New Britain herald., 1916-03-13
]. s. AND MEXICAN TROOPS AT BORDER
 INCREASE RAPIDLY
Cavalry, Artillery and Militia Hasten to Line From American Side to Swell Thousands There
COLUMBUS MAY BE BASE OF
 THE PUNATIVE EXPEDITION

A Carranza Troops Near Scene of Villas
 Raid Brought up to 2,O0O By Ar
 rival of Reinforcements-Reg
 ity and Calm Feature Preparation
 for Movement Into Mexican Terri
 tory-Bandit Chief Continues Flight
 Columbus, N. M, March 13.-Ac- tual concentration of United States troops for an expedition into Mexico to try to capture Francisco Villa was begun here today.
 From the heavy troop movement to Columbus, it would seem, accord ing tc officers or station here, that this point is to be made a base Of operations, It was believed here that Brig. Gem John J. Pershing, com manding the Eighth Brigade, would be designated to take charge of the expeditionary force and would make Columbus his headquarters.
 Carranza Force Increases
 The force of General Pablo Bor- tani, commanding the Carranza gar- -rison at Palomas on the Mexican side of the border south of here, was in creased today by the arrival of 800 men bringing his force to a tai of 2,000.. By tonight or tomorrow it is expected that the American garrison here of HOO men will be augmented by the arrival at Fl Paso of two regi- ments of infantry, signal company a hospital detachment and soms mountain artillery from Fort Bliss, lery from Nogales, Ariz. Two squad and a battery of Sixth Field Artil- rons of the Twelfth Cavalry from Fort Robinson, Neb., are expected later. All save the cavalry from Fort Robinson, which is to go on station here, are apparently to be available for eXpeditionary purposes. Informa- |. tion received at headquarters also in- dicates that Lieut.. Col B. c. Cabeil or the Tenth Cavalry will arrive soon from Douglas, Ariz, presumably to act as adjutant for the force to leave Columbus.
 Reports were received here also that a squadron of the Tenth Cavalry and a second battery of the Sixth Field Artillery is on it's way east from Douglas presumably bound for Co., lum bus.
 It was reported. too, that all avail able forces of the Seventh Cavalry, 400 men, are in the field in the Alamo Hueco district, between Nogales and Benson, in southern Arizona.
 Mountain Artillery Arrives.
 A battery of mountain artillery from Fort Bliss is equipped with twelve mountain guns, especially de- signed for the character of fighting which the punitive expedition is eX- pected to do. The troops of the Thir- teenth Cavalry, F. and H., which have been on patrol duty at Herlnanas, twenty miles west of here, also have returned to camp preparatory to the >dispatching of an expedition. Troop G, which had been doing duty at Border Gate, two and a half miles south, also was returned, being re- placed by a company of infan ry.
 In striking contrast to the excite ment of the last few days, prepara- ton for the departure of the expedi- ton progresses today with regularity hnd clam.
 Railroad Facilities Poor.
 It is not expected here that the ex- petition to enter Mexico, at least from this point, will be started for several days because of the poor railroad fa- cilities with which to concentrate the troops.
 Meanwhile Francisco Villa with a small body of men, it is reported here, is fleeing further from the United States border daily and into khe mountains which parallel the Bor- ders of Chihuahua and Sonora toward Guerrero, where his days as an out law began and where, to almost every peon, "PanchO" Villa is hero Army men here point out that once back in the mountains among his friends, the pursuit of Villa is apt to resemble game of hide and seek. Some officers believe that the pursuit may be matter of months.
 A battery of the Sixth Field Artil- lery, consisting of 132 men, equipped with four 3-inch field guns and twelve caissons, arrived from Nogales, Ariz Large stores of supplies for field ser vice also were received.
 The second section of the Fourth Field Artillery from Fort Bliss, with G. Berry, with six mountain guns, also z arrived
 EARTHQUAKES IN ITALY.