Show atu 16 IN FIRST SKIRMISH MEXICAN BANDIT SURPRISED BY AMERICAN TROOPERS AND PUT TO FLIGHT wounded bann t escapes in light wagon but trusted lieutenant and a number of his followers are killed in battle el paso texas surprised by amer lean ican soldiers the main body ot of fran cisco villas bandits was put to flight on march 29 after sixty mexicans bad had been killed and tour four american sol diers wounded the attack ot of the villa forces wag was made possible by an aeroplane scout who had located the bandits four flour hundred cavalrymen cava lomen from the seventh and tenth regiments led by colonel george A dodd at the end of a fifty mile ride which they made in surprising short time burst upon the unsuspecting Vil villitta lista camp where bandits were celebrating the massa ere of Carran two days pre at guerrero villa shot through the leg and with one hip shattered was hurried from the scene barely in time to escape the onslaught of the soldiers of the north the bandits made a brief but hopeless stand before the fierce charge of 0 colonel dodd and his troopers then they broke and fled leaving sixty bead on the field including their corn com mander general eliseo hernandez two machine guns a number of horses rifles ammunition and equip ment fell into the hands of the vie tors among the known wounded is pa blo lopez villa s lieutenant in the columbus raid the american casualties were four privates wounded the american soldiers did not lin ger on the field of victory for five hours they drove the enemy before them into the wilderness of mountain peak desert and canyon where roads or even trails are unknown and where a misstep means death to horse and rider they halted only after the chase had led them ten miles from the battlefield and the fugitives were scattered tar far and wide in little bands of half a dozen men each the scene of colonel dodd s victory Is a broad valley lying at the bead head of the rio santa maria on the west rise the barren foothills of the conti cental divide and to the east is a trail made famous by villa which eads through the laguna de castilla district to the ill tamed famed santa ysabel it was at the latter place that villa killed eighteen american mining men a crime which sent a thrill of horror throughout the united states and marked the beginning ot of what many believe to be the end of his blood stained career it was toward santa ysabel that he was believed to be L heading when the troopers of the united states swept down from the north upon his camp from the meager details which have reached here from mexican and american military sources colonel dodd dodds s men made their way unno through the arroyos or deep gulches which split the foothills in all directions and were almost in the camp before the alarm was given villa Is reported to have been in a small tent nursing his injuries when crash of the american volleys awoke the bandits to panic stricken action the extraordinary bold hold the bandit chief has over his followers Is shown by the tact fact that their first thought was to save him unable to walk or ride he was hurriedly placed in a light wagon and driven over the rou rough ah mountain trails to some secret lair after the battle on the san geroni 0 mo 00 0 ranch the american soldiers re leased a large number of general car ranza s men whom the bandit chief was holding it is probable that it was at the guerrero massacre that villa was mas wounded staff officers here believe there is no doubt that colonel dodd dodds s army strengthened before now by men sent forward by general pershing has be gun a driving hunt for the wounded bandit and for the scattered remnant of his force it will be no surprise now to general funston and his staff to receive a report at any time telling of villa villas s capture news ot of another battle is not expected however the smart blow administered by colonel dodd it was believed here would serve to deter villa s men from speedy colonel dodd who led the that ji pit it villa s followers to flight light Is described as a typical remington caa airy officer he is 64 years old but doesn doean t show it by twenty years he rides hi hia horse as though it were a part of him and is known through out the army for his activity in de ve loping cavalry horsemanship he Is the man who made the monkey drill a cavalry feature |