The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-04-01

FL Paso, Tex, April -Four hun
dred American cayalrymen under the
command OF Col George a. Dodd, gal
ioplng down from the granite slopes OF
the great continental divide, have fal
zen on the main body of Francisco
Villas bandits at the San Geronimo
ranch, scattering them in many direc
lions and driving the bandit chief
wounded and crippled TO seek a hid
ing place in the mountains. villa was
hurried from danger in carriage
rhe fight opened at O'Clock Wednes-
lay morning and continued for scy
aral hours.
The news Of the exploit was flashed
nto Juarez yesterday and sent
thrill along the border. For II hours
he veteran colonel with his picked
troopers of the 7th and 10th cavalry
lrove down the valley OF the Santi
Maria river At the end OF 55-mile
ride. they fell upon the unsuspectinf
Villa camp, where 500 bandits were
celebrating the massacre of l72 Car
ANA soldiers two. days previously al,
Guerrero.
villa shot through the leg and witt
one hip shattered was hurried from
he scene, barely in time to escape
he onslaught of the Americans. lne
bandits made a brief but hopeless
stand before a charge OF Col Dodc
md his troopers Then they broke
and fed, leaving 81 dead on the field
Hernandez. Two machine guns, Q
including their commander, Gen Elisec
number OF horses rifles ammunition
| md equipment fell into the hands o
he Americans Among the known
| wounded is Pablo Lopez, Villas lieu
| enant in the Columbus raid. The
| American casualties were four pri
| Yates wounded
The American soldiers did not ling
| ar on the field of victory. For five
| hours they drove the enemy before
| them into the wilderness of mountain
| peak. desert and canyon, where roads
| or even trails are unknown and wher'
| a misstep means death to horse and
rider They halted only after tho
| chase had led them 10 miles and the
| fugitives were scattered into little
| bands of half a dozen men each
From the meager details which have
| reached El Paso from Mexican and
| American military sources Col Dodds
men made their way unnoticed
through the arroyos, or deep gulches
| which split up the foothills in all di
rections, and were almost in the camr
before the alarm was given. Villa is
reported to have been in small tent
nursing his injuries when the crash
of the American volley fire awoke the
bandit to panic-stricken action. The
extraordinary hold the bandit chi6'
chief has on his followers is shown by
the fact that their first thought was tc
save him. Unable to walk or ride, he
was placed in light wagon and driv
en- over the rough mountain trails tC
some secret lair.
Col. Dodd attacked the Mexicans al
G o'clock, according to Pershings re
port but whether in the morning o,
in the afternoon, was not stated. II
San Antonio it was regarded as prob
able that it was in the morning, fol
the action which followed continued
five hours and included a cross.coun
try chase that could not well have
been made after dark.
OF the four men wounded of Col
Dodd's force, none was injured seri
ously. No mention Of wounded MeXi
cans was made in the brief oliicia
report. The report added that nun
ber of horses, saddles and arms hat
been captured,
Several Villa prisoners were takel
in the engagement, the exact numbe
not being indicated in reports receive,
in Columbus, n. NJ. A number o
Carranza soldiers who were held b.
Villa awaiting execution were liberat
ed and assisted the American force
in the pursuit. The Villa flight afte
the engagement waS an utter rout
arms and equipment being throw
away. Two machine guns and
quantity of ammunition and supple
II