On Villa's Trail in Mexico, IV

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Tliese are the scouts who led General Pershing's expedition through tli mountains, and across the deserts of Mexico. Reading from left to •

rifiht. the) are. standing. Dave Brown, Ben Fox, Esaias Haynie, Ira Pratt, Heaton Lunt. Seated, Louie Jorgensen, Will Curtis.

On Villa's Trail in Mexico By Hon. Anthony W Ivins .

IV

After a brief rest at Dublan, the expedition, consisting; of cavalry and infantry, passed on to the Galeana Valley, they took up A ilia's trail and the pursuit was on in earnest. The direct command of the various detachments was given to Maj. Howze, Maj. Tompkins, Col. Dodd, Col. Brown, Col. Allen and other minor officers. was indispensable that men be It found who were familiar with the country through which the pursuing columns were to pass, who were acquainted with the language of the people, and willing to serve as scouts. They must be brave men. for it was their duty to ride before the troops, where they were more exposed to danger than those who followed after. Such men wen- readily found and enlisted. \ hen the advance columns reached El Valle, 63 miles South of Dublan, it was discovered thai Villa had entered the town several days before, had called the people together and made a ppeech in which he announced that the Americans were on his

ON VILLAS TRAIL IN MEXICO 397

trail,that they would probably reach that point the following him and drive the clay, and calling on all loyal Mexicans to join hated invaders from the country. When no one volunteered, he stood the men in a line, dismissed those whom he thought unfit for service, and took the remainder with him as prisoners of war. He then hurried on to the Indian town of Guerrero (Warrior) in the Sierra Madre mounwhich has always tains, been a storm centre in time of revolution. As they neared the town, Villa declared it to be his intention to attack the small garrison of Carranza soldiers which was quartered there, and arms were placed in the hands of the El Valle men that they might participate in the battle. According to the story told by one of these men, they consulted together and Villa, too, has his scouts, this is one of decided to kill Villa if them. possible and desert to the Carranza garrison. While the battle was in progress, Villa and his staff started to run forward to encourage their troops, who were about to yield, when he was fired upon by one of the El Valle men and wounded in the leg; the bullet, entering just below the knee and ranging downward, came out near the shin bone. Just at this moment the Carranza troops withdrew, so the prisoners could only remain with Villa under pretense of loyalty. The day after this battle, hearing that the Americans were at Namiquipa, Villa was placed in a wagon; and, taking about 150 men with him, and leaving the remainder of his force at Guerrero, under command of General Beltran, started for Parral. The man who drove the wagon says that the wound in Villa's leg became very serious, the pain being so intense that the bandit chief was placed on a litter which was made and carried on the shoulders of men. Col. Dodd, with a detachment of the thirteenth cavalry,

3'-8 IMPROVEMENT ERA

reached Guerrero soon after Villa had left, and after a brisk fight, in which a number of Mexicans were killed and others made prisoners, and four American troopers wounded, took the town and scattered Beltran's army which fled to the mountains in small bands. Hearing that Beltran and a part of his followers were camped at a place called Canyon Durazno (Peach Tree canyon) General Pershing ordered Maj. Howze and his command to proceed to that point and attack him. A night march of ten miles was made, over a very rough country, but when the camp was reached the bandits had fled, leaving their

In the narrow streets of Cu-si-hu-i-ri-a-chic, three hundred miles south of the border. Every house is a veritable fortress, and these American troops would be at great disadvantage if attacked. It was in such a place that the Parral battle began.

camp fires still burning. Fleeing from Maj. Howze the Mexicans ran into a detachment of Col. Brown's command, at a place called Ojo Caliente (Hot Springs) and in a running fight which ensued several bandits were killed. The troops had now been absent from their base of supplies so long that in some instances they had only parched corn and beef to eat, and their clothing was torn to shreds, but at San Geronimo a junction was formed with the main command under General Pershing, and after replenishing his commissary Maj. Howze pressed on south, while the other detachment went on in an easterly and south-easterly direction. On April 2nd. Maj. Howze entered the mining town of Cu-si-hu-i-ri-a-chic, near Santa Isabel, where Villistas had a short time before killed eighteen American mining men. Here he learned that Maj. Tompkins and Col. Brown were ahead of him. on Villa's trail.

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which led toward Parral. The following day the command passed the Cienaguita (Little Meadow) ranch where a band of bandits had just before killed the owner and wounded his wife. Farther on, at a little town called San Borja, he learned that Villa had been there a few days before and that the main forces of Villistas had turned east toward Santa Rosalia, while Villa, with a small detachment had gone on south into the mountains. Following on, Maj. Howze passed one after another of Villa's camping places, covering as much ground in one day as the bandit had covered in three. Hurrying on, the command reached the Conchas (Shells) River, and as they passed over a high ridge looked down on the little town of La Joy a (The Jewel). As they came in sight of the town the Americans observed that the people were running from all directions toward the church, and that a small body of mounted men rode slowly from the church out into the hills to the south. When the Americans reached the town it was almost deserted, the people having taken refuge in the hills. To the south there was a high ridge along the top of which people were collecting, while several horsemen rode back and forth among them evidently giving orders. One man was conspicuous because of his fine mount, his peculiar dress, and the fact that he appeared to be giving directions to the others. There occurred, at this time, an incident which illustrates the reckless daring of the American soldier. Lieut. Graham, asking a trooper to lend him his rifle, dismounted and skirting the base of the ridge until he was out of

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Officers of Maj.Howze command resting after a hard ride on Villa's trail. The man standing in the centre background is Lieut. Graham, who killed the two bandits at La Joya.