The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-11-03
Bandit Chieftain, With Entire
Force, to Guarded Pass.
His Retirement Saluted by
Shells From Aqua Prieta.
nFInrnnnrHarn- rnanR luaa
REINFORCEMENTS join HIM
Revolutionary Force Expects a
Big Supply of Ammunition.
Gales Sends Out Cavalry to
Keep Track of Foe.

Douglas, Nov. 3.-General
Villa, forced by hunger, thirst
and a scanty supply of ammuni-
tion to abandon his plan for an
immediate assault on the village
of Aqua Prieta commenced with
drawing his army today, and
shortly after o'clock most of
his force was moving toward
Anavacachi pass, II miles south
west.
1t apparently is his intention
to reach water, which is plenti-
full further southwest, and pro-
vision his hungry men.
General Mendez, with about
1900 men has been holding the
pass for several days, and will
remain there guarding the en-
trance to the valley for the re-
turn of Villa. Meantime, it is
said, heavy supplies of ammuni-
ticn will reach Villa from the
east.
Villas retirement was saluted
by an occasional shell from the
big guns of Aqua Prieta, but by
9:3O this firing had ceased.
Villa Acts Suddenly.
That Villa S determination tenn
porarily to withdraw his forces from
the vicinity of Aqua Prieta was sud
den, was shown by the fact his gun
lieutenants in command of rapid FIR
ers on the right wing took nothing
quantities of ammunition in cases
We're left in emplacementS.
A body of Villa infantry estimated
at between 1900 and 1900 men,
marched through Gallardo pass and
swung to the southwest to join the re-
tiring main army.
American army officers are some
what mystified at Villas movement.
Some thought it was his intention to
withdraw from the Aqua Prieta field
altogether and march south to attack
a large body of Ca-ranza troops re-
ported to be coming from that direc-
ton.
Villa dead left on the field are 1856.
Two hundred were counted lying west
of Aqua Prieta and 136 to the east
Gales dead were twenty-five soldiers
and his wounded seventy. Gales sent
out cavalry forces to keep in touch
with the Villa rear guard.
A Gales accommodating party which
ran into a Villa machine gun troop
southeast of the NJ Xican town early
today was said to nave been cut to
pieces.
U. S. Troops lake Villa Deserter.
Four Villa soldiers, part of a skir-
mish line that lay all day yesterday
in the brush within three-quarters of
mile of the wire ENHANCEMENT guard |
ing Aqua Prieta, started for CarranZa
lines at dawn today waving white
flags One of them jumped the wire
fence guarding the boundary line and
was promptly arrested by American !
soldiers and taken to headquarters.
The other three crawled into the Car
rama trenches.
When the intention of the deserters
was made evident, Villa machine guns
opened a vigorous fire on them and |
hundreds of Carranza soldiers stand |
ing on the trenches. There was a
hurried ducking for cover and the
firing ceased in about five minutes
Aqua Prieta then took up firing and
sent two or three dozen shells toward !
the southwest where heavy bodies of
Villa soldiers still are encamped-
The Villa army'S desperate need OF
provisions was described by a. deserter
taken prisoner by Americans. For
US have had to eat he said. He dug
into the pocket of his khaki coat and
pulled out handful of raw corn and |
wheat. Two or three Villa officers
VIII came to the slaughter house on
the international line, a short distance
east of Douglas, yesterday, 10 fill
their canteenS with w. ter, were gnaw-
ing at pieces of black dried beef. A
large supply of flour and corn is
available for the Villa forces at Naco, /
Sonora.
List of Douglas Casualties.
Washington, Nov. 3.-An official
list of yesterdays casualties IN and
around Douglas made public by the