thirty or forty machine guns
awaited attack.
Three motor trucks yesterday brought
| over to the American side nearly fifty
/ inca Dacitated soldiers who were shot
in previous fights in Sonora and twenty
seven man and woman typhoid patients,
survivors of recent epidemic in the
| Mexican town.
| Refugees Throng the Border.
Throngs of refugees and women and
| children camp followers of the Mexi-
| can garrison. all of classes not legally
| admissible to the United States, waited
| on the international border for permis-
| sion to cross and enter a detention
! camp when the fighting actually be
gins
! The hospital and detention camp has
I been located in IN isolated part OF
| Douglas.
| Gen. Gales maintained headquarters
| in the house of Mrs. Alice O'Loughlin,
| an American keeper Of a curio store in
| Aqua Prieta who went through two
previous battles in the Mexican town.
! She said today she expected to remain
| there throughout the coming fight,
| despite the long range field artillery
| Villa is reported to have trained on the
| town.
| United States Soldiers in Trenches.
| Early today United States soldiers
! begain digging trenches well inside the
| line already constructed. They are so
! situated as to control the eastern end
| of Aqua Prieta as well as the advance
| ing right wing of Villas army. 1t was
| understood these trenches were for
| emergency use in the event of serious
| lighting across the border endan-
gering Americans and the possibility
of their being compelled to fall back.
| At the opening of the battle Il pro-
vost guard of American troops will
!
| of Douglas. particularly the roofs Or
| ders have been issued that every one
remain indoors, preferably behind
adobe walls, during the fighting.
Villas Confidence Unbounded.
| villa himself was with his cavalry,
which passed along the border yester-
day to take position, just out of range
of the garrison. 1t was during this
| march that he learned that CarranZa
| reinforcements had been transported
over American territory.
| Aqua Prieta will be mine he as
| serted, Americans or no Americans"
| Pointing his finger toward the town
| ne added: There is food and rest for
! our men. We may have to fight the
whole American army If necessary, but
no matter, it will be ours
| Considers U. s. Ungrateful.
| Suddenly Villa asked again if it were
true that the United States govern
ment had permitted Gen. Carranza to
transport reinforcements over Ameri-
can territory. He then said:
! This is the way the United States re-
pays me for the treatment and protec-
ton j have given foreigners in Mexico
Hereafter j don't give a what
happens to foreigners in Mexico or in
my territory.