Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-02-03
WITHDRAWAL OF
FORCE DRAMATIC
Picturesque Incidents Crowd
March; Refugees Guarded
by U. S. Troopers

Temporary Field Headquarters, Punt
tive Expedition, Ojo Federico, Chi
huahua, Feb. (by airplane to Co
lumbus) ).-Withdrawal of the Ameri-
can punitive expedition from Mexico,
accompanied by rnmors of Villa at
tackS and q curious collection OF
refugees, has seen quite as many dra-
matte and picturesque incidents as its
entry ten months ago.
Despite the fact that Major General
Pershing received the formal with
drawaf order from Washington as late
as January "a, preliminary prepa-
rationS to eVacuate the occupied ter
lltory We're begun more than week
previous to that date. When the or
der came truck trains had carried out
all baggage in excess of that required
for equipment. All forage had been
stored at convenient points, organ
tzation commanders had received con-
iidential and detailed orders, marches
had been laid out and routes for cav
airy and infantry chosen.
When the first provisional cavalry
brigade broke camp at Colonia Dub
Ian, January 81, the 10,750 American
soldiers in Mexico were moving with
clocklike precision toward the border,
In the van were the infantry regi-
ments, who left before the cavalry in
order that they might arrive at Pa
Tomas, six miles south of Columbus,
with the cavalry. At Palomas it is
planned to assemble the entire eXpe-
dition, which will cross the line into
Columbus as unit on February ..
Guarding Refugees
Because of rumors that Villa forces
were close on the heels of the retiring
troops and occupying the camps as
soon as they We're evacuated, cavalry
patrols and airplanes were used in
numerous reconnaissances.
Preparations for sending forward
and guarding the refugees, who began
10 move as soon as it was evident that
the Americans were leaving, were inn
proNised hurriedly The bands were
registered, assigned to camps near the
lines and escorted north by cavalry
AS soon as the parties threatened to
become too large to handle. Many of
the vehicles, patched and bound with
wire, appeared as though they would
collapse. The ponies and burrows,
emaciated, seemed scarcely able to
move. Swarms of children, ragged and
wide-eyed, watched the mounted es-
cort or squalled in chorus when the
night wind bit through their garments
and they huddled about the camp
fires. When the transportation was
inadequate mothers with children at
their breasts trudged through the dust.
Fear villa
The trip from San Joaquin was an
especially nara one 1Or the refugees.
The wells at Charcos were dry when
they reached Chocolate Pass and the
animals were unWatered for two days
and nights. Investigation of the rea-
son for the delay of one cart disclosed
that a child had been born. The
march, however, was delayed only
few moments.
Those who have had dealings with
the troops fear to stay in Mexico in
view of the threats by Villa against
the lives of any who profited through
The expedition. The others, openly
announcing their fear to stay after the
Americans leave, state that no serious
attempt would be made to keep Villa
out of Northern Chihuahua.
Expeditions Death Toll
Simple but impressive ceremonies
marked the hauling down of the Stars
and Stripes when Dublan was aban-
dQned Wednesday morning. That part
~ the expedition which has served on
foreign soil numbers 2SS officers,
10,463 men, 9,441 animals and 400
wagons.
The expeditions death toll, both
from battle and disease, has been:
Two officers have been killed and one
has died; forty enlisted men have sue
cumbed. battle and disease claiming,
equal shares. Not single death was
caused by disease usually epidemic
among troops unused to this country.