File No. 812.00/17396
General Funston to the Adjutant General
980. It is opinion of Colonels Dodd and Slocum, in which I concur, that unless Villa is relentlessly pursued and his forces scattered he will continue raids. As troops of Mexican Government are accomplishing nothing and as he can consequently make his preparations and concentrations without being disturbed he can strike at [Page 483] any point on the border, we being unable to obtain advance information as to his whereabouts. If we fritter away the whole command guarding towns, ranches and railroads it will accomplish nothing if he can find safe refuge across the line after every raid. Although probably not more than 1000 took part in Columbus raid he is believed to have about 3000. Even if he should not continue raids he has entered on a policy of merciless killing of Americans in Mexico. To show apathy and gross inefficiency of Mexican Government troops, an American woman held prisoner by Villa for nine days but who escaped in Columbus fight states that during all that time he was undisturbed at no great distance from border collecting a force of about 3000. The few Carranza troops in the region fled, losing all contact with him and not even informing us as to his whereabouts.