The Prescott daily news., 1916-03-16
G N. PERSHING WITH
 5000 MEN ON MOVE
Tension at Army Headquarters Relieved by Actual Crossing of Line and Funston Hopeful For Quick Decisive Results.

San Antonio, Texas, March 15.- General John J. Pershing with more than 1000 troops began the pursuit in Mexico today of Francisco Villa, whose raid across the border last week caused President Wilson and cabinet to decide to use the Ameri- can army to run him down. General Pershing's report that he and his command had crossed the boundary line just south of Columbus reached General Funston, in charge of the general operations, late today. Re- ports of progress will be made to General Funston, but it is not antici- pated that these will be frequent or deal with any but the more important details.
 How far into Mexico the column had reached tonight was unknown. General Pershing's course for the next two days is not known at head quarters, and not until after Friday are sharp developments expected Col. George J. Dodd, heading a small column that entered Mexico some distance west of Columbus, also is moving in southerly direction and these two forces should be in touch with each other before the end of the week. By that time it is expected infantry support will hold the lines of communication along which motor trucks for the transportation of muni- tions and supplies will be operated.
 Although the censorship imposed was relaxed tonight, efforts still were made to keep secret the details of the plan of campaign, the exact number of men engaged and their actual loca- tion. General Pershing's report of entrance served to dispel to a great extent fears that had been enter tained in some quarters that resist ance would be offered by the troops of the de facto government. Colonel ! Bertaini, commanding officer of the Carranza garrison at Palomas, on the south side of the dividing line, promptly joined General Pershing. His force was only some 400 men, but they were reported to have dis played willingness and eagerness to join in the chase As body the Mexican troops will remain under their own commander.
 General Pershing has gone into Mexico with orders to overtake and wipe out Villa and his organization. Unless orders to the contrary are re- ceived the campaign that was begun today will continue until Villa is cap tured or killed. This, it was said, IS the idea General Pershing carried with him across the line. No limits have been placed on the field of op- erations after the campaign is well under way. Circumstances may cause restrictions, but just now the troops are prepared to go anywhere.
 News that the expedition was un- der way reduced to a marked degree the tension evident at army head quarters here during the earlier part of the day. It was expected the troops would cross earlier, but the troops movement delayed the start General Funston appeared to have no doubt that the men in the field would render good account of themselves and he was hopeful that Villa would be forced to a corner at an early date
 There are now available more than 10000 troops, and if the plans of re- eruiting the companies to full strength are carried out this number will be quickly increased. Cavalry posts have been relieved by infantry in order to furnish more mobile force, although in the expedition that went in today there is a considerable force of artillery which can be rein forced at any time by several more batteries that now are held on the American side within easy distance Of the border.