St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1916-03-18
U. s. TROOPS CROSS BORDER
NEAR COLUMBUS, SWING
SOUTH ALONG VILLA
TRAIL IN Mexico,
Carranza Men Join Funxtoo WHO
WIN Use Them for
Scouts,
Outlaw Chieftain Flees Before Roeeoo
Determined to Capture Hin
Dead or Alive.

Determined to Capture Hin
Dead or Alive.
Ell Paso. Texas. March ia
cloud Of dun colored dust hung owe,
the horizon to the west Of Columbus
when the sun set behind the sand
dunes Of New Mexico tonight. It
ended behind the adobe customhou1e
at Palomas and marked the position
of the rear guard Of the American
army Of invasion somewhere % Aoxi-
CO. Since noon the khaki column
had been shaking across he plains
to the south Of the little border
town. dipped down into the dry wash
which brought Villa into town Just
one week ago tomorrow morning.
swung sharply to the left 70 avoid .
great bare dune and passed beside
the white adobe building which STOOD
sentinel on the Mexican border.
There was nc cheering. no bands
playing and no waving Of dagS - the
Columbus troops started south at
noon for Mexico. At the head Of the
snake-like column rode the nghtine
Thirteenth Cavalry, occupying the
place Of honor by right Of sword a-t
because Of its baptism Of blood last
Thursday morning.
The regimental oolors Of the Thlr
teenth gave the only variety 70 the
drab picture. and the cavalry. - they
|cantered out onto the plains blend
disappeared In the distance.
At the border the regimental col
|or-bearer dipped the nag. the SOL
diers cheered. and Gen. BaEtaui. the
Mexican comm. ader 1t Palomas, for
merly welcomed the American troops
into his country, by order ct Gen
Carranza. Behind the cavalgy weni
the engineers with their field equip
ment. then the Sixteenth infantry
the Sixth infantry, and the hospital
corps, ambulance corps, the wagon
train and pack train. All afternoon
the motor lNries, the automobile
scout fleet and the dispatch motor
cycles have been speeding hack and
forth taking messages, supplies and
information to Gen. Pershing and hls
stan from the railroad telegraph.
Tonight the camp1res OF the q.
V0NAAA6 AVASV may O0 0000 0V6S&8k ~
skyline to the south.
As the cavalry column crossed the
line, the little mexican nag on the
customhouse at Palomas waved feeb-
~ In the breeze and the soldiers Of
Gen. Bertani's command slOuched
beside the few buildings to watch the
trim American soldiers cross the Dor.
der and march into IN alien country
after an international OutlaN. These
little brown soldiers are expected TO
cooperate with the American forces
as scouts and will aid the Mormon
civilian guides in picking trail tor
the invading force south and west 70
the Ascension river, and then down
toward Colonia Diaz and the Mormon
colonies. They will carry black and
white flags to show that they are
friends.
The aeroplane corps 10 expectsd to
Join the main column ct sunrise.
They were turning up their machines
tonight and easily will ovestake the
main column with the first 6ieht.
Only . few patrols remain in Colum.
bus tonight. and the little town .
- quiet ~ 1t was this time last
week. when Villa was leering at the
ligAts from the hills to the south.
After the troops left, new regi-
ments rapidly filled the vacated
camps in Columbus. The Eleventh
Of Fort Oglethorpe. Ca, was
one Of the new arrivals.
The new regiments are expected to
follow. but their officers would not
say how soon, nor from what points.
The disposition of the first aeroplane
which passed west through here last
night, loaded ON nat cars, was one
OF the most interesting of the mill
tary secrets. being the first actual
test Of this new arm Of the
service.
Unofficial reports came into N
Paso that about fifty miles west Of
Columbus. near Hachtta, N. H.. an
other column had gathered and prob
ably had entered Mexico. Nothing
more definite was established. de-
spite reports that these troops might
have gone drst.