Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-11-15
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ist MORNING Jo1Rns. spseIAI LEASED wts't
Presidio. Tex, Nov. l4.-Federal
troops evacuated ojinaga at $50 to-
night and came to the American side
where they surrendered their arms
uon. Juan Espinosa y Cordova, COM
mander surrendered TO American
troops here he said the fighting was
nand to hand before the evacuation.
Silia troops now occupy the Mexican
town. Many we're killed, wounded
and executed.
The fighting was confined to the
streets OF OJinaga and in the munic-
lpal plaza since the attack opened ut
twilight.
villa. Forces Sweet In. =
Being in position to leap at the de-
tenders of the little cluster of adobe
huts called a town, the Villa forces
swept past the outpost like a wave of
fire and charged down the streets and
INTO the military headquarters.
The rout started soon after $
o'clock and by $3.50 the evacuation
had become n mob seeking safety on
the American side of the river.
The federal troops were rounded
UP by american patrols, dlsarmed
and marched to the army camp where
they were guarded. The villa troops
humber 1,0OO according to the Mex
lean commander.
Begins at Twilight.
Fighting between Villa and federal
forces was resumed at $50, central
time. tonight, just as the grey gauze
of twilight settled over the mesa line
along which the villa soldiers were
strung.
The firing started from the federal
first line trenches guarding the Mula
pass road, to the southwest of the
town. and was answered by Villa ar
tillery on the northeastern slope of the
mesa upon which Ojinaga sits.
Villa troops were seen moving in
along the roads in the hills and a gon-
eral assault was expected.
From the American side of the Rio
Grande it was not possible to tell that
q hand to hand engagement was III
ptogress, and occasional tongues of
flame from villa rifeman's piece,
or the flashing signals of distress
from the military headquarters IN.
Cjinaga. were the only evidence of the
mortal combat going on within the
adobe walled streets.
No Quarter Given.
The fighting started from the
southeast and southwest with an as
sault in force from the steep slope OF
the northwestern approach resulting
in successful storming expedition
which penetrated to the very heart of
the old town, the ancient church.
No accurate estimates can be made
tonight of the number of government
dead 1t is admitted by government
officials on this side that no quarter
was given or asked on either side
One Of the two Americans who were
operating the machine guns in Oil
naga when the first attack was made
this morning was wounded during The
| fighting tonight and was later shot
by Villista troops as he lay on the
ground in front of the general head
quarters. The other disappeared, ac-
cording to Colonel Castro, the federal
commander.
The other American was believed to
have escaped to the American side.
but was still missing tonight
Villas Whereabouts Uncertain.
| At deep ford near the headquar-
ters camp of the Villa followers on
their side Of the Rio Grande, three
miles from Ojinaga, an Associated
Press staff correspondent held con-
ference tonight with Capt III. \. AL
varez, Lieut. Jose Juarietta and Capt.
Alberto Alvarez. Martin Lopez was
in command of the Villa forces attack
ing Ojinaga but gave evasive replies
as to Villas whereabouts.
They admitted Hipolito Villa was
with the attacking column as an OBJ
server and said the other chiefs were
lCheftains Sanchez, Ornelas, Chavez
and Nicolas Fernandez. The Villa
officers claimed their losses had been
light but that they had taken many
prisoners in the attack, who were
Immediately executed, this being the