Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-03-16
Great Holes Made in Border
Guard With Departure
of Americans.
GEN.. BELL IN CHARGE
Follows on Heels of General
Pershing in Making New
Preparations.

I'll PaS0, March 16.-It was stat.
ed at the headquarters of Gen.
eral Gavira, Carranza command
er at Juarez, today, that no infor-
nation has been received of any
Carranza troops having Joined the
American expedition. General
Bertani, who was reported to have
Joined General Pershing, arrived
here last night with Is men from
GuZman.
Ell Paso, Texas, March 16.-New and
powerful army units we're rapidly
forming today along the Mexican bor-
der to fill the gaps left yesterday when
the first expeditionary army entered
Mexico from two points on the New
Mexican line. In Ell Paso, Brigadier
General George Bell, Jr., moving in
here on the heels Of Brigadier General
j. j. Pershing, who led the first force
into Mexico, was busy gathering new
and attending to the sup
ply problem, the food, water and COM
for more than 1000 men
who today were out on virtual des-
ert rapidly getting farther from their
bases.
The 23rd infantry from Galveston
was pitching its tents at Fort Bliss
here. At Columbus, N. NJ. the 18th
cavalry from Fort Oglethorpe. arriv-
ing during the night, was ready to
move in after the first army, but 1t was
not known here when the 18th would
go or in whic direction. Columbus
was today the immediate base for
Brigadier General Pershing's army.
Curriers' Under Censor Too.
Reports of interesting incidents OF
yesterday as the dust powdered Amer
lean columns went over the interna-
tional line reached here today via
couriers. For the most part these
couriers showed a desire to cooperate
with the request of the military con-
sors that they should not reveal any,
thing Of military Importance.
From hill overlooking the six
square miles where the army was still
encamped at IL o'clock yesterday fore
noon the military organization ap-
peared to civilian spectators like a
vast confused swarm of men and
horses, grey cannon, wagons, mule
teams and ambulances. But at 40
a. m. when the word was given to form
for the pursuit of Villa, the apparent
confusion disappeared. In a very few
minutes each organization Of cavalry,
infantry and artillery, ambulances,
signal corps and the cooks wagons,
grouped and dovetailed into a rapidly
frightening column. At the van the
red and white guidons of the 18th cav
airy snapped in the breeze. These cav
alrymen included the troopers Who a
week ago today, outnumbered, five to
one, drove Villa back into Mexico from
Columbus.
Behind the 18th marched the COM
pact, brown columns Of the 9Th and
the 18th infantry. Next. at slow trot,
field battery swung into line and
then dropped to a slow pace behind
the infantry "doughboys" the deadly
machine guns, packed In commercial
looking bundles on mules, attracted
scarcely a look from initiated civilian
spectators. Supply trains and ambu-
lances rolled in long line bringing
up the rear. Vast dust clouds swept
up from the line of march, at times
obscuring the troops
Glad OF the Chance.
The feeling among the men seemed
typical of the remark by one dusty,
perspiring trooper, who, as he hurried
past group of civilian sightseers ex-
claimed:
We've got our chance at last"
He grinned as he spoke.
A few women whose husbands were
going to the front watched the depart
ure, smiling while their husbands
were still in sight and then breaking
into tears One officers wife laugh
ingly patted her husbands pistol into
place.
Some wounded Mexicans were pick
ed up yesterday in the country adja-
cent to Columbus. They apparently
had been hiding out for several days.
some probably hit during fights with
posses which secured the Columbus
country for several days after the raid.