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Red Flagger Tactics

PASCUAL OROZCO used Casas Grandes as the seat of his rebellion plans, placed himself at the head of a party christened the Liberales, chose a red flag as his emblem, and smarting from real or fancied neglect, started a campaign that plunged the nation into a rash of contraband warfare that was to last for years.

This drastic turn of events was felt in Colonia Juarez immediately and sounded the death knell to hopes entertained for an early peace. Instead of the hoped for release from persecutions following the Juan Sosa tragedy, it was an opening for malcontents to vindictively intensify persecutions. Instead of the hoped for end of hostilities the election of Madero promised, it was the beginning of other and fiercer rebellions. Instead of looking forward to the security of a restored and stable government, the colonists faced a withdrawal of any protection whatsoever. Bishops and high councilors went into special session with the stake presidency at the December 1911 quarterly conference in Colonia Dublan to consider possible action. With no general authorities in attendance, action had to be taken on their own responsibility with sanctions and approval gained later. The most urgent need was for some kind of protection. The purchase of long range Mauser rifles to meet this need in case of a possible siege was discussed. Their critical need resulted in a vote that a most careful attempt be made to bring in from the United States guns-guns which they promised themselves would be used only for protection of the group and never for private use. With encouragement from Church leaders Orson P. Brown was detailed to do the business. He succeeded in purchasing thirty long range guns and 25,000 rounds of assorted ammunition. Although secrecy was important because of neutrality regulations an account of his first attempt to ship the arms into Mexico got into the newspapers. The shipment instead of being delivered into the hands of trusted men on good horses stationed at strategic points on the road from Columbus to Dublan was seized and confiscated by secret service men. The custodian would have been arrested also had he not eluded the U.S. officers. With the critical need of guns and protection still felt, a second and more successful attempt was made and guns were finally delivered into the hands of President Junius Romney who in turn apportioned and delivered them to the Bishops of the various wards.

The Juarez ward allotment was delivered to Bishop Joseph C. Bentley one night at 10:00 p.m., with instructions that his ten rifles and several thousand rounds of ammunition be guarded and kept from persons unauthorized to use them, but in a place of easy access in case of need. He accepted the charge most reluctantly. To him a gun was a dangerous instrument for use only by men of evil intent and certainly not a respectable skeleton for a bishop's closet. To have to be a party to concealment of weapons he had taken no part in procuring was highly distasteful and irritating. The whole procedure was at variance with his idea of keeping the peace. He, therefore, took them in the dark of the night, shoved them between rafters under the loose floor boarding of a little used closet, and prayed for a better means of settling difficulties than by the use of firearms.