Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-03-30
First Complete Story OF Ameri-
can Army Crossing Border
Gives Interesting Details of
Punitive Expedition.
SPIES FOLLOW FIRST COLUMN
Remarkably Swift Time Cross
ing Desert-Troops Now near
Colonia Dublan in Chihuahua
-Carranza Soldiers Are Re-
ported as Scarce.

El Paso, March G-The following de-
spatch from an Associated Press CORE
spondent at the front in Mexico is the
first complete story OF the crossing OF the
border of the punitive expedition sent to
avenge tho Columbus massacre.
HEADQUARTERS T. s. Punitive Expedition,
near Colonia Dubnn. chihuahua,
Mexico, March %:
BY wagon train to Columbus, n. M,
March %
Reaching here by a forced march that
tlemonstra ted the endurance of the Amer
lean soldier and obviously amazed the
Mexicans several thousand United States
troops, cavalry. infantry and artillery
were scattered to-day between this point
nnd the northern boundary of the district
of Guerrero, intent on the task Of cap
turing or killing Francisco villa in the
shortest possible time and extcrminating
the bandit band with which he raided Co.
lumbus, N. NJ. and slaughtered nine
civilians on March o. Troop movements
and dispositions, however, it was said,
were shrouded in the strictest secrecy by
order of the war department.
ENTRY INTO MEXICO.
The entry into Mexico occurred at
1907 a. m, March Is. At that moment
the American colors with the standard
of the 18th cavalry. 200 men of which
beat off Villas raiders despite the sur
prise movement of the Mexican brig
ands. were carried over the boundary
by the color guard. Col Herbert J..
Slocun, commanding the 18th. was the
first commanding officer to cross. He
was followed by Major James A. Ryan,
acting chief of staff to General John ].
Parshing, who commands the punitive
expedition.
SPIES FOLLOW FIRST COLUMN.
This was column No. /. consisting Of
infantry. artillery and cavalry and bur
dened with heavy wagon trains. 1t moved
rather slowly and camped the first nigh,
at Paomas, filthy village OF
adobe huts, seven miles below the bound.
ary. south Of Columbus. Column No
entered Mexico from Culberson's ranch
81 miles south of Hachita, n. NJ. Genera
1ershing, who had accompanied the first
column part of the way to Palomas. re-
turned to Columbus the same afternoon.
raced to Culbersons in an automobile
and, taking command Of the second Fly
ing column" drove it more than 10 miles
over the desert of Chihuahua in % hours
actual marching time. Official records
show that spies dotted the route of the
first column. but the men Of the second
had forced their way 30 miles into the
country before a single native was seen
md to the surprise of the Mexcans reach
ed here Friday night exactly AZ hours
after crossing the border, at 3:17 Thurs
day morning.
In this column every man was mounte
and the wagon trains We're supplanted by
army mules which made the entire dis
lance under heavy packs with the loss
of only three of their number.
Battery b, OF the Sixth Field Artillery
commanded by Captain Edgar H. Yult
and Lieut. Charles p. George formed &
unit of the flying column. While the
cavalry traversed trails through bat
country Of the Sierra Madre mountain.
six to eight thousand feet high, tn,
battery, encurGbered by ambulances anC
field wireless equipment. Travelled tn,
valley roads, longer by IS miles Never
theless. 1t reached camp only an hour an,
half behind the cavalry without tn,
loss of mule or horse and not a sor,
back among any Of the animals. OF
ticers declared this exploit would lon;
stand as a record Of speed and endurance
THE 18TH LEADS.
The 18th cavalry, because Of its &C
complishment in driving Villas great,
superior numbers out OF Columbus afte
brief engagement was given frs
place in the first column Muster roll
or tn" Villa command found here afte
he passed through going aouthwar,
eight days ago. showed that he mad
The raid on Columbus With $50 men
Ravng in anger aftc- his defeat, desert
era reported that the bandit chleftai,
killed i've OF his officers and men n
towards, There were 2g3 in his CON,
mand when he retroated through Coloni;
DIhlan, Tho 18th accounted for IN
tcet.
Major Frank Tomplins, who took +
men OF his squadron and drove the ban
dis Is inlles into Mexico after they hn
crossed the border. commanded the nd
vance guard. The rest Of the cavalr
under Major Elmer Lindsey, followed
Then came the mountain and field guns
next tho "doughboys" of the infontr
regiments, and last the wagon train,
field hospital and sanitary equipmen
and the field wireless. The orders wer
Tor every man to travel light" OFF
rers and men wore not permitted
carry much moro than the clothing an
equipment worn on their persons. TIL
trains nevertheless We're long and heav,
Vast quantities OF ammunition for a
types of arms, including the machin
guns OF tho cavalry and infantry, az
counted for most of the weight Ra
tons were carried for only Ave day
They were bacon. hard tack and COFFEE
MILE AND A HALF LONG
The column stretched out n lengt
of mile and half From Columbus
three miles north of the boundary, onl
o vast cloud Of dust whipped to
great height by IL high wind. could b
seen, and two hours later when tn
trpons began making camp the me
were thickly powdered from head I
foot by grayish white coatings of pul
verified lava. Tho sense OF smell de
footed FGlomas long before Its collec
lion OF brown sun-burned huts of mu
end cobb!ostones came into view. TIL
odors were those of stockyardS, Gh