Arizona republican., 1916-03-24

ing cold, but the brisk trot kept the men warm.
 The sun rising over the mountains gave the men their first view of the
 country, dreary desert stretch of sun
 scorched mesquite and bunch grass
 dotting a level valley floored with dull,
 red material thrown up by prehistoric volcanic eruptions.
 At 7:3O o'clock the flying column reached Carrizo. The negro cavalry
 men and soldiers of the artillery, hos pital units and field radio outfits that had preceded the escort were encamped on the sides of a granite butte fronting | the canyon in which Geronimo, the | famous Apache.Warrior made his final l stand and surrendered to American l troops more than thirty years ago. These facts recalled to many officers, ! some of the older of whom partici- i
 pated in the Apache campaign, that
 the present expedition into Mexico had set no precedent. and that bandit hunt l ing in a foreign country, of independ ent sovereignty, was not a new thing lOI lllt CIlltd otdttS
 Here on the hillside was observed for the first time the other units of the flying column, the artillery, the negro cavalry and other organizations. Some of them previously had marched from Fort Huachuca, Arizona, and other dis tant points, and such was the secrecy thrown about their movements that even the officers of lesser rank did not | know of their coming.
 In fact, the officers of the organi-
 cations themselves moved more or less
 in the dark Their orders directed
 them to proceed to certain points
 where other orders would be found.
 They proceeded thus by stages, not
 knowing where the next would take
 them and the appearance of General
 PerShing, first at Hachta and then at
 Culberson's plainly surprised the sol diers and some of the officers. . At CarrZo the first meal in Mexico was eaten. It consisted of army bacon, . hardtack and unsweetened coffee. or ficers and men fared alike
 General Pershing allowed the com
 mand to rest until noon. The order then was given to reach the big Ojitos ' franch, formerly the property of a 3 brother of Admiral Lord Charles Der 5 esford of Great Britain. at nightfall OjitOs is sixty miles from the border At o'clock that night camp was being ; made by the American troops beside irrigation ditches through which | flowed the first running water they | had seen in Mexico. Here also were : seen the first Mexicans, other than | two who Were observed a few miles
 north of Ojitos, silhouette against the sky on a mountain top. These two
 were at first believed to be spies. but > scouts reported them to be valley } ranchers.
 n The Ojitos MeXicans reaped a golden
 harvest from the hungry soldiers
 Frijoles, tortillas and chili sauce ,e were in great demand and in contrast , to the Casas Grandes Mexicans, who d doubled and trebled prices their price. n were what you like to give" Tht a women of the households cooked hal
 the night, their daughters delivered o the food and the husbands and father!
 gathered the money.
 L. At Ojitos, the intelligence departmen Is of the flying column received it's frs )r definite word concerning Villa. Tn !e MeXicans there reported that ne na, 6. passed the ranch Saturday, March II is two days after the Columbus raid, wit a an escort of only ten men. They als l. stated that reports had been receive ss at the ranch that Villa had killed fiv le MeXlcanS at Corralitos, an America as ranch to the south, because they wer
 working for the hated "gringoes" t. Although the march of sixty mile of had retired some tender feet to tn ed ambulance and made partial wreclis ( D. the softer men among the officers an K. soldiers, the column again was in Ii. h. saddle shortly after daylight. la The line of march took the trail " through the mountains from Ojitos o)
 and those who forgot to fill canteeT ms suffered, for the day was torrid, tn CT dust thick and the road hard. Coin re up and down hill, it crowned precipict or and skirted ravines and declivities. at The next water was found at Cass li- De Janos, ranch about fifteen mil, n- south of Ojitos, where a runnir no stream, fringed by groves of cottc at wood, some of the few trees seen alor as the line of march, was found. Hel O. General Pershing allowed a five mil )m ute rest. Then the drive was resume IT, Trot ten miles, walk ten," was tl all marching order. And cavalry trot
 anyone unaccustomed to the jarrir nd and jolting is anything but easy. li- General Pershing, tall, slende a ascetic and grown much grayer sim il- the fire at the presido of San Fral of cisco which bereaved him of wife al ion three daughters, already had becon ch known to the men as the old mal es. and throughout the march commen wn ran through the ranks on his tenden, he to speed up to the utmost limit. ng "The old man must expect to 2 SC, Villa tonight" said one tired recruit. it. No" replied an equally saddl in weary comrade, "he is on the way the Mexico City and we will get there t nd morrow"
 nat Every soldier had something to S lry about Villa and everyone pronounc lc- the name not "Vee-ya" but as it tai spelled in English Many express or the hope that the bandit leader wou ons soon have the misfortune to get in fro re- of his rifle or army automatic pistol ere No one doubted the object of t Yer expedition would be accomplish