Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1916-12-01
6TREETS OF CHIHUAHUA SCENE
OF THE 6LooDIEsT BATTLE
WAGED IN MEXICO.
CHIHUAHUA is BEsEIGED
Villa 6esieging the City From All
Sldes-GeneraI Funston Denies a
Report That General Pershlng
Army Hill Interfere.

Chihuahua City (via courier, Maria,
Tex. )-Francisco Villa, using an auto
to direct his troops in the siege of Chi.
huahua. had a narrow escape from
death when his machine was struck
by a shell and was abandoned near
Fresno, southwest of the city. The
shell holes and bullet marks were
plainly seen on the side of the big
auto when 1t was found on the battle.
field after Villa rode away on horse
back.
The battle Saturday started soon af.
ter the telegraph wire to Juarez was
cut. The wire went down at 10:00
o'clock. The bandits attack covered
the entire southern front with flank.
ing operations to the east and west.
The most desperate fighting occur
red on Zarco avenue within the city.
The bandits threw their best equipped
forces against the entrenchments
which had been thrown up across this
street and street fighting followed.
The Villa forces made every possible
effort to take these entrenchments,
which were the key to the defenses of
the city proper.
De facto infantry met these charges
with counter-attacks and the battle
waged back and forth in this narrow
adobe-lined street until the Villa ban
dts were driven out of the mouth of
the, avenue onto the plains. where they
were raked with machine gun fire
from the housetops and the artillery
fire which had supported effectively
the infantry efforts.
At IL o'clock Thursday morning
(mountain time) the high-crowned
hats of the bandits were seen to the
south along the Mexican Central main
line, according to these messages. The
battle was opened few minutes later
with salvo from cannon on Santa
Rosa Hill, the key to the state cap.
ital. The first and second line trench.
es, protected by barbed wire entangle-
ments. took up the fighting, and by
noon a general engagement was in
progress along the entire southern
line, which continued through the ear.
ly afternoon.
At that time the booming of large
caliber guns on Santa Rosa Hill and
other artillery stationed along the first
line trenches was so deafening that It
was almost impossible to hear the click
Of the telegraph instruments, the mil.
!itary operator in Chihuahua City told
the operator in Juarez.
At o'clock the battle was still
raging. the apparent advantage being
with the government forces. Villa is
reported by Gen. Gonzales to have at
least $500 men, practically all Of whom
are armed and mounted. He is also
believed to have machine guns, but no
heavy artillery. For this reason, the
20 or more heavy field guns Of Gen,
Trevino's command were able to rake
the advancing lines OF Villa bandits,
the messages from the state capital
stated.
Bandit Leader Carries crutch.
A sortie by Carranza cavalry, sup
ported by artillery, resulted in the cap
ture of many Villa prisoners who were
without ammunition and had gone
since morning without food or water,
another message declared.
Villa in person was leading his
forces against the Carranza troops, ac-
cording to the reports received at the
Juarez military headquarters from
Chihuahua City.
The bandit leader was said to be rid
ing horseback, with his crutch strap
ped to his saddle. He was said by the
de facto authorities to have approx
mately $500 men. AS he is reported
to have more than 5000 troops under
his command. the remainder of the
bandits are believed to be advancing
IN ra-auforr him