Omaha daily bee., 1916-03-25

NMNAA NNAAAANs
More or Less In the Dark.
In fact the officers Of the organiKs-
tions moved more or less In the dark.
Their orders directed them to proceed TO
certain points where other orders would
be found. They proceeded thus by stages.
not knowing where the next would take
them and the appearance OF General
first at HStchis and then at
plainly surprised the soldiers
and some Of their officers.
At Carrizo. the first meal in Mexico
was eaten. IL consisted OF army bacon,
part Of the five days rations issued TO
the men. hard tack. which tastes some
what like the matzo Of Jewish religious
feasts and unsweetenol coffee. Officers
and men Jared alike.
General Pershing allowed the command
to rest until noon. The order then was
to make all speed to reach the big
Ojitos ranch. formerly the property of
a brother of Admiral Lord Charles Beres-
ford Of Great Britain. at nightfsll.
Ojitos 10 sixty miles from the border.
At o'clock that night camp was being
made by the American troops beside irri-
cation bitches through which flowed the
first running water they had seen In
Mexico. Here also were seen the first
Mexicans. other than two who were OBJ
served a few miles north of 0jitos. sill
houetted against the sky on a mountain
top. These two were at first believed
to be spies, but scouts reported them to
be ranchers living in the valley.
Reap Golden harvest.
The Ojitos Mexioans reaped a golden
harvest among the hungry soldiers.
F'rijoles. tortillas and Chill sauces were
in great demand and In contrast 20 the
Casas Grandes Mexicans. who doubled and
trebled prices on bread and every other
edible. their prices were what you like
to give" The senoras OF the ranch
households cooked ha.f the night. their
daughters delivered CT served the food
and the husbands ana fathers gathered
the money.
At Ojitos, the intelligence department
OF the flying column received the first
definite word concerning Villa The
Mexioans there reported that he had
passed the ranch Saturday. two days
after the Columbus raid with an escort
of only ten men. They also stated that
reports had been received at the ranch
that villa had killed five Mexicans at
Corralitos, an American ranch to the
south. because they we're working for
the hated "gringoes."
Hard on the Feet.
Although the march Of sixty miles had
rendered one tender feet and made part
ial wrecks Of the softer men among the
officers and soldiers, the column was
again in the saddle shortly after day
light.
The line OF march took the trails
through the mountains from here on.
and those who forgot to fill canteens
suffered. for the day was torrid, the
dust thick and the road hard. Going up
and down hill, II crowned precipices
and skirted ravlnes and declivities. Pals,
broken fragments OF porous volcanic
rock strewed most OF the way.
The next water was found at Casa de
Janos. a ranch about fifteen miles south
Of OJitos, where a running stream. fringed
by groves of cottonwood. some OF the
few trees along the march. was found.
Here General Pershing allowed a five
minute rest. Horses were watered and
men plunged their heads into a stream
to drink and to wash off layers Of dust.
Then the drive was resumed. .
Trot ten miles, walk ten. was the
marching order. And a bavalry trot. TO
anyone unaccustomed to the jarring and
jolting. is anything but easy.
General Pershing tall. slender. ascetic
and grown much grayer since the fire
at the Preside at San Francisco, which
bereaved him of wife and four daugh-
ters. already had become known to tho
men as the old man. and throughout
the march comments ran through the
ranks on his tendency to speed up to the
utmost limit
"OId Mans Expectation"
''The old man must expect to get villa
tonight" said one tired recruit.
NO." replied an equally Aaddle-weary
oomrade. he is on the way to Mexico
City and we will get there tomorrow"
The recruit, young and apparently lit
tie acquainted with geography and the
vast distances in Mexico. took the state
ment at fair value and said ''honest7'
Every soldier had something to say
about villa and everyone pronounced the
name. not "Vee-ya." but as II Is spelled
in English. Many expressed the hope
that the bandit leader would soon have
the misfortune to get In front Of his
rifle or army automatic pistol.
Not one had doubt but that the OBJ
ject OF the expedition would be promptly
accomplished.
IF dat villa gifts any where near me.
good night" was the ambiguous remark
of a negro cavalryman. one who fought
at San Juan in Cuba and wears service
badges OF several campaigns.
villa Won't Get Him.
Good night for you or for him1' cut
in a white soldier. Goodnight for him."
was the indignant answer. mo man
named villa will ever put my lights out"
sergeant expressed similar senti-
ments, and added that II chance gave
him the honor OF bagging the bandit, no
one OF lesser rank than a colonel could
speak to him. "and even the colonel
would have to say sir"
The object of the gruelling march OF
Friday was to reach colonla Dublan by
night and II was done. The mountain
route reduced the distance to fifty miles.
while the artillery and hospital wagons
In the valley were doing sixty-eight. BY
o'clock Friday night camp was made
beside an irrigation plant.
The last ten miles was almost tor
ture. II wss hot. High winds swirled
the clouds of dust kicked up by the
horses into the eyes and mouths OF the
men. Water at a dollar a swallow could
rct y. kovglbt aInn1 tha line