The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-11-24
VILLA At TACK
On CHIHUAHUA
|5 / FAILURE
HEAVY LOSSES IN
FOUR BIG ASSAULTS
Battle Lasted Seven Hours
When Villa WithdrewLeav- \
ing Dead on the Field.

JUAREZ, Mex. Nov. 23 - Fou4
times today Francisco Villa attacked
the first line trenches which defend
Chihuahua City, and each time he was
repulSed, leaving his dead and wound
ed on the plains outside Of the city, to
The south, reports to military head
quarters received by General Gonzales
here from the beSieged city said.
On the fourth attack the Villa men
were driven from their temporary en-
trenchmenls,. with heavy losses, 1t was
announced in -dre2 tonight.
Francisco Villa withdrew his surviv-
ing forces in defeat from Chihuahua
City at 6:15 o'clock tonight. after
battle of seven hours, during which he
made fruitleSs attempts to carry Gen
eral TrevinOs protecting works by as
sault. according to reports from JuareZ.
At II o'clock a. n. to-day (moun-
tain time). the high-crOwned hats OF
the bandits were seen 10 the south,
along the Mexican Central main line,
according TO these messages. The bat
lie was opened few minutes laer with
IL saiyo from cannon on Santa Rosa
hill, the key 10 the State capital. The
: first and second lire trenches. protect
ed by barbed wire entaglements, took
up the fighting, and by noon a general
engagement was in progress along the
entire southern line. which continued
through the early afternoon. At that
/ time the booming of large calibre 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 tel;
! egraph instruments, the military op-.
! orator in Chihuahua City told the oper-'
ator in JuareZ.
Guns of General Trevino's command
| were able to rake the advancing lines
of Villa bandits, the messages from the
State capital stated.
The field was covered with dead and
dying men. one message stated.
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 Leads in Person.
Villa in person was leading his
forces against the CarranZa troops.
according TO the reports received at
the JuareZ military headquarters,
from Chihuahua City, given out by
Carranza officers. The bandit 1eD5sr
was said to be riding horseback ~
his crutch strapped 10 his saddle.
He was said by the de facto authori-
ties to have approximately $500
men in his main column. As he is
reported 10 have more than 5000
troops under his command. the re-
mainder of the bandits are believed
to be advancing to reinforce their
chief.
Epon inquiry as to the nearness
Of General Murguia's division, which
is advancing north from the direc-
ton of Jimnez, it was learned from
Chihuahua City late today that Cen
eral Mureuia was still in the vicini-
" of Santa Rosalia with his main
column. the report that he was at
Mapula having been due to an error
in transmission.
The only fear the local government
officers have is that General Tre-
vino's ammunition will not last until
General Mnrguia arrives from the
south with his reinforcing division.
There is said TO be plentiful supply
of artillery ammunition but a shor-
1ape Of rifle and machine gun car
Iridges due 10 the embargo at Eli
Paso which has never been lifted.
Has Twenty Field Pieces.
General Trevino has twenty field
pieces, including a number of French
"75's" stationed on hills around the
city. military men in Juarez say. AS
(Continued on Page Ten.)