File No. 812.00/18191
General Funston to the Secretary of War
1438. Following from General Bell, El Paso, repeated.
A Mexican who arrived in Juarez this morning direct from Torreon, Coahuila, states that heavy movement of troops from Torreon towards Chihuahua started Saturday and that the first troops reached Chihuahua Sunday. Before he left Torreon two heavy trains of about thirty cars each arrived there with troops from Vera Cruz or Mexico City and he heard that others were on the way. In coming up from Torreon he saw eighteen trains and on two of these counted seven pieces of artillery and on three other trains counted nine more making a total of sixteen pieces of artillery. He also saw many machine guns. To date so far as known there are no troop trains this side of Chihuahua. The troop movements are very slow and deliberate. Last night the Consul of the United States at Chihuahua said it was undoubtedly true that a large concentration was taking place and that every effort was being made to give it wide publicity. He characterized the whole thing as a swashbuckler movement. He also stated that Canuto Reyes and Calixti Contreras were with General Trevino as their commands were disarmed when they surrendered and that disarmament was not to take place until it was seen what the Americans would do.