First Battle of Torreón facts for kids
Quick facts for kids First Battle of Torreón |
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| Part of the Mexican Revolution | |||||||
 Plan of the Battle of Torreón with the direction of attack of the revolutionaries (red arrows) and the positions of the federal troops (blue lines) |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 Pancho Villa |
 Eutiquio Munguía |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 4,000-9,000 | 3,000 | ||||||
The First Battle of Torreón, also known as the Capture of Torreón, was an important fight during the Mexican Revolution. It happened from September 27 to October 1, 1913. In this battle, revolutionary forces led by Pancho Villa took over the city of Torreón from the federal troops. This victory was a big deal for Villa. It made him more famous and gave his army lots of new military gear they really needed.
Contents
The Mexican Revolution Begins
The Mexican Revolution started in 1910. It was a time of big changes in Mexico. The first part of the revolution ended when President Porfirio Díaz stepped down in 1911. He was replaced by a revolutionary leader named Francisco I. Madero.
However, in early 1913, Madero was killed. This happened with the help of Victoriano Huerta, who then became the new president. Many people across Mexico were against Huerta. They formed a group called the Constitutionalists.
Pancho Villa's Rise to Power
One of the main leaders against Huerta was Pancho Villa. He started with only 8 friends in the spring of 1913. But as months passed, more and more people joined him. He also got more weapons. Villa became very popular because he won battles and helped ordinary people. For example, he took resources from rich families and shared them. He was careful not to bother American citizens, which helped him get support from the United States. They were more willing to let him get weapons.
Why Torreón Was Important
After winning some smaller battles, Villa's army decided to attack Torreón. Torreón was a new, modern city with about 30,000 people. It was located where the states of Coahuila and Durango meet, near the Nazas River. It was very important for a few reasons:
- It was a major railway hub, meaning many train lines met there.
- It was important for growing and processing cotton.
The city was defended by about 3,500 federal soldiers, led by General Eutiquio Munguía. Munguía had sent some of his troops away, hoping to get reinforcements. But these extra troops could not arrive in time for the battle.
Forming the Northern Division
Villa and his 1,100 men traveled to a place called La Goma. There, they met other revolutionary armies, including those led by Maclovio Herrera and Tomás Urbina. More volunteers joined them.
On September 27, the revolutionaries gathered at a hacienda (a large estate) called La Loma. Villa met with other important revolutionary leaders from the area. They all chose Pancho Villa to be the commander-in-chief of their new army. This army was called the Northern Division. By this time, Villa's army had grown to between 4,000 and 9,000 soldiers. They also had four cannons.
The Battle for Torreón
With thousands of men under his command, Villa now led one of the biggest revolutionary armies ever. But taking Torreón was still a big challenge. Villa was a great guerrilla leader, but he had little experience leading such a large army in a regular battle. Also, many of his fighters were known for not always following orders. This was why an earlier attempt to take the city had failed. Most importantly, Villa did not have many cannons or trained artillery soldiers to attack a strong city like Torreón.
Federal Defenses and Villa's Strategy
General Eutiquio Munguía, who led Torreón's defense, felt confident. He had about 3,000 men, including some local fighters. Munguía had more and better cannons. He placed them on high ground around the city. His plan was to shoot at the attackers as they came close. He also expected another federal army to arrive and help.
However, Munguía did not realize that many of his soldiers were new recruits from far away. They did not know the area well. Villa's fighters, on the other hand, were highly motivated and knew the land.
On September 28, Maclovio Herrera's troops fought federal forces on the other side of the river. They won the battle in four hours. On September 29, Villa's forces met federal troops led by General Alvírez. Villa's cavalry quickly attacked the village of Avilés. The revolutionaries won this fight in just half an hour. They captured two cannons and many rifles and ammunition.
The Final Attack
On September 30, the main attack on Torreón began. Villa split his army into two groups. They moved through canyons towards the city. They wanted to put pressure on the city's defenses. One fighter, Gutiérrez Galindo, even hid inside a dead horse to stay safe until his friends arrived!
Villa waited for nightfall to move his troops slowly forward. To tell his men apart in the dark, he told them to take off their hats and roll up their right sleeves. They captured several high points during the night. In the morning, the federal defenders tried to fight back but were pushed away. With the federal forces on the other side of the river also defeated, Munguía had few options left. Villa ordered a full attack on the city. Villa and Herrera's troops quickly reached the train station. By 9 p.m., the city's defenses completely broke down.
After the Battle
At 2 a.m. on October 2, Villa entered Torreón to a musical welcome. The federal defenders tried to destroy their equipment as they ran away. But Villa's army still got a lot of valuable supplies. They captured many weapons, including 5 machine guns and 11 cannons. They also got about half a million rounds of ammunition and many trains, including 39 locomotives.
Many prisoners were captured. A woman named Guadalupe Cervantes bravely asked Villa to spare the lives of some Spanish settlers. Thanks to her, they were saved. Some other prisoners were given the chance to join the revolutionaries.
Villa tried to stop his soldiers from looting the city after the victory. He even punished those who did. However, he also made wealthy landowners give "loans" to his army. He used this money to help his soldiers and even gave some to hospitals.
General Munguía, who lost the battle, fled. He was later put on trial. He said that the Spanish settlers in the city had started to run away, which made his soldiers lose their fighting spirit.
After taking Torreón, Villa's army moved north to continue fighting the federal forces. Villa left only a small group of soldiers in Torreón. This was not enough to stop Huerta's troops from taking the city back a few months later.
Images for kids
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Plan of the Battle of Torreón with the direction of attack of the revolutionaries (red arrows) and the positions of the federal troops (blue lines)
