The De Soto County news. [volume] (Arcadia, Fla.) 1898-1924, 1916-03-23
INTERESTING LETTER FROM
AN ARCADIA BOY,

An hhNADlh bOI l.
The present disturbed conditions
over on the Mexican border have quite
! local significance. since three Of Ar
cadia's best known boys are enlisted
in the United states army, Twelfth
Infantry. as follows, Zen Robertson,
a son Of Mr.. W. L. Robertson, in Co.
g Harvey smith, brother Of Rupert
Smith. Go. 4; and John Smith, son
o: Mrs. Minnie Smith, in Co. II.
Mrs. Keith Robertson, Istcr.in-
law Of Ben Robertson, has just re-
cciycd the following interesting letter
from him tomitting only a few per.
sonal references which will no doubt
be- very interesting to our readers Of
the city:
Nogalcs. Arizona. March T.. 1916.
Dear Mahcllc: ! am writing You
this to- let YOU know l am leaving
here for III Paso. Texas This dctach-
mont Is TO report 10 General pcrshing
for duty at the earliest possible date.
which will be tomorrow some time.
guess / am bound for Mexico for
some time to come. | am sure Of nc
tive Scry"ic now. although | will write
YOU when ! can get tO pOStofflcc.
You know If we 90 over there we sure
have got lots Of hiking to do. and
won't be- where we can mail a letter
when we want to, 50 If you don't hear
from me very often don't he surpris-
cu or pccvcd.
It Is rumorcd the whole west coast
of Mexico is going to join villa
against the United States, and all
kinds Of rumorS about Carranza turn
ing against the United states, but I
don't think there Is any truth in them,
although we are taking no chances,
for we are going to be prepared for
those greaScrs, and from all indica-
tions by next Sunday night this time
United States troops will hc all over
Mexico.
Don't write to me any more until
YOU hear from me, for | don't know
where ! will be twenty minutes from
now.
Martial law f. declared here. $40
men are doing guard with $50 rounds
OF ammunition per man. Outposts are
stationed all over the edsc Of town,
and on all roads leading I'm or out Of
town. All soldiers are held in readi-
ness in camp. The jail is full of spies
caught last night trying to get arms
and ammunition across to the other
side. One gink had 100000 worth Of
diamonds on him, | guess stolen prop
crty. No one is allowed TO talk to him
except the sheriff and Colonel Sage.
The civilians all look downhcartcd
around here hut the women. who look
like they are taking it easy. 1t loko-
ed like there were thousand Of them
on the streets watching the guards
being posted around town. just
heard that United states soldiers cap
trrcd Juarcz tonight. The Mexican
soldiers could not keep down the RI |
OTIS, so Uncle Sam took charge Of the /
town. I am just giving you a brief ac-
count Of the doings Of the United
States authorities along the border.
guess there are some wild war
rumors down there, are they not You
can tell all Of those ginks that Ben
will be with the expedition troops TO
20 in there, and may not come back.
who knows; who cares? Not many! l
know this that we are going to lose
a few men over there. I may be one
Of the unfortunates, and I may not
he, hut that is the least Of my trou-
lies at present.
Love, from BEN.
p. S. Write me at FL Paso, G. Co.
Engineers it will be forwarded TO
wherever I am at.