Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1916-06-27
Confirms Reports Of Privates
That Mexicans Opened
Fire First.
WAS A GALLANT FIGHT
Capt. Boyd Twice Wounded
Still Led His Men Until
Killed In the Charge.

San Antonio, Tex, June 26.-Capt.
Lewis Sidney Morey is safe, having
reached the main body of American
troops with two of his men.
Gen. Funston received a message
by telephone Sunday from Mrs. Morey
at Austin, Texas, that she had wire
less message from him from "some-
where in Mexico" to that effect.
Mexican troops fired the first shot
on the troopers of the Tenth United
States cavalry at Carrizal, but not I'M
til the American force, fearing an
ambush, had advanced in battle for
nation, according to letter written
on the day of the fight by Capt. Lewis
Morey, commanding X troop of the
Tenth cavalry, and forwarded to Cen
eral Funston by General Pershing.
Capt. Morey wrote the letter at 9:l5
a. M, on June 81 while hiding in a
hole about 1000 yards from the scene
of the battle.
Capt. Morey was wounded and had
another wounded man and three I'M
wounded troopers with him.
The three unwounded men were
picked up by detachment under
Lieutenant Henry A. Meyer, Jr., of
the Tenth cavalry and the letter was
brought to Gen. Pershing today.
Capt. Morey was left to die on the
desert from thirst and his wounds.
The men abandoned him at his own
order.
The three unwounded men had car
ried him according to their stories to
Lieut.. Meyer from the hole where
he had hidden and made their way
nearly two miles from the battlefield.
They were forced to stop and Capt.
Morey, believing himself hopelessly
wounded, ordered them to leave him.
They also thought him about to die
from loss of blood and thirst, and
obeyed.
The stories of the rescued men to
Lieut.. Meyer were vague about the
details, according to Gen. Pershing's
report to Gen. Funston.
Capt Morey's letter told Of the join
ing>Of C troop under Capt. Charles
T. Boyd and X troop under his own
command at Oio Santo Domingo on
June 20 and the advance together to-
ward Carrizal at $50 in the morning.
There. they halted and Capt. Boyd
sent a courier to Carrizal asking per-
mission Of Gen. Felix Gomez to enter
the town, saying that he was going to
Villa Ahumada.
Gomez replied that he would not be
allowed to enter the town but might
make a detour ground it. Fearing
that they were about to be trapped by
the Mexicans, who had moved out
from town during the parley, the
American troops deployed in battle
formation, mounted and moved for
ward. The Mexicans then opened fire.
Capt. Boyd ordered his men to dis
mount and return the fire. The en-
gagement lasted about an hour.
Both C and X troops advanced, the
former to the position occupied by
Mexican machine gun and the latter
closing in to one side. X troop also
was attacked from the flank while
detachment of Mexicans from the
town reached the rear of the Ameri-
can line and stampeded the horses.
The Mexicans succeeded in checking
the American advance and the Amer
leans first were ordered to fall back
and finally to scatter, each for him
self.
Corporal Green, Of Boyd's troop,
gave details of that part OF the battle.
The Americans were fanked on
both sides by the Carranzistas, who
had partly surrounded the little COM
= .o..fo~o.oo koturoo..