El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-05-18
NIGHT RIDING BY
PER5HINC'S MEN
They Go Out Into the Dark
ness After Bandits and
Hunt By the Stars.
RY GEoRGE U. CLEMENTs.

Headquarters in the Field, Mean
Namiquipa, Chin. Mex. May 7-,Bv
Motor Truck Train to Columbus, y NJ.
MAY 17)-Night riding by some one of
the many detachments Of cavalry which
arc always being sent in search of the
various bands Of Villistas reported To
be lurking" in some of the mountain
I passes to the eastward or to the west
ward Of the long thin line which con-
meets us with the border. is the most
exciting thing the Pershing army has
: to do.
I Up to this time few OF the many
rumors which have caused the night
rides to be taken have proved to have
any foundation in fact and most Of the
rides have been taken in warn so far as
resulting in the arrest Of capture of
: bandits is concerned. but even 90 they
4 have not accounted as loss Of effort
/ The bandits have been kept from CON
centrating or from rccLpcratin~ and
! to that extent at least have been
weakened and rendered more vulncr-
able.
Forest Fires Disturbing.
The rides are usually of three DAYS
duration and, from physical point OF
I view. are toying Of the mettle of men
and horses. Inc riding is confined to
the rouS rest sections OF the moun'ain
ranges which parallel the valley
through which run the wagon or truck
roads followed by the supply trains OF
the expedition from Columbus.
in addition to the -OIShuess Of the
country, the night riders have &C con
tend with the forest fires which threat
en- on every hand The=esfires. started
by the bandits with a view toward
starving the horses Of he cavalry sent
i'm pursuit Of them, are positive men
aces. Not only have they mad the ef-
feet to curtail the grass supply ont
they enforce long detours, thereby
causing loss Of valuGbie time. and the
heavy pail of smoke max IS il limos
sible TO detect the movements Ct the
bandits, known many times TO be in the
Immediate vicinity
Cold In Mountains.
Before t.le fires became 50 general.
the night riders did not have such soul
narrowing experiences, though they
often suffered from the cold. which at
the attitudes reached was some times
intense. especially along about 4 A. m.
Some Of the gran 1asr scenery frnaCin-
able falls under the eyes Of the bandit
hunters when IS not hidden by smoke
and the view presented in some Of the
gorges when traversed by the light OF
the moon, is grand and pays for the
hordships otherwise entailed by the
ride
On numerous occasions word is sent
back by the advance that small bunch /
of the enemy has been sighted and for
n lew minutes at least the Iethargv
born Of the silence and the cold is 1
thrown off and the fighting men be-
come alert The commander disposes
mis- men so as to surround the bunch" .
II II is really where the scouts report .
L to be. and the advance is begun
Many times the alarms are false but [
the excitement while IT lasts is as
genuine as though the enemy was
present in full force
Excitement of Battle.
Sometimes the bandits are there and
Tor a minute or two there is the addi- !
tonal excitement which attends the /
Exchange of shots and the more or less
Wild riding which follows an order to
,harRe The bandits. knowing the
country and being familiar with the
ntricacies Of the passes through the
mis-, nave an advantage and for that
easOn usually make their getaway
My TO be Jumped" by the same or
mother party the next night.
On the occasions when the bandits /
ave been seen and an attempt made !
% engage them when the order to .
ease firing has been given. the men /
eassmble. noses are counted TO see .
hat all are present and camp is made T
or the balance Of the night in order
prevent being drawn into a trap.
1ouEh the first streaks OF dawn see
he march resumed for the purpose OF
laking a survey Of the ground and
irving off any reinfOrcements who
light have been attracted to the scene I
y the firing Of the night attack.
bandits Slip Away.
As n rule hills and canyons in every ]