The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-05-04
DEVILS OWN PLAYGROUND"
Where There Was Man to-Man Fighting
in Mexico.

Field Headquarters, April 20 by mo
tor courier to Columbus, ~ NJ, May A.
There was man to.man fighting and some
of the Americans went up the mountain
side with knives in their teeth during Col
George A. Dodd's battle with yillista
| bandits on April % at Temochic.
ut was the devils own playground,
was Colonel Dodd's description OF the
terrain of this battle in southwestern
Chihuahua among towering mountains,
where $50 bandits sought refuge.
For two hours Dodd's troops of the
seventh cavalry fought from an immense
hollow with bandits on three sides, eharg.
ing deliberately over ground marked with
bullet puffs in the dust all about their
feet, where the Mexicans had their ex-
act range They accounted for at least
50 bandits killed or wounded. against an
American loss of two dead and three
wounded.
Two nights before this fight, the Amer
leans overlook the bandits at the Yoqui-
vom mine, where they were lying about
campiires, telling the natives stories OF
how they claimed to have whipped the
Americans at Columbus and at Guerrero
They showed big humps of gold and sill
yer taken from Mexican towns, which
they asserted were spols of war.
Shortly before midnight. an outpost
ran in breathless, exclaiming: "The
Americans are comingi"
Scores of dark forms leaped through
the freight, bugles blew and in 10 min
utes the whole bandit command had gal
loped out of town. When the cavalry
men came in they found two American
mining men, a Mr.. Seyforth and another,
who had paid $1,000 ransom to the ban
dts.
These Americans said the bandits were
led by Candelero Cervantes. Jesus Delev-
ers, Cruz Dominguez and Manuel Baca.
who was killed by Mexican the follow
ing Sunday after the fight.
Among them were followers of Julio |
Acosta and General Beltran. They were |
of all the best known Villa |
veterans and at that time. |
1t least, the last known band of Villas |
men whose nerve had not been shaken |
BY defeats at Columbus. Guerrero and /
Aguas Calentes.
Saturday afternoon at 4:s0 Dodd's /
men, arriving at the southern rim of the
lills forming the cup in which the town
II Temochie lies, saw the rear guard Of
,andits riding out of town. Ahead Of
hem they saw the main body waiting
,ehind rocks to give battle. 4 machine
1In was placed to sweep this ridge while
he Americans rode down into the cnp in
'ursuit. They dismounted in town. ad. K
ancing on foot with rifles ready. led by
roop / and accompanied by the two
uides.
Trooper Killed BY Sniper.
While still in town a trooper was hit
nd mortally wounded The bullet came {
rom the flank from a cave in a mountain =
verlooking Temochic. Out Of big !
dobe chimney the troops pulled sniper, |
he only one caught in the place II
Behind the town, troop l. advanced 20 {
.ithin range Of the crests above. They ]
rossed the range in short rushes. living {
own and firing, then advancing few q
ards.
Colonel Dodd. with his stat. rode a
trough the zone Of Ere. while bullets
~ within a ward or two Of every man
ltil they reached small knoll bevond
,e town. From here. Dodd directed the ]
zht. Another machine gun was brought
, close to play on the force at the crest
front Of the knoll. Ont along the
meriu,n line a trooper vas living on his q
omach firing Hrs comrades saw a bul- o
{ strike 81 feet in front 81 him. then s.
hers popped 2D feet ahead of him. ln it
moment more. third ball strurk him II
the head, killing him. A heutenant, =.