Chapter XII: Campaign of General Obregon in the West

BY COL. I. C. ENRIQUEZ

Perhaps the most interesting chapter of the Constitutionalist revolt against the dictator Huerta is the campaign of rebellion led by the brave citizens of the State of Sonora. When they decided to fight the bloody dictator and resist his murderous deeds, they were confronted by a very strong and well organized army. The Federal troops were well equipped with ammunition and guns. Their positions were well established, while the Constitutionalists had nothing more than desire of justice, backed by reckless bravery. They had neither guns nor ammunition, and certainly no trained army, and in spite of all this, they were the victors.

Chief of the Western Division]

After the assassination of Señor Francisco I. Madero and Señor José Maria Pino Suarez, a dreadful feeling of fear spread through the country. This was especially evident among the civilians. What but death had they to expect from such a brutal dictator as Huerta? For this reason alone, there were at the beginning very few men who were willing to take up arms against him. Even among the governors, twenty-seven in number, only _one_ dared to throw down the glove of challenge to the assassin. He was Don Venustiano Carranza, at that time governor of the State of Coahuila. Half an hour after the news of the assassination reached him, he called the state legislature into session, denounced the dictator Huerta and demanded that they should not recognize Huerta’s authority. He was the only man with sufficient moral courage to openly revolt against Huerta.

At that time, Carranza was not the only one who had the historic opportunity of coming out as a defender of his country’s honor. The same message was transmitted to Señor José M. Maytorena, then the governor of the State of Sonora, but unlike Carranza, he did not take up the cause of his downtrodden countrymen. He saw at a glance the danger of such a move, and realized that the struggle against Huerta would be a very unequal one. Thinking of his own safety first, he left Deputy Ignacio L. Pesqueira as acting governor, and fled to the United States.

At that time, in Hermosillo, capital of Sonora, there were five hundred men under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Obregon, who later in the campaign became a famous general under Carranza. Major Salvador Alvarado, now general, had command of four hundred troops of the Yaqui region, while in the southern part of the State, five hundred men were under the command of Generals Juan Cabral, Benjamin Hill and Sosa. Many of the officers and soldiers of this army had participated in the revolution of 1910, consequently they were opposed to the dictatorship of Huerta. This marked the beginning of the Sonora revolution.

Even before the assassination of Madero, there were a number of chiefs who waged a relentless war. They were Col. Pedro F. Bracamonte, Col. Plutarco Elias Calles, and Major Campos. They began to recruit people on their own authority in the northern part of the State, and the cutting of railway communication. They also began an open attack on the Federals in many places. When the Sonora revolution was started, the chiefs became united, and opened hostilities.

At the beginning of the Sonora revolution, the Federals had a force of 2,650 troops distributed throughout the State, from the frontier to the coast. Bearing this in mind, the Constitutionalists mapped out a careful campaign. General Obregon was appointed to direct the military operations, as he had distinguished himself in the campaign of 1912 against the Orozquistas.

The difficult task that the Constitutionalists were confronted with, was the prevention of the concentration and the union of the entire Federal army. They knew that as long as the Federal army was divided and spread throughout the State, their chances were more than equal. Thus they had a double task: first, to prevent the union of the Federal troops, and secondly to fight them in small groups. The main object of the Constitutionalists was to secure the border positions of the State.

As the revolution progressed and the fighting continued, the Constitutionalists found their plans perfectly suited to their needs. They marched from one city to the next, sometimes under terrible difficulties, but always victorious. All those in command, and also the troops, fulfilled their duties admirably. Soon, however, they were confronted with new and unexpected troubles.

The taking of Naco, as also the greater part of the towns on the frontier, involved many unnecessary dangers. As it was situated on the international line, it could only be attacked from the east and west,--if it was assailed from the south many projectiles would pass over to the American side. The Constitutionalist chiefs were always careful to respect the rights of the American people, and avoided as much as possible the damage and troubles that a war waged at such close quarters, would be likely to occasion them. The Federal generals, realizing the position of the Constitutionals, took advantage of their noble intentions and stuck close to the international line. The Constitutionalists did not wish to attack them in the town--but were anxious to meet them in the open country, where there would be no danger of inflicting suffering to families, especially those of American citizens.

Knowing that the Federals intended to join their comrades of Chihuahua, the Constitutionalists decided to lay in wait for them. For more than a week, they lay concealed behind ridges and in the mountains, but the blow they had suffered a few days before was a lesson General Ojeda could not forget, and all the attempts of the Constitutionals to lure them out in the open country failed.

The chiefs of the Constitutionalists then decided not to wait any longer. They demanded of General Ojeda, who was in charge of the Huerta troops, that he come out of the city. They explained to him the injustice of fighting near a town, where many innocent people and non-combatants might be injured, but Ojeda’s reply was characteristic of all the Huerta generals. As long as he was safe, General Ojeda said, the whole human race might be slaughtered. Furthermore, he would not come out of his fortified town position--the Constitutionals could attack him there if they wanted to.

The Constitutionals, realizing that they would have to attack, although he was entrenched in a position very disadvantageous to such action on their part, began preparations for the battle. The Federals were located in a position occupying a semicircle. Their six hundred men, cannon and rapid-fire guns, could easily defend their positions. They could sweep the open country with a deadly fire, there being no protection for the assailants.

After a few days of reconnoitring, during which small skirmishes took place, the final decisive battle took place, on the night of the 1st of April. It lasted more than twenty-four hours, after which the Federals were forced to their barracks for protection, while General Ojeda fled to the American side. The remaining troops surrendered, and the fighting stopped. This victory gave the Constitutionals complete control of the frontier towns, assuring them a base of operations.

One of the remarkable features of the Sonora Campaign was the wonderful manner in which the Federals after each battle, left behind ammunition, guns and equipment which the Constitutionalists so badly needed. The reply of the Constitutional chiefs to their complaining soldiers usually was: “Never mind, boys, Huerta himself will give us arms and ammunition to fight him with.” This statement has proved true all through the revolt.

Before the Constitutionals had a chance to recover from the hardships of the Naco victory, a still greater danger threatened them. A strong force of Federals, four thousand in number, well-equipped, was coming from the south by way of the Pacific coast, General Luis Medina Barron was in charge of them. Before leaving Guaymas, he pledged on his “military honor” that he would be in Hermosillo in fifteen days. He said he would have the head of Obregon stuck upon the point of his sword and that he would banquet at the Hotel Arcadia. But the Constitutional chiefs were not frustrated by the boastings of General Barron, and quickly reorganizing their army, they took positions between Ortiz and Guaymas at Santa Rosa, a flag station on the Southern Pacific Railroad of Mexico.

Confident of their ultimate victory, the Federals marched towards the Constitutionalists. Early in the morning of the 9th of May they opened a vigorous fire. The attack lasted three days.

The Constitutionalists realizing the value of the springs and wells in that torrid zone, fought desperately for their possession. Once the water supply was captured, it meant the defeat of the Federals. On the second day of the battle, this was accomplished and the Federals were forced back to the Railroad tanks, which could supply them with water no longer than one day. After the third day’s fighting, the Federals, worn out with thirst, retired, leaving a large number of dead and wounded. In their hasty retreat they left behind a great quantity of armaments and provisions. The boasting General Barron escaped to Guaymas, wounded by the enemy, while many of his chiefs were taken to Hermosillo as prisoners of war.

While Obregon was fighting against General Barron, General Hill had not remained idle. He was appointed to carry on operations in the southern part of the State. This he accomplished admirably, especially the wiping out of the “Battalion of Death.” This battalion carried a black flag, with a skull and cross bones upon it and their method was to terrorize the townspeople by killing innocent women and children. When they met General Hill in open battle they were completely wiped out.

Later General Hill drove 450 from the town of Torin, forcing them back to Guaymas, thus clearing the southern part of the State. After his successes in this locality, he joined General Obregon, in the hope of attacking Generals Ojeda and Barron. The following move of the Constitutionalists is one of the most effective of the whole campaign. It was a decisive battle for the main water supply, which the troops were badly in need of and took place at Santa Maria.

The plans of Generals Obregon, Alvarado and Dieguez once more proved very effective. The Federals, finding the water supply taken, were forced to assume the offensive. They felt confident of success, and burdened themselves with all kinds of unnecessary impediments. But the Constitutionalists were not to be taken by surprise; instead of waiting for the Federals to advance, they went out to meet them: by this manœuvre the Federals found themselves face to face with the Constitutionalists much sooner than they had expected.

For the Federals, it was a fight for existence. They were face to face with death from thirst, and felt that unless they regained the wells a miserable death would be their lot. With them, it was not a fight for the honor of Huerta--they fought from sheer desperation. Under such conditions, the battle could not last long. Four desperate assaults were made upon the Constitutionalists’ positions, and were repulsed. One of these assaults lasted more than twenty-four hours, resulting in a hand to hand fight. In those hand to hand frays one could not help admiring the remarkable way in which the Yaquis handled their daggers. The Federal army was wiped out completely in a very short time.

While much credit is due to the soldiers who fought in the ranks of the Constitutionalists, many of their victories are due to the remarkable strategy of the generals. One instance will illustrate this. General Alvarado, realizing the terrible thirst of the Federal soldiers, drove them into a watermelon field. He knew fully well the result of such a move. No sooner had they reached the watermelon field, when all the fighting on their part ceased. The Federal officers had to force them to fight at the point of their bayonets, but even that did little good. Once they had entered the melon field, they were the easy victims of the Constitutional fire. At the close of the battle, General Ojeda fled from the scene, abandoning his officers and soldiers. He was followed by the officers, while a small group of soldiers, braver than their chiefs, kept on fighting till they reached Guaymas.

The Constitutionals did not realize how great a victory they really had won, and waited a whole day thinking that the retreat of the Federals was nothing but a trap set for them. But when they marched forward they found nothing but dead and wounded, and a great quantity of ammunition and supplies. They had left behind all the cannons, twelve rapid-firing guns and sixteen hundred rifles, also a large number of horses and trappings. But the Constitutionalists had no time to lose, and they immediately went in pursuit of the enemy.

While I was overjoyed at our tremendous victory, pity and sorrow embittered the cup of joy. The scenes of horror and misery which I saw are still engraved in my memory. I saw the disastrous results brought about by a tyrannical dictator who, in his effort to perpetuate himself in absolute power, was willing to sacrifice everything and everybody. It was dreadful to see the battlefield littered with the dead and wounded, men who meant well but who understood little.

On the other hand there were the patriotic, well-intentioned men, full of self-sacrifice, willing to die for liberty and the prosperity of their native country. Alongside these sturdy young fighters were also the poor women and children, innocent sufferers in the great strife. They were the greatest sufferers,--they bore the greater burden.

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The campaign of General Obregon through the State of Sonora, marks only the beginning of the great struggle which led him victoriously to the city of Mexico. This campaign, although never mentioned by the newspaper correspondents, was nevertheless as important as the campaign of General Villa. General Obregon not only had to fight an army much larger than his own, but the geographical location of his territory constantly endangered his rear wings. Unlike Villa, he was constantly compelled to guard from rear attacks, as well as from frontal attacks. This ever existing danger made the campaign much more difficult, multiplying the dangers which constantly confronted him.

The remark of General Obregon to Don Venustiano Carranza when the First Chief marked out the three lines of struggle, illustrates the nature of the fighting General Obregon. When Carranza was about to depart from Nogales, in February, 1914, Obregon said to him: “First Chief, tell Generals Villa and Gonzales to hurry up in their march, for I am going to get busy and get to Mexico.” And true to his word, several months later, although beset by many more difficulties than the other generals, he reached Mexico City before any of them. After the Federal troops were routed and driven back in great disorder to Guaymas, the State of Sonora was practically cleared from Huerta troops. But that only meant the beginning of the great fight.

During the months of July and August, General Obregon was preparing for his advance South. He had little time to waste, for even before he was through with his preparations, he was forced to advance on San Blas, Sinaloa. A strong detachment of Federals were sent up from Mexico City to reinforce the defeated Huerta troops who landed at Topolobampo. But General Obregon was not taken by surprise. Having assigned Generals Hill and Iturbe to proceed against the Federals, he himself continued his march further south. His objective point was the city of Sinaloa. In the meantime Generals Hill and Iturbe had succeeded in defeating the Federal troops which landed in Topolobampo, and joined General Obregon in his attack upon the city of Sinaloa.

The storming of Sinaloa was one of the fiercest battles of the entire campaign. It lasted nearly five days and again, as in all the previous battles, the Federals retreated so hastily that they did not have time to take their guns and ammunition with them. A great quantity of ammunition and provisions were left behind by them, of which the Constitutionalists were much in need.

One of the great difficulties which constantly confronted General Obregon was the guarding of the frontier and the positions all along the coast. The slightest error in the guarding of those positions might have caused the annihilation of his entire army by a rear attack. So that, whenever he took a city from the Federals, he was confronted with the question of protecting that point. He was forced to always leave troops behind him, to guard those conquered cities. Had he not done so, the Federals might have sent up new forces by way of the Pacific and re-taken the conquered posts.

The most important of all the battles of the entire campaign was the storming of Culiacan. The Federals, realizing the dangers of Obregon’s swift march, massed a strong force of troops in that city, numbering about seven thousand. Needless to say, they were much better equipped than the Constitutionals, who always had more men than rifles and guns. When General Obregon, who personally conducted the battle, reached the city, the Federals were well fortified in their positions. The fight lasted a whole week, and fighting continued day and night, almost without cessation. At the end of that time, the Federals were badly beaten and were forced to retire to Mazatlan. The taking of Culiacan meant to the Constitutionalists more than just an ordinary victory. It meant the success of the operations towards their goal, and the weakening and disintegration of the Huerta troops. The winning of this battle enabled the Constitutional forces to move further south to the Territory of Tepic, where General Obregon took the city of Acaponeta and San Blas by storm.

The rapidity with which he moved and the persistency of his attacks won him most of his battles. He lost no time,--he did not wait. As soon as he had taken San Blas, he did not even wait long enough to give his tired soldiers a good rest. He moved on to his destination immediately. With his characteristic rapid fire action, he moved towards Guadalajara in the State of Jalisco. The most interesting thing about the storming of that city was the capture of fifty-six train loads of supplies. Never before had they had such luck. The trains were packed with all kinds of provisions, guns, rifles, cannon and ammunition. It was one of the richest hauls they ever made.

The conclusion of his march towards the capital was marked by a series of successful battles, in spite of the difficulties he had in guarding his base of supplies and the frontier towns. After his victory at Guadalajara, he marched on towards Irapuato, where he again succeeded in routing the Federal troops, and thence proceeded to the city of Mexico.