El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-08-01
Z COMMANDERS
UPHOLD SLOCUM
Funston and Pershing Find
Nothing to Censure in Con
nection With Villa Raid.

Washington. D. c, Aug. In con-
! nection with the report to the war de-
partment of an inspector regarding the
conduct of Col H. J. Slocum and the
18th cavalry in connection with Villas
raid on Columbus. reports from Maj.
Gen. Frederick Funston and Brig Gen.
7 J. PershinE were submitted. exoner-
ating the officer from any blame
in forwarding the report, Gen.
Pershing wrote:
col Slocum seems TO have made
every endeaVOr to obtain accurate in
formation Of the whereabouts and in
tention OF Villa. The information re-
ceived from the usual Mexican sources
was, unfortunately. credited. AS a
matter of course, under the circum-
stances it was entirely unreliable From
headquarters. both of the department
and Of the brigade. the information
regarding Villas actual whereabouts
and his intentions were not such as to
cause any particular alarm in Col Slo-
Gums mind. although he did reinforce
the troops patroling the border line.
Heavy Losses Inflicted.
The very prompt action on the part
OF the officers and men in meeting the
sudden attack. the small loss incurred
and the very great loss inflicted upon
Villa and his band deserve full conSid-
ration in this connection To my mind
the result presents a good reason for
cOmDlmenting the officer in command
instead OF subjecting him to technical
criticism which could serve no good
purpose"
Gen FunSton's Endorsement
Gen. Funston wrote as follows in
transmitting the report TO the war de-
partment-
quite fully the criticisms that have
been made Of him in connection with
the apparent lack Of precautions taken
TO guard the camp and town at Co.
lumbus-
THE matter had not seemed clear
before reading Col Slocum's statement
but ii IS now my opinion that there
was not sufficient ground for alarm
to have made it incumbent on him to
increase materially the guards at the
camp and town.
How SIocum Reasoned.
a partial surprise carried out by
scouts and treachery in time Of peace
must not be judged by the same stan
dard as surprise in time OF war. Had
open hostilities existed between our
forces and Villas and our scouting
party been able to go anywhere Villa !
would never have been able to con-
centrate his band within a days march |
Of the border without his actions be-
ing known
Villas Previous Threat Futile.
Last November. Villa, smartin- un-
der his defeat at Aqua Prieta. which |
he claims was due 10 the fact that [ |
told him that If he resumed the attack !
and projectiles fell on the American I
side I would attack him with nv en-
ire force. openly threatened on sew
7rai occasions that he would raid Ari- !
IONA with his entire force. The fact !
that he did not when he had fully
10000 men with him for such an enter /
Prise, made il naturally seem improb-
inle that he would try a raid with f,
me tenth that number; and il must I
- remembered that until he made his
aid our information was to the ef-
ect that he had only a small personal I,
.scorr."
Col Slocum's report Is not made pub
DC. but in his discussion Of IL. the in I
pector says
From the facts before me 7 am Of
he opinion that Col Slocum followed |
Military principles After the alarm
-as given by the sentinel the command 1
ppears to have assembled with COM
lendable alertness and soon gained
onmand Of the situation"