The Washington herald., 1916-03-24

| CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONEJ
a wild rush to battle. They are coming
( in with their blistered feet tapped, but
they are coming in with their heads up.
There Will be much said, no doubt,
about some Of the marches made by the
! horse soldiers of Pershings command
later on, but there will never be any
march that will equal any of the march
es that are being made by the foot SOL
diers Of the punitive expedition.
| During the first couple OF days it was
a common sight to see captains and
/ neutenants carrying guns and packs be-
= longing. to their men who were unable
to keep up under the load. Every offcer
shared his canteen of water with the
! privates. Lieut.. Henry Meyers, riding
/ ahead at the head OF NJ. troop of the
Black Tenth Cavalry, stopped his COM
mand beside a footweary band Of in
tantrymen and made the troopers give
their water over to the Dough bows -
All things considered. the horses and
mules with the expedition have stood the
journey well. the losses being compare
lively Insignificant, but the infantry has
been wonderful
AeropIanes Excite Wonder.
The few Mexicans encountered stand
at the roadside and view the long pro-
cession OF Americans that must seem
TO them interminable, in dumb amaze
ment. They offer no comment, however
but rush around hunting up eggs and
other articles to sell to the soldiers.
The squadron of seven aeroplanes which
passed over the line OF march from
Columbus, headed South. and moving so
high that they looked like a flock of
6uzzards reduced the Mexicans to silent
wonder The equipment of the army divi-
sion that Is swinging over their roads
was another source of astonishment to
the Inhabitants. They are accustomed to
armies, but not TO an army which moves
like this one.
Marching has been about the extent of
the activities OF the punitive expedition to
date. No hostility has been encountered
from the natives. Their disappearance is
not due to the advance of the troops
Long ago they were driven out by the
various revolutiOnists who beset the
republic. Once across the long stretch
OF dusty country between Palomas, the
first stop, and the green valley OF the
Ascension River the expedition began
encountering signs of life, but up to that
time only a few Mexicans were seen.
Ruins on Every Hand.
At Colonia Diaz, in the country set
| tied by Mormons, and one of the most
beautiful sections anywhere in all this
world, the American troops began see
ing the ruin that the revolutionists left
in their wake during the past few years
Most of the houses had-been burned
long ago-probably as far back as the
time of Antonio Rocas. Those left
standing were the houses of Mexicans.
1t was said that a couple of wounded
Villistas from the Columbus raid were in
one of these houses, but the Americans
paid no attention to the story. They
were after Villa more than wounded
Villistas.
When the first OF the American flying
columns crossed into Mexican territory
Wedne sday, March IL, 1t was met by
just two inhabitants OF the republic
one friendly, the other thoroughly hos
tile.
The amigo was Juan Munoz, a man
whose years are as countless as the
stars. The hostile was his equally ven
cradle wife. They were the only people
left in the little town of Palomas, seven
miles from Columbus, when the advance
guard of Gen. Pershing's cavalry col
unln came jogging over a rise of ground
beyond the town.