Omaha daily bee., 1916-03-24
SOLDIER TELLS OF
DREADFUL MARCH
When Word to Rest is Given, Men
Just Drop in Their Tracks
in the Road.
SUFFER FROM HEAT AND THIRST

80 \ NAoOs ANNss MdlEn 90 ne
first story OF the hardships suffered
by the American soldiers in their
now famous march across the Chi
huahua desert was told here tonight
by Sergeant W. II. Harrison Of the
Thirteenth cavalry. Sergeant Har-
rison told his story propped up in
bed in the hospital where he was
taken on his arrival here suffering
from dysentery.
I'VE went in first" he said
There wasn't any cheering. That
stuff Is bunk. Everybody was seri-
GUS and not much was said. We all
started off at a brisk trot and at
once the dust began to rise. There
wasn't a breath OF air and the dust
hung over the road like a curtain.
The alkali got into our eyes and
down our tbroats, it sifted into our
shoes and through our clothes, The
sun bored down into our skulls. We
put wet handkerchiefs in our hats,
but it did not help much. Most of
the fellows rode along with their
eyes shut to keep out the dust and
glare. Many of the men we're half
blind by noon.
Eyes Begin 20 Itch.
My eyes began to i.ch soon around
the edges. then they felt as big as camp
kettles and everything got dark. You
could feel the blood beating back OF your
eyeballs. Then the headache would be-
gin.
You should have seen the faces Of the
men after an hour or two. The dust set
tied on the sweat and then the sweat
would run down. leaving a little furrow.
Some of them looked like painted Indians.
when we got to Las Palomas we went
right through the streets. There was not
soul in the whole town. 1t was weird.
We heard some ducks quacking and saw
some goats. but not human being. At
the next town. Boca Grandes. there were
three poems sitting in the sun. The rest
Of the place was like grave. Only you
expect grave to be silent. but when a
town is silent that wsy It is funny.
Just outside Of Boca Grandes we found
the body of a cowboy who had been killed
by Villa on his way to Columbus. The
body lay about twenty feet from the
road They had tortured him and his
hands were burned TO a crisp. We did
not have time to bury the poor fellow.
Everybody swore under his breath when
we passed. Later some OF the Sixteenth
tried to bury him. The ground was too
hard so they just piled rocks on the body.
Drop In Their Tracks.
During the marches the boys stopped
ten minutes every hour for rest When
the word was given they just dropped in
their tracks In the road No stop was
made for dinner. 1t was Just one steady
hike from morning until we reached the
camping place. The infantry was strung
out so that the detachments were a days
march apart. That is the way they are
going now.
I'VE got no water from Columbus to
Boca Grandes. thirty-one miles. The
water in my canteen got so hot that
could hardly drink It. Most CT it I poured
on my head to stop the headache.
DO YOU know how much stuff a
dough boy dnfantryman) has TO carryY
Well It weighs about fifty pounds. Just
as soon as they sat down. off would come
their shoes. The gritty road cut Their
shoes to bits and the alkali made Their
feet swell and blister. / saw some OF
them having a fine time getting their
shoes back on their feet.
I'VE passed through Colonia Diaz, one
Of the Mormon settlements. The houses
were OF red brick and were well built but
there was not a human being there.
Cherry trees were blooming aud the al
falfa was knee deep. The roofs of the
houses were burned and the windows
were all broken, We got some water out
OF an irrigation ditch. That is what fixed
me. 1t gave me dyseP;ery.
Cop. War baby.
I'VE were fed pretty well. Hard tack
and canned 'willie'-that's corned beef.
little bacon. Once 1 copped
a warbaby-that's what We call soft
bread"