New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-23
Soldier Tells of Hardship
of Travelling on Chi
huahua Alkali.
FINDS MURDERED
AMERICANS BODY
Villas Men Had Tortured VIC
tim. Whose Hands Were
Burned to a Crisp.

FL Paso. Tex, March 22.-The first
story Of the hardships suffered by the
American soldiers.in their march across
the Chihuahua desert was told here
tonight By Sergeant ". p. Harrison,
of the 18th Cavalry. Sergeant Hsrri-
son told his story propped up in bed
in the hospital where he was taken
on his arrival here, suffering from
dysentery.
There was not any cheering when
We went in" he said. Everybody was
serious ana not much was said. We
all started of az brisk trot, and at
once the dust began 20 rise. There
wasn't a breath Of air and the dust
hung over the road like curtain. The
slkali got into our eyes and down our
threats. 1t sifted into our shoes and
through our clothing. The sun beat
hotly on us. We put wet handker-
chiefs in our hats, but it did not help
much. Most OF the fellows rode along
with their eyes shut TO keep out the
dust and glare. Many of the men were
half blind by nooon.
MY eyes began to itch soon around
the edges. Then they felt as biz as
camp kettles. ard everything got dark.
You could feel the blood beating back
of YOUR eyeballs. Then the headache
would begin.
Las Palomas Deserted.
you should have seen the faces OF
the men after an hour or two. The
dust settled on the perspirstion, then
the perspiration would run down, leav-
ing little burrows. Some Of them
looked like painted Indians.
when we got 20 Las Pslomas we
went right through the streets. There
wasn't a soul in the whole town. 1t
was weird. We heard some ducks
ouacking and saw some goats, but not
q human being. At the next town.
Boca Grandes, there were three poems
sitting in the sun. The rest or the
place was like a grave.
"Just outside OF Boca Grandes we
found the body of cowboy who had
been killed by Villa on his way TO Co
lumbus. The body lay about twenty
feet from the road. They had tortured
him, and his hands we're burned 10
crisp. We did not have time to bury
the poor fellow. Everybody swore under
his breath when we passed. Later some
Of the 18th tried 70 bury him. The
ground was too hard, so they Just
piled rocks on the body.
Dropped in Their Tracks.
During the marches the boys stopped
ten minutes every hour for rest. When
the word was given they just dropped
in their tracks in the road. No stop
was made for dinner IL was just one
steady hike from morning until we
reached the camping place. The infan-
try WAS strung out so that the detach-
ments were a days march apart. That
is the way they are going now.
I'VE got no water from Columbus 20
Boca Grandes, thirty-one miles. The
water in my canteen got so hot that |
could hardly drink il. Most Of IL
poured on my head 10 stop the head
ache.
DO you know how much stuff a
'doughboy' lnfantryman) has to carry?
Well, It's about fifty pounds. Just as
soon as the boys sat down off would
come their shoes. The gritty road cut
their shoes to bits and the alkali made
their feet swell and blister. saw
some of them having fine time getting
their shoes back on their feet.
Mormon Roofs Burned.
I'VE passed through Colonia Diaz.
one OF the Mormon settlements. The
houses were OF rcd brick and were well
built There was not human being
there Cherry trees were blooming
and the alfalfa was knee deep. Tho
roofs Of the houses were burned and
the windows all broken. We got some
water out of All irrigation ditch. Ths.