The three chiefs had to work together, and the utter defeat of either of the three separately, spelled disaster for the rest. It is fortunate for Mexico that this campaign should have created four strong soldiers “on horseback” for the danger to Mexico’s liberties always appeared with one man as the hero, who subsequently turned to be the “villain.” When there is more than one savior or liberator, they are apt to be so busy watching one another, that Mexico’s liberties are more likely to be respected. CHAPTER XII CAMPAIGN OF GENERAL OBREGON IN THE WEST BY COL. I. C. ENRIQUEZ Perhaps the most interesting chapter of the Constitutionalist revolt against the dictator Huerta is the campaign of rebellion led by the brave citizens of the State of Sonora. When they decided to fight the bloody dictator and resist his murderous deeds, they were confronted by a very strong and well organized army. The Federal troops were well equipped with ammunition and guns. Their positions were well established, while the Constitutionalists had nothing more than desire of justice, backed by reckless bravery. They had neither guns nor ammunition, and certainly no trained army, and in spite of all this, they were the victors. [Illustration: GENERAL ALVARO OBREGON Chief of the Western Division] After the assassination of Señor Francisco I. Madero and Señor José Maria Pino Suarez, a dreadful feeling of fear spread through the country. This was especially evident among the civilians. What but death had they to expect from such a brutal dictator as Huerta? For this reason alone, there were at the beginning very few men who were willing to take up arms against him. Even among the governors, twenty-seven in number, only _one_ dared to throw down the glove of challenge to the assassin. He was Don Venustiano Carranza, at that time governor of the State of Coahuila. Half an hour after the news of the assassination reached him, he called the state legislature into session, denounced the dictator Huerta and demanded that they should not recognize Huerta’s authority. He was the only man with sufficient moral courage to openly revolt against Huerta. At that time, Carranza was not the only one who had the historic opportunity of coming out as a defender of his country’s honor. The same message was transmitted to Señor José M. Maytorena, then the governor of the State of Sonora, but unlike Carranza, he did not take up the cause of his downtrodden countrymen. He saw at a glance the danger of such a move, and realized that the struggle against Huerta would be a very unequal one. Thinking of his own safety first, he left Deputy Ignacio L. Pesqueira as acting governor, and fled to the United States.