The Lampasas Leader. (Lampasas, Tex.), Vol. 26, No. 10, Ed. 1 Friday, January 16, 1914 Page: 4 of 8
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P,
GREAT MEXICAN BATTLE.
Rebels Force Federals to Cross Rio
Grande and They are Cared
for by U. S. Troops.
Presidio, Mexico, Jan. 10
The Mexican Federal army with
its nine generals evacuated
Ojinaga, Mexico, at 10 o’clock
tonight. The triumphant Con-
stitutionalist forces under Gen.
Francisco Villa at once occupied
the village.
Gen. Salvador Mercado, who
was Huerta’s chief military com-
mander, crossed the river and
surrendered to Major McNamee
of the United States army.
It was impossible for Maj. Mc-
Namee to learn what had become
of the Federals, whether the bulk
of them had taken refuge on this
side or whether they scattered to
points in Mexico. The country
about Ojinaga is mostly desert.
The defeat of the Federal army
followed only a few hours fight-
ing in which the Constitutionalists
beginning at sundown, started to
close in on the beseiged garrison
with cannon and rifle fire.
General Castro and General
Mercado of the Federals saw the
assault was to be nothing less
than a massacre. The Federals
had left only fifty rounds of am-
munition for each man. The
generals, therefore, gave the or-
der to evacuate.
All the Federal soldiers and
their officers who could scramble
to the American side did so.
The others ran in all directions.
Gen. Pascual Orozco, com-
manding Federal volunteers,
threatened with summary execu-
opened fire, their rifle volleys be-
ing supported by the fire of a few
machine guns. The rattling re-
tire of the Constitutionalist soon
silenced the guns of the outposts.
The scattered Federals were
thrown into disorder and attempt-
ed to retreat, but fifty were
captured and seven others threw
away their rifles and jumped into
the Rio Grande, swimming to the
American side.
The rout of the Federal out-
posts had an immediate effect on
the Federal garrison. Many
other outposts were withdrawn,
cattle were driven into the village
and women and children were
hurriedly dispatched across the
river to the American territory.
Field Guns in Action.
General Francisco Castro of
the Federal forces, after a coun-
cil of war with General Mercado,
ordered all Federal field guns
into action,
These guns were posted on the
edge of the Ojinaga plateau,
commanding the lower plain,
across which the Constitutional-
ists were advancing. A few
Federal soldiers deserted and
crossed the border after the open-
ing of the action and were arrest-
ed and disarmed by the United
States troops.
Shortly after nightfall the Con-
stitutionalists had gained po-
sitions around the town, almost
as close as they occupied during
the previous six days’ fighting.
The Constitutionalists are re-
ported to have replenished their
supply of ammunition, while the
Federal army, cut off from com-
munication except through the
tionby Villa, was the ^r8t to United States, has been unable
cross. It was believed he has , ____
escaped into the mountains of
Texas.
For five hours the sharp
flashes of the Constitutionalist
fire had been seen drawing clos-
er to the Federal entrenchments.
The whole scene was bathed in
moonlight, partly obscured by
dust and powder smoke.
Federals had Nine Generals.
Among the Federals were nine
generals, Castro, Mercado, Oroz-
co, Manuel Landa, Ynez Salazar,
Antonio Rojas, Bias Orpina,
Lorzaro Alvis and Roque Gomez.
Defeat of the Federal army at
this point marks the most impor-
tant Constitutionalist victory of
the present revolution. It leaves
the Constitutionalists in posses-
sion virtually of all Northern
Mexico.
Mercado, Castro and Landa
were the only remaining com-
manders of the Federal regulars.
The other generals command-
ed volunteers and had been
threatened by Villa with death
should they be captured.
Attack Begins Before Sundown.
The attack of the Constitu-
tionalist forces on Ojinaga was
resumed late today. Led by
General Francisco Villa, just be-
fore sundown the Constitutional-
ists, advancing from the south-
east and west, drove 'back the
Federals outposts, captured fifty
men and opened a heavy rifle
fire on thq Federal troops, back-
ed by shrapnel field guns.
General Villa had with him
1,000 men, while Generals Herre-
ra and Hernandez led 1,200 from
the west, from a base at the vil-
lage at San Juan.
The main body, comprising
about 4,800 men, advanced along
the river road from the east.
Steadily creeping toward the
Federal fortifications, high on
thejplateau where Ojinaga stands,
the Constitutionalists occupied
positions within four miles of the
village before they met resistance.
to add to its stores.
Both Constitutionalists a nd
Federals directed their fire so
that the missiles fell on the Mex
ican side of the river. The Unit-
ed States troops patrol were or-
dered out to care for refugees
and to be prepared to take com-
mand of the situation in case the
Federals were driven from the
Mexican side.
The Constitutionalists were
still bombarding the Federal gar-
rison at 9 o’clock this evening,
at which hour several shells had
fallen on United States territory.
The entire border patrol was
ordered out because numerous
Federals had already crossed and
more were expected.
Federals Wanted to Save Guns. .
General Mercado of the Fed-
eral garrison sent a note to Major
McNamee of the Fifteenth Unit-
ed States Cavalry asking if the
Federals might send across the
border some guns for which they
had no ammunition.
Major McNamee replied that
any guns sent across would be
seized and held in this country
and that the men bringing them
would be disarmed and forced
back to the Mexican side.
Later General Mercado sent
over seven wagonloads of gov-
ernment documents under the
escort of a wounded lieutenant,
who also brought hie personal
effects.
The wagons were pulled out of
the river and taken into the
United States army camp.
Federals Career Dramatic.
The downfall of the Huerta
government in this vast section
of Mexico was preceded by a
series of dramatic incidents.
Just six weeks ago tomorrow
General Mercado with his 4,000
troops evacuated Chihu a h u a
City.
His flight across the desert to
Ojinaga where he hoped to re-
plenish his food supply and am-
munition, required almost a
The Federal outposts then 'week. He was accompained by
many rich Mexican families,
among them Luis Terrazas, one
of the most extensive land hold-
ers in the world, who feared
violence at the hands of the
Constitutionalists.
The flight of Mercado with his
army drew forth a belief that
ultimately he would be forced
across the Rio Grande and seek
safety in the United States.
How soon the retreat to foreign
soil was to follow then hardly
coul(l be conjectured but it was
known Federal troops were dis-
couraged, without pay for many
months and hopeless of ever de-
feating the growing revolution-
ary movement. They also were
short of ammunition. Appeals
to the City of Mexico brought
money to pay the troops, but
they could not overcome the im-
possibility of getting more am-
munition through the United
States.
On this little hill top of Ojinaga,
in an obscure border village,
sixty-seven miles from any rail-
road and that in the United
States, Mercado elected to make
a last stand.
Villa Brings Victory.
He said he never would give
up unless his men ran short of
ammunition. He kept his word.
For six days ending last Sunday,
he had fought pluckily against
odds. The Constitutionalists fir-
ed more than 1,000,000 rounds of
ammunition into the Federal
trenches without avail. It was
not until Villa, military head of
the revolution, appeared on the
scence that the reverse came.
Distress is Intense.
Presidio, Texas, Jan. 11.—
Twenty-eight hundred Mexican
federal soldiers, six generals,
200,000 rounds of ammunition,
two cannon, four large field
pieces and 1500 civilian refugees
were in the custody of the United
States army border patrol today
as the result of the federal evac
uation of Ojinaga, Mexico, and
the occupation of the Mexican
village by General Francisco
Villa’s rebel forces.
The distress of the refugees is
intense. They have scant food
and no shelter. Men, women,
children, dogs, chickens and cat-
tle are packed together in a space
covering several acres. About
them are scattered all the goods
and baggage brought in from
Ojinaga. Urgent requests for
the immediate removal of sol
diers and refugees to some other
place were sent by Major Mc-
Namee to the war department
througe General Bliss.
Other results of the rebel suc-
cess that place General Villa’s
army in undisputed control of a
vast section of nortnern Mexico
are:
Federal Generals Mercado.
Castro, Orpinal, Romero, Aduno
and Landa, are in custody of the
United States troops awaiting
disposition by the war depart-
ment.
General Pascula Orozco and
General Ynez Salazar, federal
volunteer commanders, escaped
along the border to some point
remote from Presidio. Salazar
was wounded. They were ac-
companied by General Caraveo
and General Rojas and 300 cav-
alrymen. Salazar and Orozco
are being watched for by the
United States on indictments
charging them with violating the
neutrality laws.
General Landa said he was
certain all the federal troops es-
caped.
Charges of cowardice were
made against Orozco, Salazar and
Rojas. General Mercado said
the generals abandoned their
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STOMACH TROUBLE
FOR FIVE YEARS
Majority of Friends Thought Mr.
Hughes Would Die, But
One Helped Him to
Recovery.
Pomeroyton, Ky.—In interesting ad-
vices from this place, Mr. A. J. Hughes
writes as follows: “I was down with
stomach trouble for five (5) years, and
would have sick headache so bad, at
times, that I thought surely I would die.
I tried different treatments, but they
did not seem to do me any good.
I got so bad, I could not eat or sleep,
and all my friends, except one, thought I
would die. He advised me to try
Thedford’s Black-Draught, and quit
taking other medicines. I decided to
take his advice, although I did not have
any confidence in it.
I have now been taking Black-Draught
for three months, and it has cured me—
haven’t had those awful sick headaches
since I began using it.
I am so thankful for what Black-
Draught has done for me.”
Thedford’s Black-DraUght has been
found a very valuable medicine for de-
rangements of the stomach and liver. It
is composed of pure, vegetable herbs,
contains no dangerous ingredients, and
acts gently, yet surely. It can be freely
used by young and old, and should be
kept in every family chest.
Get a package today.
Only a quarter. i-ee
troops at the beginning of the
battle and thus weakened the
federal defense.
The only generals who quit the
battlefield with honor, General
Mercado said, were those who
accompanied the federal army
across the Rio Grando. General
Mercado reiterated that the fed-
erals were compelled to evacuate
because of lack of ammunition.
He said his soldiers only had an
average of 78 cartridges each.
Camped in Ojinaga for the
possession of which he had been
fighting less than 24 hours pre-
viously, General Villa started the
work of establishing government.
He telegraphed to General Car-
ranza:
“I have proved -my ability to
capture Ojinaga.”
Robert Francis, a bachelor
aged about 56 years, died at the
home of his brother, J. W. Fran-
cis, eight miles south of Lampa
sas, Sunday afternoon about 3 j Lainjpa-sas man’s example
o’clock. He had made his home j T p pr)vu-pH-. cnviwntp
H. Bascom Brown, now keep-
ing a kind of rest resort two miles
north of Lampasas, was in Sat-
urday and made The Leader a
pleasant business call. He is
one of the men who knows about
horses and formerly made it
profitable to operate a transfer
line here. When the railroads
moved their depots to the city,
he sold his carriages and teams
and retired to the peaceful pur-
suits of farming and raising
stock, He is doing well at this
work, and has some nice animals.
TMNKOFrT
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Remedy. Some are Lampasas People.
Over one hundred thousand have
recommended Doan’s Kidney Pills foi
backache, kidney, urinitry ilis. Thirty'
thousand signed testimonials are ap-
pearing now in public print. Some of
them are Lampasas people. Some are
published in Lampasas. No other
remedy shows such proof. Follow this
T. P. Prickett, carpenter, N Ave. and
here for the past six or more Ridge St., Lampasas,1' Texas, says:
years, and has been sick, with
an enlarged liver, for a few
weeks only. The body was
buried at what is known as the
Cobble oemetery, near Sunny
Lane, Burnet county.
Mesdames Mary E. Martin, A.
L. Higdon, W. C. Patterson,
Claud Townsen, Raymond Sen-
terfitt and Field Senterfitt went
to Lometa Monday to spend the
day and have dinner with P. C.
Jackson and family. They went
by auto, and had a splendid time.
This trip and dinner had been
planned to occur during the hol-
idays, but owing to the condition
of the roads, was deferred.
Weekly Leader $1.00 per year
“My backache was not constant but
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stooping or lifting. Like a streak o
lightning the pain would strike mi
and sometimes it remained for weeks
During one of these attacks, Doan’
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and I got them at Schwarz & Hoff-
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A CONFIRMATION.
■ Mr. [Prickett was interviewed on
March 16, 1912 and he said: “My faith
in Doan’s Kidney Pills is just as strong
today as it was before. I am only too
willing to confirm my former state-
ment.”
For sale by all dealers. Price 50 cts.
Foster-Milburn Co., Buffalo, New York,
sole agents for the United States. Re-
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no other. adv. w-9
V
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Vernor, J. E. The Lampasas Leader. (Lampasas, Tex.), Vol. 26, No. 10, Ed. 1 Friday, January 16, 1914, newspaper, January 16, 1914; Lampasas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth895316/m1/4/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Lampasas Public Library.