The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-03-11

today In preparation LOT tne eApeui-
ton in pursuit OF Villa but otherwise
quiet prevails in the vicinity Of Elpaso.
Tex, and Columbus, N. NJ. The ex,
pedition will be under the command OF
Mai. Gen. John G. Pershing.
Washington, March 10.--lndica-
tions late tonight were that the carry
ing out Of President Wilson's order
that American troops re-enter Mexico
to capture or kill villa and his bandits
would be left to the man on the
ground Major Gen. Frederick Funs-
ton.
Officers of the General Staff were
busy tonight on the preparation of In
structions for General Funston. Their
purport was not revealed. Earlier In
the day General Funston had suggest
ed that the plans for troop movements
across the border be kept secret. He
desired to add the element OF surprise
to his weapons for avenging the mur.
der OF Americans at Columbus. Cen
eral Funston also urged that cavalry
be sent to replace the mounted force
he might withdraw from border patrol
duty to form the expeditionary column
or columns, steps to comply with this
request were taken at the he. War ar Depart; 7;
s what eS4p ever adaittanaI " Hoops OOPS MAY be
needed Win pc ord dersd promptly to the
border Officials = Of, the, depaftment
and Secretary Baker, himself worked
iaEa Into the night on details Of pos;
sibles Troop may,emfeents' snap snappllief PILE sisai aad
fhe hst Country ath? til through aa Witch va1a
| will, be, forced to fight or, flee has been
cixl, war that the opportunities for
! forage have been greatly reduced. His
own plan of driving off and selling
herds of cattle has further reduced his
own means of continuing the fight.
To the south of Chihuahua, across
sandy and unproductive stretches of
country. there are operating en- un-
known number of Villas men about
Torreon and in the State of Durango
These have lately conducted daring
raids and are said to be In better
shape than those Villa has with him,
Carranza's army at the present is
said to be not less than $4,000 and he
has increased his store of ammunition
He has approximately 200 cannon
most of them 75 millimeter guns of a
French make, His store, OF ammuni-
ton for these, Is not great, however
and. the guns have seen hard service
in the past, two years seog ,daA
81 Columbus, N. NJ, March 10.-Fran-
cisco Villa. with the Mexican bandit
army whose raid in Columbus. was heat
en- off by the Thirteenth United States
cavalry with severe loss Thursday
morning. was at Boca Grande, twenty
five miles south east, at last reports
brought here today by scouts. asSi
approximately 200 Mexicans were
killed in the battle with United States
soldiers here yesterday, In which six
teen American civilians and soldiers
lost their lives, according to estimates
of army officials today.
American military authorities were
impatient for orders to cross the bor-
der and assail the bandit leader before
he had time to retreat farther into the
interior of Chihuahua.
With plenty of cavalryn1en available
tonight, Colonel Slocum and his Off.
GERS were convinced that an order to
cross the line now would mean a quick
disposition of Villa.
When Major Frank Tompkins OF the
Thirteenth cavalry, with less than 200
men, took up the pursuit Of the entire
Villa, force estimated at $500 men yes.
terday, the Mexicans fed fifteen miles.
Six troops of cavalry we're ready and
eager tonight to renew the chase. =
Meanwhile residents of the town of
Columbus are In state of high ten
sion. A report today that Villa had
recrossed the border and surrounded
the town stanpeded nearly all the in
| habitants. iWoni El .ANiH1
Every man in Columbus and even
small boys were alert throughout the
day, armed With rifles and revolvers
Guns captured from the Mexicans
when the American troops drove them
from the town supplied arms for the
civilians.
Tonight the report that Villa again
was advancing gained currency.
Shouts of Put out the lights" rang
through the streets and military