New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-05
Attack from Two Sides.

previouslv Lieutenant Campbell and'
ecou. Tracy had reconnoitred the town
from the terraces above It. The ma
chine gun squad. with two guns, ac-
COMMANDED the former, and with II was
Colonel Dodd himself. Thus the force
OF some $50 men was split, put an u
these did not take part in the engage
ment. as many had 10 stay Dehihu III
charge of the mule tram.
First. 20 take the actions OF MAJOR
Winan's command, of some 100 men,
whose fight was at closest range peep
gullies filled with boulders bound me
town on the west. AS ms troops T.
+. G. and II neared the domes OF us
two churches in the rose and pallor OF
the high plateau dawn mounted men
we're seen filing westward into one Oh
these gorges. Two small hills lay IN
iine in that direction. about 400 yards
from the river. Upon these suddenly
eppeared two Mexican flags the red,
White ard green Of the Carranzistas.
Puzzled. Winans sen: forward Troop,
under Captain Fechet. TO clear up this
anomaly. II was now 7 o'clock IN the
morning and his force was nearing
small adobe house near the bed OF the
river Travelling was difficult, but
since crossing il the distance 20 TINS
point had been covered by all at
gsllop. A duicksand in its bed had de-
layed them.
Fe. het returned. having dismounted,
unable to explain the use OF the Mex,
lean governments flag. His men mad
appeared close to the hills without re
ceiving any friendly signal. But ne
had located the largest gully, through
which the force was fling, most OF 1t
invisible to our lAen behind. Winanss
now sent forward Captain Wells, OF
Troop II, with instructions to force
the issue. They had advanced within
about 1000 yards of the nearer hill,
when suddenly they were fired upon.
Two horses OF his were wounded.
That marked the opening OF the en-
gagement In the meantime, the Mexi-
cans having ceased to enter the gully
from the town, a platoon OF Troop
under Lieutenant Mitchell, had been
ordered TO cross it, to head off egress
TO the north The remainder Of
Mitchell's command were held back for
action with Troop and the others. II
had been made plain that the majority
Of Villas force Of some 500 men were
making their exit from this side of the
town. The two opposing forces had
BY now for some ten minutes been
moving toward one another at slight
angle in almost parallel lines.
Bandits Scatter. Firing.
Our order to charge was now given.
Leaning close TO their saddles and fir
ing. our men dashed up among the
boulders Of the river bank. in line
between the adobe house and the two
outlying hills.
The Mexicans scattered like black
birds, firing as they fled. Beyond.
smaller gulliss entered the river as it
bent northeast The detachment.
reaching the large gully, Joined in the
pursuit.
Many of our men. unable to guide
their horses up far among the boulders,
lad dismounted, shooting as they ran
afoot. The Mexicans had not had even
time 10 rip out their customary yells;
The pursuit began up and down the
steep, rock-strewn sides Of the sue
ceeding ravines. II was in the third
of these that a rider of Captain Dali
lam's troop brought down Villas most
trusted henchman, General Elisio Her
nandey, and his two machine guns,
with saddles. rides and ammunition.
were captured. At this point the thirty
Carrenza prisoners, taken IN the nght
with the Guerrero garrison two days
before. were overtaken. The Nillistas
had been attempting to take them out
Of the town to visit on them the
bandits customary fate for such.
The bandits raced for the western
hills, unable to join their comrades on
the far east side OF the river. When
Winans had pursued them as far as
he dared without sacrificing all his
mounts tho chase relaxed, and he
turned back toward Guerrero.
Here Lieutenant Colonel Tompkins
in the mean time with two of his
troops had taken up position east and
little south of the centre Of the town.
Colonel Dodd, with the rest of the
command and the machine guns keep
4 ing up with him. had posted himself on
high ground TO the northeast, near a
broad road leading from it. The re-
naming two machine guns had been