The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1916-03-29
VILLA ELUDES
PURSUING ARMIES
HIS WAY THROUGH
CARRANZA'S LINES, SEEKS
HIS OLD-TIME HAUNTS.

co Villa has escaped from the MeXi-
can troops which checked him near
Nariquipa, and three columns of
American cavalry are pursuing him.
Already they are almost $50 miles
south of the border and unless the
elusive bandit is brought to another
stand this distance will be greatly
increased by the close of the week.
Villas success in extricating him
self from the dangerous position into
which he had been driven by the
American punitive force was related
in detailed report of Gen. Pershing
that reached Gen Funston to-day.
Gen. Funston forwarded the report
to Washington without making public
any but the essential features.
Col. Dodd is commanding the ad-
vance columns that are riding hard
after Villa and his men, and Gen.
Pershing has divided his forces so as
to provide supporting columns along
the thinly stretched lines of COM
munication from his most advanced
base at Ell Vale. From Ell Vale an
other line is being maintained back
to Casas Grandes from where COM
munication with the border is main
tanned. Gen Pershing himself is some
where, south of Casas Grandes direct
ing the work of holding together his
forces and directing, so far as possi-
BILE, the operations of Col. Dodd. Cav
airy is being used along the lines of
communication with Ell Vale, where
a detachment of infantry is station
ed.
Work for Aeronauts.
Three aeroplanes are at Ell Vale
and will be used in scouting as soon
as the high winds that have been
sweeping that part of Mexico for al
most week subside and which, ac-
cordlng to Gen. Pershing, have made
effective assistance by them impossi-
BILE.
Of the eight machines that went
into Mexico, two still are out of COM
mission. They were damaged in the
flights from Columbus to Casas
Grandes.
Details of the operations about
Namiquipa, which concluded with the
escape of Villa, were not revealed,
but there is little reason to believe
he was badly whipped or even weak
ened by the fighting directed against
him BY the de facto Government
troops.
Reports last week from Mexican
sources indicate that he had been Sc
verely defeated by the loyal forces
of Carranza and a few reports state
that American troops had participat-
ed in the action. It now appears that
no Americans were actually engaged
and the fact that Villa made his way
through what was described as an
encircling line of Mexican troops,
was taken here to indicate that he
was the victor.
Headed for Mountains.
Villa now appears to be heading for
the mountains of the Guerrero dis
trict. Once there, it is conceded, his
capture will be difficult and should
he choose to pass through the district
on into the south, there are trails
over which he might move his little
army until junction is made with
one or more of his rowing organiza-
tions in Southern Chihuahua, or
Northern Durango.
If Villa moves into the districts
further south, military men realize
that the problem of capturing him
will become many times more COM
plex. More troops will become nee
essary and their provisioning by way
of country roads will become practi-
cally an impossibility.
Fifty-four more auto trucks were
put into service to-day along the line
between Columbus, N. NJ, and Casas
Grandes, and twenty-seven more
were reported to be on their way
from the factory, but even with this
increase in the motive power of the
transportation division, bad weather
and heavy roads make that method
of getting supplies to the front un-
certain, in the opinion of officers
connected with the quartermaster's
department. The escape of Villa and
his renewed movement toward the
south, they say, make the use of at
least one of the railroads, and posi-
bly, both, from Juarez to Chihuahua
almost essential to the success Of the
chase.