Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-04-05

but most of the thirty known dead
were shot at shorter ranges.
The number Of Villa men wounded is
problematical. as these bandits are
noted for their hardihood in recover
ing from wounds without what is con-
sidered surgery as known to modern
armies. A meat saw to amputate a
limb or an arm, without anesthetic for
the patient. Is said to be an ordinary
operation among them. When the am
putation is done, the saw is heated and
clapped over the raw wound to eau
terize it. Wounded men treated by
these primitive methods are easily
hidden in the mountains where the
Villa band fed after the battle of
Guerrero.
Men Fit Despite Hardships.
Col. Dodd's men looked At notwith-
standing their days of riding and fight
ing without rations, other than such
native food as they could buy along the
line of march.
The Guerrero river runs past the
town of Guerrero. In closing about the
town the Americans placed two squad
rons of cavalry on the roads facing the
city and another squadron across the
river on the opposite side of the town.
fourth command took position near
a ford on the river at one edge OF the
town. Owing to guides error the
squadron which was to occupy the
position across the river was slow in ar
irving, and these Mexicans saw one
squadron in front of the town before
they knew that there was any COM
mand across the river. At first Villas
forces tried to ride out Of town toward
the southwest. but cavalry in front of
the city shot too many of them to
make this line of escape feasible. In
this dash a few Villa followers got
across the river and escaped in a south
westerly direction.
Bandits Repeatedly Evade Fight.
The main force then turned northeast,
heading across the river. where the cav
airy squadron which had been delayed by
poor guides was not yet in sight on the
pass in that direction.
The delayed squadron arrived in time
to catch this retreat in full swing and to
shoot down many horses and men. but
the bulk of Villas command. Turning
into the pass where the Villa band had
headed northeast, the Americans pursued
them for four hours. when the bandits
formed behind ridge to make a fight.
AS the Americans came on. the line of
bandits broke again into retreat without
a fight. The pursuit continued another
hour. The ground was SO rough in many
places that fight and pursuit alike were
very slow. The men estimated that in
the fve-hour running skirmish not mora
than ten lineal miles were covered.
Strategy of American Force.
The strategy whereby, after two
weeks of pursuit, the Villa band under
Gen. Eliseo Hernandez was overtaken
by American troops and dispersed
was revealed here today.
The plan was to send the American
column in a straight line along the
string OF the bow" while Villa was
taking longer route along the arc
Of the bow" Coupled with this maneu-
Yer was a general order:
Spare nothing but horsehesh.''
Under these instructions the cav
alrymen. with Col. Dodd's brigade al
ways in the van. pushed straight south
ward from tho border through the San
Ia Maria River valley. villa meanwhile,
after passing Casas Grandes. had
swung eastward behind the ridge of
mountains. close to 5000 feet high and
topped with huge copper-sreen cliffs.
In this swing to the east Villas posi-
less. the cavalry steadily hurried
southwark along the shorter line,
trusting that villa finally would try
to turn ahead of them to his old
hduntS. Literally nOtnlnS except horse
flesh was spared by the Americans.
Dodd's Command Out Of Provisions.
On March az Col. Dodd's men were
reduced. by the necessity Of leaving
patrols and by the illness of abou,
forty men. to q total advanvs guard OF
about 400. They had run completely
out Of provisions Instead Of hating to
await food. they pushed on. leaving nc
regular lines of communication with
the columns in the rear. For one solid
week they lived on their wits, their re.
serve strength and such scanty food At
they could pick up, but always follow
Ing the order. spare nothing excep,
! horsehesh."
How we'll they spared the horses was
proven by their final dash into the villa
| stronghold Wednesday morning, 2
march which for endurance and bril-.
i liant effort has never been surpassed.
The Americans made hfty-hve miles
in seventeen hours, riding on a night
Of chill wind which cut to the bone
They had discarded every piece of non.
hghting equipment except blankets and
canteens and mess kits. Some Of the
men even had thrown away their blan
kets.
The March to Guerrero.
The 6fty-five-mile march to Guerrero