Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1916-03-31
.OFF|CER BLAMED
FOR COLUMBUS RAID

According to the Columbus Courier,
issue Of March "a. copy of which
has just been received by DR.. w. r..
Jamison of Sacramento from his SON.
in-law, Mayor Hoover of Columbus,
the commanding officer OF the thir-
teenth cavalry, meaning Colonel Sloc-
um, Is responsible for the fatal result
OF the attack by Villa on the New
Mexican town. The editorial column
contains the statement that the COM
manding officer knew the day before
OF Villas presence in the neighborhood
and that shortly before midnight on
the night Of the raid he received n
message informing him that Villa had
broken camp and was heading toward
Columbus. It is stated that the
colonel even sent one Juan Favcla TO
the border to inform the outpost of
the CarranZa forces that Villa was
coming, but in spite of this the Ameri-
can officer took no extra precautions,
the guard was not strengthened. nor
were the other officers apprised of
the approach of the bandit. When the
attack began, according to the Courier,
the cavalrymen were as much sur
prised as the citizens. Their pistols
were locked up and they were not we'll
supplied with rifle ammunition. Fifty
troops in the Q. NJ. c. building were
ho fA fA,
their lives. In the dark 1t took time
to get arms and ammunition to the
soldiers, so that the results they OBJ
tanned are considered exceedingly
good. Two of the machine guns JAM
med in the dark after firing five shots
each.
Castleman Real Hero.
The paper characterizes Lieutenant
Castleman, a man who has risen from
the ranks. as the hero of the fight.
He was officer of the day, and after
placing the machine guns to COM
mand the arroyo through which the
bandits advanced to attack the troops,
he gathered up SO men. mostly of
Troop F, and advanced to the rescue
of the town then being looted by the
Mexicans. Although outnumbered ten
to one. this little band handled their
rifles as cody as If one the target
range, making every shot count. They
arrived just in time to save the guests
Of the hotel. Only one of the troopers
was killed, and it took three shots to
put him out of the fight, for he con-
tinued load and fire even after the Sec
ond ball had struck him.
Private information received by DR..
Jamison indicates that Mexicans, vii
listas or otherwise, are far from popu-
lar in Columbus. II is stated in let
ters received by him that Villa sympa-
thizers living in Columbus had spied
out the city carefully for him, and that
although the raid was made in the
dark not a Mexican house nor a MeXi.
can establishment was touched.
Fourteen Mexicans Killed.
Every Mexican was ordered out OF
the CITY," said DR.. Jamison Monday
the day following the raid. Three
days later fourteen of them returned
to Columbus. Not one escaped"
The Courier takes particular pains
to quiet the alarms of the citizens as
to further attacks calling attention to
the precautions taken by the present
commander OF the Columbus border
guard, Major Semple of the Sixteenth
infantry. = Citizens are urged to &C
about their business as usual, as 1t Is
pointed out that Columbus is the best
guarded point now on the border, and
that one raid does not mean neces
sarily another.