The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1916-03-10
UNITED STATES TROOPS PURSUE
AND ATTACK MEXICANS
OVER BORDER
MEXICANS ON MISSION OF DEATH AND DE-
STRUCTION POUNCE UPON TOWN AND sue
CEED FOR MOMENT IN EFFORT BUT PAY
DEARLY FOR WILD D EEDS.

columbus, N. M, March p
Francisco Villa, outlawed Mexi-
can bandit, raided United States
territory to-day. With 500 men
he attacked Columbus, killed at
least l6 Americans. and fired
many buildings before he was
driven back across the interna-
tional border.
Not less than 25O troopers Of
the Thirteenth United States
Cavalry followed the Villa band
into Mexico. Reports to Col. H.
J. Slocum, commanding United
States troops at this point, late
to-day stated that Villa had made
a stand Is miles south of the bor-
der where spirited fighting en-
sued. In this engagement an un
named private was killed and
Capt. George Williams, adjutant
of the of the Thirteenth Cavalry,
wac wounded.
The small detachment of troop
ers under Major Frank Tomp-
kins and Elmer Linsley, fight
ing dismounted, made a determ-
ined stand against the nenewed
Villa attack and at last reports
were holding their ground.
The raid on American terri
tory proved costly to the bandit
chieftain. The bodies of 18 ban
dts, including Pablo Lopez, Sec
ond in command, had been gath
cred and burned before noon and
troopers reported an underterm-
ined number of dead still lying
in the brush. Led to the attack
under the slogan:
Death to the Americans,
Villas followers fought with
desperation. Just before dawn
they crept along bitches skirt.
ing the United States cavalry
camp and rushed the sleeping
town, firing heavily.
The first volley brought Am
erican troopers into almost in.
stant action. While a portion OF
the raiders engaged the cavalry
others began applying the torch
and shooting American civilians
who ventured from the build.
ings. Lights in homes and pub.
lie building Immediately became
targets for snipers posted at Vii.
las direction. Other bandits
creeping close to American
homes, enticed a number of eli
villains into the open with Eng
lish spoken invitations. \ mum
ber of fatalities are attributed
to this ruse.
Stores were looted, oil wa!
poured upon frame structures
and the match applied by still
other bandits. The postoffict
was raided, furniture smashed
but the looters secured only one
small registered package.
The casualties of the Thir
teenth Cavalry in the fighting
at Columbus We're several killed
and six wounded.
Villas total losses in the days
fight were estimated in excess
of 100 killed and twice as many
wounded. The Ameican pursuit
into Mexico, which ended about
2 o'clock, was reported to have
accounted for more than IS Mex
leans killed and wounded.
The American losses on the
Mexican side was one corpora
slain when Villa threw out :
heavy quad to engage the pur
suing American troopers.
i OF the eight American civil
lians slain here, Charles Dewitt
Miller, of Albuquerque and DR.
j. H. Hart, of FL Paso, were
burned to death in the fire that
destroyed the Commercial hotel
The body of Walton Walker
a Sunday school convention dele
gate, from Playas, n. NJ, wh'
was shot to death with w. T
Richie, proprietor of the hotel
also was incinerated.