torreon

On right hand it can be seen in mirror view 4/4/14 (april 4, 1914). In this collection picture Cal nr. LC-B2-3033-12 (Mass meeting in Torreón) also is mirror view dated 4/4/14 SAME HAND WRITTING. In both pictures there are people with umbrellas. Could the picture be a secuence? And LC-B2-3028-4, LC-B2-3028-5 and LC-B2-3033-14 either are entitled "Federals at Torreón" Is it possible that all may be located arround the above mentioned date? and not at Torreón rather at San Pedro de las Colonias, Coahuila, México? Dr. Roberto Duarte

Torreón was taken during the evening between March 30 and April 1 to 3, 1914. Gen. José Refufigo Velasco and his federal troops abandoned the city, during a chocking dust storm on April 2, at 4 pm. So by April 4th "Fererals were not going to battle", they WERE ON RETREAT TOWARDS SAN PEDRO DE LAS COLONIAS (northeast from Torreón) where they had a clash on April 7 with Villa´s fore troups. The main Villa´s army began a wholesale atack on San Pedro, which became fearce and bloody on April 10 and generalized in the evening between 12 and 13 (03:30 hrs). Then Velasco ordered retreat. Possibly this picture was taken at San Pedro federals arrival (?). Check Robert Runyon's hdl.loc.gov/loc.award/txuruny.00222 "Constitutional(ist) [revolutionaries on Villa's command] Cavalry awaiting orders to atack" Those horsemen are photographed inside of Torreón, in front of west side of Alameda Zaragoza, by April 6, 1914. Those men (Runyon's picture) already had their battle and maybe are waiting orders to atack federals in retreat to or in San Pedro. Dr. Roberto Duarte Plastic Surgeon

New Outlook magazine books.google.com/books?id=oaOE3ri7pjIC&pg=PA734&l... indicates that Velasco led the Mexican Federal forces based in Torreon in April 1914.

Swanq: Thank you for the information about General Velasco from the New Outlook Magazine. We will add some of it to the description when we update.

On December 7th, 1913, Huerta ordered Gen. José Refugio Velasco Martínez (you can learn about him in wikipedia with that name) to recapture the city of Torreón, Coahuila State, Laguna District. On March 21-22 started the Laguna District siege (Gómez Palacio, Lerdo, Durango State and Torreón, Coahuila State) in what is known as "La Batalla de Torreón" that culminated with Torreón's take on April 1rst, 1914. There´s a picture in your collections that shows Gen. Velasco when departed from México City to Torreón and is not the same person. If you search in The Democratic Banner, issue April 3, 1914 you can compare the two persons. Dr. Roberto Duarte.

Date written on negative is 3/7/29.

Torreon, in northern Mexico was a scene of much fighting between rebels and federals in 1913-1914 and again in the rebellion of 1929.

www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/atlas_mexico/constitutionalist_re...
provides a map of Mexico with indicators of military activity by different groups during the "Constitutionalist Revolution" of 1913-1914. Torreon is shown as an area where Federal forces (in support of Huerta while he was president, February 18, 1913 – July 15, 1914) resisted the Revolutionary Army. Pancho Villa was the revolutionary leader who was active around Torreon.

Other Bain photos of Federal at Torreon include:

and

la foto 3033-12 (así como otras de distintas fechas) también tiene 3/7/29 (¿marzo 7, de 1929?). Tal vez se trate de la fecha de archivo o de publicación pero no de la toma. Dr. Roberto Duarte.

These three pictures most likely were taken arround April 4, 1914, not at Torreón, but at San Pedro, 62 kilometers north from Torreón. Or at least were taken on April 1-2, before or when the federals were fleeing from Torreón to San Pedro, hustled by Villa's troups. Dr. Roberto Duarte¨ Plastic Surgeon