Show venezuelan TROOPS WERE DEFEATED president castro at the head of his army retreats before the advancing revolutionists island of Cura coa sept 17 president castro of venezuela has retreated from before the ad of the revolutionists the venezuelan governments situation is critical advises advices from venezuela confirm the dispatches of the associated press from wi of friday sept 12 the battle which as then announced began september 11 in the vicinity between about revolutionists under gan erah mendoza batalla and bivera and government forces of about the same strength led by the venezuelan minister of war general garrido resulted in the defeat of the government forcha and not in a victory lor the latte ai announced in a dispatch from torres cardenas which set forth that general mendoza army had been anni sept 8 near ti aquillo the engagement of that date as cabled from here september 12 was only nn advance guard fight of no importance the real battle began sept 11 and lifted four days after arih eral garrido retreated on valencia and contu ly entered that city sp li with about 2100 men leaving the road free for the further advance on caracas or the revolutionary army under mendoza rivera and hatalla the only other government army in the field is the one which is under the personal command of president castro who a few day sago was at ocumare Ocum are 1 miles south of ar acaB and was sending th advance guar dot tine army of matos ithe header the president later abandoned his position precipitately before the advance of the revolutionists nho occupied ocumare Ocum are the president to and then to guyana about four hours march from caracas according to report the president intends to move his army to a point near valencia join forces with the troops under beneral garrido and attack the revolutionary army of mendoza from all points are reported desertions of government soldiers to the ranks of the revolutionists and the general impression ia that the last important incident of the revolution is approaching pro aching |