Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1916-03-24
Report Troops
Entering Mexico
First Associated Press Dispatch
From Army Across Border

Ell Paso, Tex, March 23.-The
following dispatch from an Asso-
ciated Press correspondent at the
front in Mexico is the first complete
story of the crossing Of the puni-
tive expedition sent to avenge the
Columbus massacre:
Headquarters U. S. Punitive FIX
pedition Near Colonia, Dublan, Chi
huahua, Mexico, March % (via wa
gon train to Columbus, N. NJ, March
23)-Reaching here by a forced
march that demonstrated the en-
durance Of the American soldiers
and obviously amazed the Mexicans,
several thousand United States So
diers, troops of cavalry, :ufantry
and artillery were scattered today
between this point and the northern
boundary Of the district of Guerrero
intent on the task of capturing or
killing of Francisco Villa in the
shortest possible time and extermin-
ating the bandit band by which he
raidcd Columbus, N. NJ, and slaugh-
tered nine civilians on March Q.
Troop movements and dispositions
however, it was said were shrouded
in the strictest secrecy by order of
the war department.
The entry into Mexico occurred at
l2:O7 p. m, March Is. At that mo-
ment the American colors with the
standard Of the 18th cavalry were
carried over the boundary. Colonel
Herbert Slocum commanding the
thirteenth cavalry, was the first
commanding officer to cross. Tie
was fs'lcwcd by Major James Ryan
acting chief Of staff to General John
PcrsIl ,g, who n.nands IT,. puni-
tive expedition.
This w:e the column No. ] con
Sistin; Of artillery cavalry AMI in.
fantr, and heavily burdcned with
wagon tn MS. 1t moved slowly and
camped the first night at Palo,aas, u
filthy village of adobe hutS and 60
downs, seven miles below The boun-
dairy.
Colum.i No > cnt'r rcd Mexico fram
CulbcrsOn's ranch, 81 miles south Of
IIachita, n. NJ. General Pers|,ny,
who had accompanied the first col
umn part Of the way to Palomas.
returned to Columbus the same att
ernoon, raced to Culbcrson in an au-
to and taking command Of the Sc
cond flying column, drove it more
than ITO miles over the desert Of
Chihuahua in % hours actual mar
ching time.
Official records show spies dotted
the route Of the first column but the
men Of the second had forked their
way so miles into the country be-
fore IL second single native was seen !;
and to the patent surprise Of the
Mexicans, reached here Friday night
exactly AZ hours after crossing the
border at 3:17 Thursday morning.
Slocum halted the column ut the
border gate south Of Columbus until
colors came up. When he crossed
the boundary into Mexico, Major
Thompkins, u brother of the noted
lieutenant, Colonel Tommy Thomp-
kins Of the 7th cavalry, spread out
his advance guard. In the form of
wide fan the riders Of the guard
galloped southwark. The temper of
the Mcxicans still was a matter of
speculation. There were officers
who would not have been surprised
to see the entry of the United States
forces opposed at the boundary.
But there were no AIexicans at
the border gate or none was seen on
the march to Palomas. Only two
bodies Of armed men were cncourt-
ed by either of the columns ON the
march south. At Asccncion the
mayor, Raymond II. Gomez, had 100
Carranza soldiers and he told Col
onel Slocum he did not know whe-
ther to fight or let the American col
umn pass on peacefully.
After an exchange Of official visits