Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1916-03-24
MORE U. 5. TROOPS
CALLED To HUNT
VILLA IN MEXICO
GENERAL FREDERICK FUNSTON
SENDS REQUEST TO WAR
DEPARTMENT.
OUTLAW BANDS MAY ATTACK
General Pershing Must Keep His Line
of Communication Open-ViIIa
Forced Into New Battle by
Carranza Forces.

San Antonio, Tex, March 22.-Gen-
eral Funston considered the Mexican
| situation so serious that he asked
Washington for more troops.
| The rapid advance of General
Pershing's expedition has placed it so
far from its border base that addi-
| tional soldiers are Immediately re-
quired to protect his dangerously
| thin" line of communication, explained
General Funston, announcing the fact
| of call on the war department for
re-enforcements.
Within a day or two, due to the ex-
ceedingly rapid advance being made
by the American cavalry, General
Pershing's communication line will be
200 miles long.
Fear Outlaw Bands.
1t was stated at army headquarters
that additional troops are needed not
only as a protection against sudden
rear-guard action by Villistas but
against any parties who might care
to make trouble for the American eX-
peditionary force.
General Funston declined to state
whom he regarded as possible enc
mics in addition to Villa bandits.
The only fear expressed at head
quarters was not that any one of the
detachments had suffered misfortune,
but that Villa might again have eluded
his pursuers.
General Funston announced that
the Fifth cavalry, of which one squad
ron is at Fort Meyer, Va, another at
Fort Leavenworth, Kan, and the third
at Fort Sheridan, ILL.,, would be
brought to the border at once and
sent out along General Pershing's line
of communication.
New Clash Due Soon.
The last reports received here told
of Villas encounter with Carranza's
forces near Namiquipa. If Villa de-
feated the Mexican government
troops, it was regarded as probable
that he had continued his movement
on into the south, where he might re-
main unmolested for some time.
Villa was reported defeated by Car
rama forces at Cruces, just south of
FL Vale, and to have retreated into
the Santa Clara mountains.
American troops have been dis
patched to the vicinity where Villa
was reported as fighting with the con-
stitutionalists, according to the Co
lumbus wireless.
The Americans went in separate
q ie hof
constitutionalist troops have been dis
patched to the same neighborhood to
cooperate in attempting to trap
Villa. A separate column of Ameri-
can troops has been sent to the vicin-
ity of Cruces, where Villa was re-
ported.
More Cavalry Needed.
The additional troops requested, the
number and exact composition of
which later will be announced by the
war department, will consist of cav
airy and infantry and possibly some
artillery There are now 10000 fed
eral soldiers in General Funston's de-
partment of the southwest, but of
these only portion are available for
foreign service, the great majority be-
ing used for border patrol. Five thou
sand are in the Brownsville district
alone.
General Funston's latest informal
ton as to Villas whereabouts locates
the bandit in the region about Cruces.
according to headquarters, Pershing's
rapid advance had taken him out of
touch with his temporary base at
Casas Grandes.
Get Request in Washington.
Washington, March %. Brigadier
General Pershing has asked for more
infantry to keep open the lines of
communication behind his flying col
umns Major General Funston has
forwarded the request to the war de-
partment and it has been taken under
consideration.
Villa in New Battle.
Ell Paso, Tex, March 22.-Francisco
Villa and his band of outlaws have
been forced into another battle with
the Carranza troops near Las Cruces.
This information came as report by
wireless to the United States army
station at Columbus, N. NJ, and it was
further said that American troops had
been dispatched to Las Cruces to aid
in the fighting.
The fighting at Las Cruces follow
ing the engagement at Namiquipa in
Convention Defined.