El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-03-16

COntinued from Page IL
facts Of the crossing have been all
lowed to 90 over the teIephaph wires,
which are in direct military control.
The column leaving Columbus was
thoroughly equipped for all conditions
that might arise, and represented all
arms of the service.
After their departure Columbus
lapsed into Its old calm
Order Ont Of Confusion.
From a hill overlooking the six
square miles where the army was still
encamped at IL yesterday forenoon the
military organization appeared to
civilian spectators like a vast confused
swarm or men and horses gray cannon.
wagons, mule teams and ambulances.
But at II. 40 a. m when the word was
given TO form for the pursuit of Villa.
the apparent confusion disappeared. In
a very few minutes. each organization.
cavalry. infantry and artillery. ambu-
lance, hospital signal corps and the
cook wagons, grouped and dOvetailed
into a rapidly frightening column.
At the van the red and white guidons
Of the 18th cavalry snapped in still
breeze. These cavalrymen included the
troopers who a week ago today out
numbered five to one. drove Villa back
into Mexico and took a toll Of lives
from his men equal TO one Villista for
every two Americans on the firing line.
Infantry in solid Columns.
Behind the 18th. marched the COM
pact brown columns of the sixth and
18th infantry. Next. at a trOt- 4 field
battery swung into line and then
dropped to a slow pace behind the in
fantry. The deadly machine guns,
packed on mules, attracted scarcely
look from uninitiated civilian specta-
tors. Supply trains and ambulances
rolled in a long line. bringing UP the
rear Vast dust clouds swept up from
the line of march, at times obscuring
the troops
soldiers Are Happy.
The feeling among the men seemed
typical of the remark by one dusty.
perspiring trooper, who as he hurried
past a group Of civilian sightseers, eX-
claimed:
We've got our chance at last" He
grinned as he spoke.
A few women whose husbands were
going to the front, watched the depar-
ture, smiling while their husbands were
still in sight, and then breaking into
tears. One officers wife, laughing, pat
ted her husbands pistol into place.
It was almost exactly noon when the
first Of the cavalrymen trotted across
the line.
wounded Bandit Prisoners
While the troops were going out
three automobile loads of Mexican prs
ouers. suspects held in connection with
v
neaus. Some Of them were bandageo
from wounds. There was no demonstra-
ton of any sort among the spectators
over these prisoners.
Some wounded MeXicans were picked
up Yesterday in the country adjacent TO
They apparently had been
hiding out for several days. Some of
them probably were hit during fights
with posses which secured the Column
bus country for several days after the
raid.
Bert=ni Had Gone.
When the American troops crossed !
the Mexican line, Gen. Pablo Bertani, I
who had been stationed for the con- 3
stitutional garrison at Palomas, had
gone on TO Guzman, to join other
troops under the command Of Gen. !
Gutierrez to move from the northeast |
upon Villa
The American troops after passing |
the night at Columbus are said to have |
begun their second days march at sum |
rise today. The march south is said to /
he along the path that has been re-
peatedly blazed by Villa through |
northwestern Chihuahua
a spur track has been built into the /
heart OF the camp at Columbus and \
everything indica0s from the lay OF /
the land there that temporarily, at /
least Columbus is to be the base for
the punitive expedition.