The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1913-09-25
GUARDING MEXICAN FRONTIER
American Soldiers Form Line 500
Miles Long.

airy regiments in the southern de-
I.partment. Between Brownsville and
the eastern line of California, where
the Jurisdiction of that department
ends and that of the department of
the west begins, is approximately l.
500 miles.
In other words, there are some
thing like 5000 men, three to the
mile, preserving the neutrality laws
of the United States while Mexican
belligerents strive for supremacy.
There are other troops in the terri
tory contiguous, but the duty of en-
forcing the rule of peace and order
along the dividing line between the
two countries devolves entirely on
these bronzed soldiers, who are be-
ginning to tire of the heat and to
hope something more exciting will
start soon.
All of the Third cavalry and bat
teries A, B and G. of the Third field
artillery are at Fort Sam Houston
and, naturally, convenient to almost
any place where they might be ur-
gently needed. But the officers at the
headquarters of the brigade are al
most convinced blinking at the sun
will continue to be just as eXhilar-
ating an anything they may have to
do.
Between brigade headquarters and
the war department at Washington
there runs a special wire. For weeks
and months officers of both the caval
ry and artillery left at headquarters
have waited for the telegraph to
bring something moving waiting in
vain. If they could be absolutely GER
tain nothing demanding activity on
their part is likely to happen they
could spend all their spare time in
studies. But to expect something
stirring and to get daily disappoint-
ment is, they are frank to admit, dis
couraging.
Whether due to orders from Gen.
Wood or to the caution of Gen Bliss,
is not known, but it is a fact the
officers of the department staff de-
cline to give the locations of the va
rious detachments of troops now
standing guard over the northern
bank of the Rio Grande. Anyway,
the troops are moved so frequently,
at the suggestion OF a colonel, or
even a captain, that such a matter as
naming the exact spot where all the
men are camped would be exceeding
ly difficult.
The districts where there are head
quarters of the various detachments
are; Brownsville, Laredo, Eagel Pass,
Big Bend, Sierra Blanca-Clinti, Ell
Paso, New Mexico, eastern Arizona
and western Arizona. In every in
stance the detachment headquarters
is located in the biggest town in the
district. Troops in California are un-
der Gen. Murray and are not counted
in the list of those under Gen Bliss.
Many of the troops doing duty on
the border have been there nearly
two years. When the Third cavalry
returned to headquarters its officers
and men had seen nineteen months
of practically uninterrupted service
in the field.
Some of the other cavalry regi-
ments were part of the patrol when
the Third went out, and there is not
much chance of relieving any of them
because of the fact practically all the
cavalry available for service of this
sort is engaged. NJ any of the smaller
detachments are far from places of
any size and some of them do not
receive mail more frequently than
once a week. To all intents and
purposes they are in the field"
1t is conceded everywhere, and
particularly at Washington, that no
three men ever born can keep con-
slant watch on a mile of internation-
al boundary, or mile, of any other
sort of line, unless they are on
mountain top and work in relays.
1t is out Of the question to think of
mountain tops in some parts of the
territory covered by these men in
khaki.
So it becomes necessary for the de-
partment to work out system of its
own, one that has proven effective in
small detachments, and, frequently
there is a squad without a commits
stoned officer. But they cover the
ground, and there is nothing along
either bank of the river that escapes
their attention.
Much of the entire 800 miles is
ratrolled daily. Most of the remain