Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-04-14

was resumed. 1t was so dark that
houses one hundred feet from the
road could not be distinguished from
the background of hills and noun
tains. This made marching slow.
Were Close to Villa
Although they did not hear of Il
that night, some of the officers of the
Seventh were informed a few dayst4ft-
erwards that Villa was believed to
have been at a house within two miles
of San Antonio the night when the
American column passed on its way
to Guerrero.
AS the Americans took their posi-
tions at three points about Guerrero
the officer stationed with the machine
guns said that he could look down
into the city, which was spread over a
wide eXpanse. From the plaza and
from most of the houses he saw men
running and everywhere horses We're
being saddled hurriedly. Before the
American surrounding movement wasi
complete two columns of men rode out
of Guerrero. Each of them carried a
Mexican flag, the same as the Carran-
"a troops bear. Word went along the
American lines not to fire on the Mex
lean flag. Two captains, James tF'echel
and Rush Wells were sent forward to
demand the identity of the two col
umns. Captain Fechel received no
reply to'his demand, but Captain Wells
was fired on.
Snipe as They Scatter
The Americans swung into action as
fast as their tired horses would take
them, while the Villa band scattered,
all in flight, some in twos and threes.
snipinS as they retreated from rock
to rock. The Villa forces, this mes
senger said, formed three times as if
to make stand against the Americans
but gave up each time without a fight
and continued their retreat. The AM
orleans followed. riding a short dis
tance and then dismounting to fire.
1t was difficult for the Americans to
overtake the Villa band because of the
long march the cavalrymen had made
to reach Guerrero. For this reason
the machine gun platoon was unable
TO get into action at very close range
From hill these guns swept an area
of about 1000 yards wide and 1000
yards deep Observers with the guns
saw horses in the distance lying prone
where the guns had reached them.
The machine guns also followed the
retreating bandits, but on account of
their long march, had difficulty i'm
keeping up with the fresh horses of
the Villa followers.
cavalry officer who has been out
riding the trails of the Bandits, re-
turning to-day, had not tasted bacon
meet any of the bandits but partici-
pated in many long chases which help
ed to run the Mexicans into contact
with other American forces.
Old Sock Highly Priced
MY most priced article of baggage"
the officer said, 81 think. was an old
sock. When I had coffee. 1 kept it in
this sock. When 1 had tobacco and
no coffee, j turned the sock the other
side out and filled it with tobacco
One side for each, but not enough of
either to keep even one side working
all the time.
Yesterday obtained some matches,
took them while the other fellow
wasn't looking. because 1 knew he
would not need them half as much as
we did out on the trail"
His men and himself. this officer
said had worn out much of their
clothing, according to ordinary stand
ards of wear, in their hard rides
They, like thousands of other cavalry
men were patching their shoes with
the extra leather from their stirrups,
which made excellent sole leather.
This is the only suit of clothes I
have along" the officer said, land I
wore out the seat of my trousers a
week ago. So 1 made a new seat out
of my shelter half"
Two men used one tent and each
carries half, called his shelter half.
These tents are about n ward bieb
at one end, sloping to the ground at
the other end. Most of the fast riding
cavalry advance columns are without
such tents at present, having used
them for other purposes or discarded
them to tighten burdens when they
got the trail of some squad of Villa
bandits.
"A good many shelter tents in our
force" the officer continued. have
ben used to renew treuser seats"