Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-03-24
ENDURANCE Of
TROOPERS TOLD
I IN LONG REPORT
Punitive Expedition Commanders
Permit Associated Press Dis.
patches to Pass Censor.
SPIES DOT LINE
OF ARMY's MARCH
Encountered Number of Carranza
Soldiers, But Have Not Had
Trouble Thus Far.

Ell Paso, March 23--The following
dispatch from an Associated Press
correspondent al. the front in Mexico
is the first complete story of the
crossing of the border of the punitive
expedition sent to- avenge the Column
bus massacre.
..t The Story.
Headquarters United States pun.
itive expedition, Colonia, Dublan, Chi.
huahua, March 22.11 (By wagon train
to Columbus, n NJ, March 23).-
Reaching here by a forced march that
demonstrated the endurance of the
American soldier and obviously amaZ-
ed the Mexicans, several thousands of
United States troops, cavalry, infantry
and artillery, We're scattered today be-
tween this point and the northern
boundary of the district of Guerrero
intent on the task Of capturing or
killing francisco Villa in the shortest
possible time and exterminatng the
band with which he aided Columbus,
n. NJ, and slaughtered nine civilians
on March 8.
Secrecy Prevails.
Troop movement and disposition, it
was said, were shrouied in the great.
est secrecy by the war department.
The entry into Mexico occurred at
l2:07 p. N. on March i5 AT that mo-
ment, the American rolors, with the
standard Of the 18th cavalry We're car
ried over The boundafy. local com
mander of the 18th Sas the first COM
mander to cross Ht vas followed by
Main, Io.s.ses ..ir,i acting 'rtiefs efs'-',,f
staff to General John J. Pershing,
ton
This was column No. l. consisting
Of artillery, cavalry and infantry, and
burdened with heayT wagon trains. 1t
moved slowly and camped the first
night at Caloman. 4 filthy village OF
adobe huts and godowns. seven miles
below the boundary.
Column No. entered Mexico from
CulbersOn ranch. 81 miles south of
Hachita, N M. General Pershing who
had accompanied he first column
part of the way to PalOmas returned
to Columbus the sane afternoon, rae
ed to CulbersOn in III automobile, and
taking command OF the second flying
column, drove it more than | 10 miles
over the desert OF Chihuahua in %
hours actual marching time.
Many Spies On Route.
Official records show tha spies
dotted the route of the first column,
but the men Of the second had forged
their way into the country for over Is
miles before a single native was seen
and to the patent surprise Of the Mex
leans reached here Friday night, eX-
actly AZ hours after crossing the bor-
der at 3:17 Thursday morning.
CoIors First.
Colonel Slocum halted the column
at the border gate south of Columbus,
until the colors came up. When these
had crossed the boundary into Mexico,
Major Tompkins, a brother of the not:
ed lieutenant colonel, Tommy Tomp-
kins" of the 7th Cavalry, spread out
his advance guard. In the form of
wide fan, the riders of the guard gal
loped southwark The temper of the
MeXicans still was matter of specu
lation. There were officers who would
not have been surprised to see the
entry of the United States forces op-
posed at the boundary.
No Effort Made to Annoy.
But there were no Mexicans at the
border gate and none We're seen on
the march to Palomas. Only two
bodies of armed men were encounter
ed by either of the columns on the
march south. At Ascension the may
or. Gomez, had 100 Carranza soldiers,
and told Col. Slocum he did not Hnow
to fight or let the American
column pass on peaceably.
After an exchange of official visits,
during which he observed at the |
camp. the assembly of men
and guns. Gomez decided to accept
the United States army officers state
ment that Carranza had agreed to the
entry of the troops unopposed.
Called Troops "YeIIow Jackets"
The other body of troops was en-
rOuntered here Saturday, March 18th.
Major Reyes, who said he was pro-
ceeding to Casas Grandes from Ma
iera. after scouting for Villa, tas
startled to see American troops in
his vicinity His men referred to
hem as yellow jackets" He stop
bed one OF the guides and asked to be
AIKEN to the American commander to
assure him that his force consisting
)f &c men were not 'Villistas" and in
urn he assured they would not bn
ired upon. Col Slocum's columns
made Roca Crandes from Palomas
March 16 This was the point from
rhich Villa started on his raid ON
Columbus. u was near Roca tat Vii
a captured and murdered Arthur Kin
ley, q roundup boss for the Palomas
Continued on Page Two) /!