The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1916-05-04
AMERICANS
BATTLE WITH
VILLA BAND
U. S. TROOPERS CHARGE UP
MOUNTAIN SIDE WITH "kNlVES
IN TEETH" TWO TROOPERS
AND FIFTY MExlCANS KILLED.

Field Headquarters. April 90 BY
Motor Courier to Columbus, n. NJ, May
I3D-There was man-to-man fighting,
and some of the Americans went up
the mountain side with knives in their
teeth, during Col. George A Dodd's
battle with Villistas on April 29 at
Temochic.
1T was the devils own playground"
This was Colonel Dodd's description
of the terrain of this battle in south
western Chihuahua, among towering
mountains where $50 bandits sought
refuge.
Fifty Mexcans Killed.
For two hours Colonel Dodds troops
of the Twenty-seventh cavalry, E. H.
and L. fought from an imemnse hol-
low, with bandits on three sides.
Charging over ground where the Mex
leans had their exact range, they ac-
counted for at least fifty bandits killed
or wounded against an American loss
of two dead and three wounded. One
Mexican woman was wounded by ban
dts.
Two nights before this fight the
Americans overlook the bandits at the
Yoquoyo mine where they were lying
about campfires, telling the natives
how they claimed to have whipped
los Americanos" at Columbus and at
Guerrero.
Bandits Disappear Rapidly
Shortly before midnight an outpost
ran in breathless, eXclaiming:
THE Americanos are coming"
Scores of dark forms leaped through
the freight bugles blew, and in ten
minutes the whole bandit command
had galloped out of town.
Lives of Americans Saved.
When the cavalrymen arrived they
found two American mining men, a
Mr.. Seyferth and another who paid
so, 900 ransom to the Villistas, and
whose lives probably had been saved
by the Seventies arrival
These Americans said the bandits
were led by Candelero Cervantes,
Jesus del Rios, Cruz DOminguez and
Manuel Baca, who was killed the fol-
lowing Sunday after the fight by a
Mexican.
Remnants of Villa Veterans
Among them were followers of Julio
Acosta and General Beltran. They
were remnants of all the best known
Villa commanders veterans, and at
that time the last known band of Viii
las remaining bad men whose nerve
had not been shaken by defeats at
Columbus, Guerrero and Aguas Cali
entes.
Saturday afternoon at 4:30, Dodd's
men arriving at the southern rim of
the hills forming the cup in which the
town of Temochic lies, saw the rear
guard of Villistas riding out of town
Aheadof them they saw the main body
of the bandits waiting behind rocks to
give battle A machine gun was placed
to sweep this ridge while the Ameri-
cans rode down into the cup in pur-
suit. They dismounted in town, ad-
vancing on foot, with rifles ready, led
by Troop l.. and accompanied by the
two guides.
Trooper Mortally Wounded.
While still in town a trooper was hit
and mortaily wounded 1t came from
the flank from a cave in a mountain
overlooking Temochic. Out of a big
adobe chimney the troops pulled a
sniper, the only one caught in the
place.
Beyond the town, Troop l. advanced
II within range of the crests above.
They crossed the range in short rush
es, lying down and firing, then advanc-
ing few yards, Colonel Dodd with
his staff. rode through this zone of
fire. while bullets fell within yard
or two Of every man until they reach
ed a small knoll beyond the town from
which DoGd directed the fight. An
other machine gun was brought up
close to play on the force at the crest
in front of the knoll Out along the
American line a trooper was lying on
his stomach firing. His comrades saw
a bullet strike forty feet in front of
him. then another popped twenty feet
ahead of him. In moment more a
third ball struck him in the head. kill,