The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-10-15
PERSHINC'S MEN HOT ON
VILLAS TRAIL ONE TIME

contains extracts from the war diaries
OF the commanding officers and fur
ntshes valuable sidelightS on the cam
patgn as viewed during It's critical
period Arriving At ColOnia Dublau,
on March %, the regiment was split,
four picked troops under Major Howe
moving south on Villas trail. reaching
NamiQuipa on March 81 Four others.
under Leutenaut-C Colonel II, 7 Allen,
who later became colonel Of the thir-
teenth, left March 30 for NamiQuipa
with verbal instructions in regard to
the pursuit OF the outlaw leader. Col
onel Allen. at San Antonio, on April
3. was ordered TO follow Pablo 10
pez's trail.
Major Howe. unable to pick UP
Villas trail in the Sierra Puras. into
which range he had fed, skirted tho
mountains, hoping to capture the ban
dit when he emerged On April TO-
according TO his diary. his horses
were thing and footSorc, his men raEg-
ed and no food or grain was TO be had
in the country" Accordingly he de-
cided TO make for the Parral country
and arrived al Santa Cruz de Herrera
about the time the expedition was halt
ed. He had marched COL miles, through
some Of the most difficult mountain
country in northern Mexico
Marching History.
Colonel Allen, meanwhile, had been
making marching history, Ordered on
April II, toward Parral he led his
men, afer sixteen consecutive days of
travelling, on march that lasted the
day OF April "A and the night OF the
fourteenth and fifteenth.
The situation that obtained during
the days following the parral fight,
while the cavalry was near the Dur
ango line between Villa and safety,
is summarized by Colonel Allen in his
war diary as follows;
The story OF Parral, the confer
cnce between the American and Next
can authorities. the search for sup
plies during our encampment AZ this
little ranch constitute on Of the most
Interesting. characteristic and pecul-
iarly delicate situations. within my
knowledge, of the punitive expedition.
The attitude of the people OF Parral,
the instructions from General Cutter
rez not to go a step farther south, the
dictatorial manner OF General Luis
Herrera at the conference on April
q and his reply 10 the request for
disavowal OF the unprOvOked attack,
ending with there is no reason for
an apology on my part" all these go
to show the character OF the co-opera-
ton this expedition was receiving
from the authorities and the people
The night our column passed through
Zaragassa Immediately after the Para
raj AFFAIR." the situation was very tense
and ! was expecting an attack as we
passed.
Noted Victims,
Nothing unusual marked the retire
ment northward Of the eleventh. save
the fight at Ojo AZules. Here on May
4, Major Howe, after an all-night
march, surprised forty-two. saved
Carranza lieutenant and four men
from execution and scattered the band
broadcast. Among the more noted
victims were Julio Acosta, Cruz Dom
inguez and Antonio Angel. All this
without single casualty
Among recommendations regarding
cavalry equipment resulting from oh
servations made during the campaign
are
A lighter saber, if it Is decided to
keep the saber at all; light pack
outfit of necessary cooking utensils
for the men; light hunting boots, hob
nailed, instead of the present leather
leggIngs; a fruit complement dried
or otherwise). to make room for which
the hard bread supply could be re-
duced in the field ration; horses, about
fifteen hands high. short coupled and
big barreled