The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1916-05-06
U. S. MEN W!N fight
elk vlLLlsTAs KILLED AND MANY
WOUNDED IN CLASH WITH
COLUMN UNpER COL. Dopp.
TWO AMERICANS LOSE LIVES
Engagement Near romachle Lasted
several Hours 80 Colonel Erw!n's
Force Encountered Outlaws and
Wounded Four, says Report.


Field Headquarters. April %. via
wireless to Columbus. N. M.-Two
Americans were killed and three
wounded In an engagement between
cavalrymen under Col. George A. Dodd
and $50 villa bandits at Tomachio. In
the center Of the Sierra Madres.
The Villa command under four
chiefs, Baca, Cercantes, Dorainguez
and Rios, were surprised in tho late
AFTERNOON and routed. After the bat
tie the Americans found six dead
Mexicans and nineteen wounded.
while quantity OF horses. arms and
equipment was captured.
Reports received here made no men
tion of villa himself being with the
band, although 1t had been reported
previously that he was In hiding in
the mountains in that vicinity.
The Villa bandits were encamped In
jagged. rocky defile when they
caught sight OF the American column
riding toward them. about $3.50 o'clock
In the afternoon.
Immediately the Mexican bugles
sounded the call to arms. Through
the mountain pass the two commands
struggled. the villa bandits dropping
all cumbersome equipment In pre-
cipitate fight begfore Colonel Dodd's
cavalrymen.
Once during the flight the Villa
forces received re-enforcements and
attempted vainly to make, ~ stand
against the Americans. When night
came the pursuit became Increasingly
difficult because OF the nature Of the
terrain. honeycombed az 1t IL with
mountain caves. gorges and trails. In
which there are many jagged rocks.
ruinous to the feet of the horses.
Colonel Dodd pursued the villa ban
dts toward Minaca. his base. where
he is now reported to be awaiting sup
plies.
Tho 10 Villa wounded taken. in the
engagement and the rs horses and
arms captured we're taken to Minaca
to await General Pershing's orders as
to their disposition.
! Colonel Dodd was given much credit
here for his feat and was officially
commended for the promptness shown
by his small outnumbered force.
News of the engagements was re-
ceived at army headquarters at San
Antonio, Tex, in two delayed dis
patches. Genera. Funston immediate
ly forwarded them to Washington. The
first dispatch Is one from General
Pershing. which is as follows:
"Namaquipa, April 27.-A report re-
ceived from Colonel Dodd, whose col
umn Of four troops. Seventh cavalry.
has been operating southwest Of Min
AGA. states that he overlook band of
villistas near Tomachio. killing six
and wounding nineteen others. many
probably fatally.
twenty-five horses were captured.
Our loss. two killed and three wound
cd. Fight lasted until. after dark. I'm
possible to tell definitely loss of VII
listas..
do not give entire credit to report
Of his death.
Our killed at Tomachio were Ralp
A. Raw. saddler, Troop L. Seventh cav
larry; Private Oliver Bonshee. Troop
H. Seventh cavaldy; wounded, Thomas
Henry. Seventh cavalry; Tillman T..
Matthias. Troop L. Seventh cavalry.
Dodd returning to Minaca-"
General Funston forwarded the fol-
lowing dispatch under his signature:
Late reports from Colonel Erwin.
state that ON the goth instant scout
ing party from his command encoun.
tered small body Of Villistas near
Cocomorachic and MORALLY wounded
four. Wounded in Dodd's command
doing we'll and mono expected to die"