The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1916-04-07
BANDITS ROUTED
BY CAvALRYMEN
COLONEL pooo's MEN DEFEAT
VILLA FORCES AND DRIVE BAN
DIT INTO MOUNTAINS.
Msxieans Surprised While cIebratins
Massacre Of carranzlstas, the Amer
lean Soldiers Falling Upon Them
Like q ThunLerbolt.

III Paso, Texas--A DattIe DetWeeh
American troops and Villas support
ers has taken place. the outcome be
ing all in favor of the pursuers OF the
Mexican bandit leader.
Thirty-one OF Villas soldiers killed.
four American soldiers wounded and
more than 450 Mexicans dispersed
after a running fight that extended
over ten miles is the condensed sum
mary OF the story OF the irst engage
ment between forces OF the American
punitive expedition and Francisco
villa.
Four hundred American eavalrymen,
under the command OF Colonel George
A. Dodd, whirling down from the gran
tie slopes OF the great continental d.
vide. have fallen like thunderbolt on
the main body OF Francisco Villas
bandits at the San Geronimo ranch,
scattering them like chan in the
wind and driving the bandit chief,
wounded and crippled. to seek hid
fng place in the mountains over which
he has ruled for so many years. villa
WAS hurried from danger in a wagon
The battle opened at 8 o'clock in the
morning Of March 20. The news OF
abe brilliant exploit OF the American
troopers. was flashed over the Mexi-
can wires into Juarez on Friday.
For seventeen hours the veteran
Colonel Dodd and his picKed riders OF
the Seventh and Tenth cavalry drove
down the valley OF the Santa Maria
river. Al the end OF q fifty-ave-mile
ride they burst upon the unsuspecting
Villista camp where 500 bandits were
celebrating the massacre OF l72 Car
TanEIstas, two days previously at
Guerrero villa, shot through the leg
and with one hip shattered, was hur-
ried from the scene barely in time to
escape the onslaught OF the soldiers
OF tho north,
The bandits made a brief but hope
less stand before the fierce charge OF
Colonel Dodd and his troopers. Then
they broke and fed. leaving thirty
one dead on the lield, including their
commander, Eliaeo Hernandez, Two
machine guns. a number of horses,
rifies, ammunition and equipment fell
into the hands OF the victors
Among the known wounded Is
Pablo Lopez. Villas lieutenant in the
Columbus raid. The American cas-
nalties were four prlvates wounded.
The American soldiers did not linger
on the field OF victory. For ave hours
they drove the enemy before them
into the wilderness OF mountain peak,
desert and canyon where roads or
even trails are unknown and whore a
misstep means death to horse and
rider. They halted only after the
chase had led them ten miles from
the battlefield and the fugitiVes were
scattered far and wide In little bands
OF half dozen men each.
Il Ia freely predicted that Villas
career has ended. His power has
been broken. His death or capture Is
only q question OF days, perharS only
hours. Such ls the inevitable conciu-
aion reached as little by little the de-
tails OF ''Dodd's ride" seep across the
border. II seems impossible that the
crippled. defeated bandit can long re-
main hidden even In the mountainous
wastes In which he had sought refuge.
The scene OF Colonel Dodd's victory
Is broad valley lying Of the head OF
che RIO Santa Maria. On the west
rise the barren foothills or the CONT
mental divide and TO the east Is a trail
made famous by villa, which leads
through the Laguna de Castillo dis
trict TO the ill-famed Santa Ysahel, u
was at the latter place that villa
killed eighteen American mining men,
n crime which sent thrill OF horror
throughout the United States and
marked the beginning of what many
believe to be the end OF hts blood
stained career Il was toward Santa
Ysabel that he was believed to be
heading when the troopers OF the Unit
ed States swept down from the north
upon hts camp.
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