The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-03-11


than the s.2-inch rapid fire guns with
which the First. Third, and Fifth Field
! Artillery regiments are equipped. The
First Field Artillery Is stationed at
Hawaii and the Fifth Field Artillery,
| except Battery A, at Fort Bliss, Tex,
| is at Fort Sill. Okla.
The third column. II Is understood,
will be formed of troops In the neigh
borhood OF lei Paso, and will proceed, 1t
IL believed by way Of Noria, n New
Mexican border point, and follow the
desert trail southwestward toward Guz-
man.
The Signal Corps will play an impor-
tant role In the expedition. II will
keep the separate columns Of the eX-
petition In radio touch with one az
other and Will maintain communications
with the supporting forces on the bor-
der and will make aeroplane reconnois-
sances. Brigadier General Scriven, chief
Of the Signal Corps, Colonel Reber. and
other officers of that corps, were in
conference with the. general stan yes
terday afternoon regarding the radio
and aerial work of the expedltionary
force.
Over Desert Region.
The region south OF Columbus into
which villa fed Is virtually all arid
desert, and wherever the desert ends
the mountains begin.
The eXpeditionary force must preserve
It's lines OF communication, supplies,
and ammunition. and considerable
number of cavalrymcn will be needed for
this. Furthermore. General Funston re-
ports that villa Is known to have at
least 5000 men, and this Information In
confirmed by State Department reports.
II villa Is to lDe captured, II cannot be
erected, Is argued by single ex-
peditionary column.
President Wilson. as commander-in-
chief OF the army. will designate the
commander of the expedition. but no
announcement of the designation was
forthcoming today. The ranking officer
next to General Funston in the southern
division is Brig. Gen. John ]. Pershing.
Other high officers of the border patrol
First cavalry ;ne Rr Go%an sriF aen
James Parker, commanding; headquar-
ters at Fort Sam Houston.
second Cavalry Brigade. Col George
a. Dodd. commanding headquarters at
Second Infantry Brigade. Brig. Gen.
Robert X. Evans. commanding; head
quarters at Laredo. Tex.
Firth Infantry Brigade, Brig. Gen.
george Bell. IT,. commanding; head
quarters at San Antonio, Tex,
sixth Infantry Brigade, Brig. Gen.
Iholnas Davis. commanding: head
aT n,1S,s at At, DOnslas, Arl5: 49,, -
John ]. Pershing, commanding: head
Tex
Over 100000 Square Miles.
Whether Villa will concentrate his
followers or continue to evade pursuit
In scattered hands can only be guessed.
Department officials realize, however,
that the tield of operations may In
cIuoe territory approximately 400
miles long and as many wide. In any Of
these lOO,WO square miles Villa might
| operate with a certain knowledge Of
every trail and water hole.
Villa always has shown a preference
through his years OF outlawry for the
mountains that parallel the boundary
line of the States OF Chihuahua and
Sonora whom forced to retreat. There
| Is reason to believe that he Is now
making his way west and south to seek
shelter In the hills. He Is known 20
practically every peon there. and In the
Sosth near Guerrero, are the people
| among whom he was born. Once back
In the mountains and befriended by
| those who fear him az well as those
who idolize him the bandits capture
| would tax American ingenuity.
| SHOULD villa concentrate his men the
| problem OF his capture would be simple.
| objects say, hut they do not anticipate
| that he can lie lured into an open fight.
The most promising factor. from the
american viewpoint, Is shortage of am
munition. II IL known that Villas men
have been conserving their small stock
| OF cartridges and have no source from
| which to obtain more. Their guns are
in bad condition, and many weeks ago
thye lost practically all their artillery
and machine guns. II Is doubted here
II villa has any cannon or more than
two or thre guns with little ammuni-
ton for them. The killing at Colum-
bus OF Pablo Lopez deprived him OF his
most efficient aide.
The country through which villa will
| beforced to fight OF fee mas been SC
harried In the last few years OF civil
war that the opportunities for forage
plan OF driving of and selling herds OF
cattle has fuTther reduced his owu
means of continuing the fight