Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-04-01

WITH AMERICAN OUTPoSTS IN
MEXICO. TO COLUMBUS, n. NJ, April
4 tby aeroplane). -Cavalry marches
surpassing all known previous per-
formances of mounted troops in Mex
leo have been made in the pursuit of
Francisco Villa by some of the flying
columns sent out to cut on the ave-
nues of escape of the Mexican bandit.
The diary of cavalry officer, obtained
today, gives a romantic sketch of one
such march. Names and dates cannot
be published The first entry shows
the abandon with which the Ameri-
cans threw themselves into the chase.
1t says:
1--WE arrived with practically nothing
to eat and no grain for the horses.
How food was obtained in compare
tive plenty for men and horses is also
a military secret.
Fifty-Mile Ride at Night.
However. some of the minor side
lights were furnished by this officer s
record. The night of March =" said
the diary, I'VE hiked all night. making
fifty miles. including tifteen-rnile
climb to an altitude of 10000 feet over
terrific mountain trail. We made
camp at s am. and in the. evening
started over mountain trails 5000 feet
high. In march of 10 miles from
our base we slept three hours. All the
mountain trails were very bad.
NO sign yet of Villa, and no sign of
beef. We saw one COW. Troop got two
deer. They kept the deer and did not
loan bite to any one else--hogs.
Some obtained h.
with which they made very good
stew. We also got some ducks.
g hiked twenty miles. and l am
worried about him. Later. - has re-
supplies for. US. We were to take five
days rations for men and horses, but
in order to make the time we wanted,
we took only two days. Spent two
days in high attitudes in rain. The
weather otherwise is fine. We have
been among pines nearly all of the
time. with canyons and massive. rocky
or brilliant semi-metallic peaks all
about us. The scenery is most wonder
full, much like Yellowstone, | imagine.
"Probably villa could hide here in
definitely, but he would starve.
Later march resumed, making thirty
miles to a point where we obtained
beef and one mess OF beans.
Daring Ride by Patrol.
The remainder of the diary, to date,
cited two further advances and then
the trip of a four-man patrol, led by
this officer. across a range of noun
tains to receive orders from one of the
main line communications. The diary
recorded no incidents of the side trips
as worthy of mention, although when
the patrol arrived in the large COM
munica ton camp its speed and daring
was commended. Today the same
small patrol mounted its horses and
gave the big camp a laughing fare
we'll starting a long hard. lonesome
ride to overtake the flying column to
which the couriers belonged.
Scouting on foot done by some of the
aviators. along with Typographical
work was brought to light today in
one of the field camps. One aviator $
experiences began with his landing aft
er dark near the scene of a mountain
side grass spot. He said:
About shutdown, wishing to see some
of the aeropIanes, which had been fly
ing below me, and which had disap-
peared against the dark black ground
OF the earth. I glided to a level where
| expected to see the other planes
against the line of the horizon
However, the other planes also glided
at the same time. so that did not see
them. Soon after dark, while looking
for signal bonfire. saw what seem
ed to be a beautiful fire and descended
to Investigate.