Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-11-24

uIlNCll tlC VIVA ipieN' Def ~
Rosalia and was advancing slowly |
from that place toward chihuahua
City, rebuilding the railroad line as
he moved north.
Appeal to Americans.
Efforts are being made to obtain |
rifle and machine ammunition to be
sent to General Trevino in order to
prevent a shortage Of ammunition
there. All of the available ammuni-
ton has been sent from here and it
is reported that request has been
made to American officers to permit
ammunition to be sent through the
Ell Paso-J uarez port for General Tre-
who's forces.
Through an error in message
carly in the day General Murguia was
located at Mapula, twelve miles south
OF Chihuahua City, and the hopes OF
Carranza officers for an early REIN
forcement of the garrison there were
raised. Later, however, it was found
the message referred to Villa, instead
OF Murguia, who was said to be at
Santa Rosali, some distance farther
south.
Villa Leads Attack.
Villa in person was leading his
forces against the Carranza troops,
according to the reports being re-
ceived at the Juarez military head
quarters from Chihuahua City, given
out by Carranza officers. The bandit
leader is said TO be riding horseback
with his crutch strapped to his sad
die. He is said by the de facto au-
thorities TO have approximately $500
men in his main column. As he is
reported to have more than 1000
troops under his command, the re-
mainder OF the bandits are believed
to be advancing to reinforce their
chief.
villistas Attack Trenches.
Ell Paso, Tex. Nov. 23.--General
Jacinto b. Trevino answered an at
tack OF the Villa bandit forces OPEN
ing at II o'clock today upon the City
of Chihuahua defenses with an artil-
lery bombardment from Santa Rosa
hili and the other Notifications to the
south and southwest of the state cap
ital, report received in Juarez says.
AT 1880 y. nj. (mountain time) the
noise Of the bursting shells and dis
charging field pieces was said to be
4 deafening. General Trevino has
twenty field pieces stationed on the
Santa Rosa and other hills in the
suburbs of Chihuahua City, military
men in Juarez say, and there are a
number Of French 7ss included in
this number, they say. As far as Is
known here, Villa has no field pieces
except the machine guns which were
reported to have been captured by hi'
forces from General Fortunate May
cotte's column near Santa Rosalia.
General Murguih, who was reportet
TO have reached Mapula, about twelv'
miles south OF Chihuahua City, is ex
pected to attack Villa in the rear, &C
cording to this information.
Trevino In Command.
Gcncr.l Trevino Is in command 0
the forces which are defending tn
capital Of the state and has approx
irnateiy 5000 men with artillery AM
strong Notifications surrounding tn
town to the west and south, the Car
rama officers in Juarcz declare. !
An attack upon the state capital b.
Villa bandits has been expected sine
Yesterday, as Villa was reported I,
have reached Horcasitas, about thirt
miles south OF Chihuahua City, yes
tcrday, with his main column.
Ammunition from the Juarez Al
senal was rushed to Chihuahua Cit
yesterday on special train to b
issued to General Trevino's troops.
Carranza officials here and in Juare
are authority for the statement tina
General Trevino intends to defend tn
city against any bandit attack as lon
as his ammunition lasts. The fac
that the telegraph line is open froi
Juarez TO Chihuahua City indicate
the concentration of Villas forces
the south OF Chihuahua City, as it
his custom TO cut telegraph commun
cation as soon as begins an attac
upon town, and his men would ha,
cut the wires to Juarez il there wei
bandits north Of the capital.
Key to the Capital.
Santa Rosa hill, an cminence &
feet high, which is located about OF
mile from the PLACE in Chihuahl
City, Is the key to the state capt.
and northern Mexico, promine
American refugees from Chihuahl
declared.
1t was in the vicinity of this h
that Villa and his constitutional
forces attacked Chihuahua City ear
in November, 1918. He was driv
off by General Salvador Mercadt
artillery and then Villa encircle CT
huahua City, attacked and to-
Juarez on November Is of the sar
year. After Villa entered in the sta
capital on September 10, of the pr,
emit year, the Associated Press corr
spondent reported having seen vi
and his golden ones" on Santa Re
hill.
Elevation Well Fortified.
This hill is an elevation betwe
mountains, the American refuge
here say, and must be taken beft
an entrance can be made into ,
city. On this hill General Trevi
had mounted seven large caliber c;
non, according to the Americans, a
had further fortified it with mach
guns and had built barbed wire
tanglements around the base of
hill with Aanking lines of trencl
and barbed wire entanglements.
The refugees believe greater p
OF the fighting today occurred in
vicinity OF Colonia Dale, British