Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-06-26
TROOPER TELLS or BATTLE.
Wounded Soldier Brought to colum
bus, N. NJ, and Describes Fight.

Wounded Soldier Brought to Column.
! bus, N. M, and Describes Fight.
Columbus, N. M. June 22.-Eight to
one-these are now said to be the odds
against which the Americans struggled
at Carrizal.
A survivor of the engagement, Sam
| H. Harris, a dusky private of g troop,
the Tenth cavalry, was brought to the
| border late Sunday afternoon suffer-
! ing from wounds in his left shoulder
and arm. From him came the asser-
ton that pitted against the eighty
four men of the American detachment
were fully 700 Mexicans.
ITO top it off," said Harris. they
had machine gun and they sur
prised us.
Americans Expected No Fight.
1--WE approached them in peaceful
way, and never had, an idea that they
would try to massacre US. Had we
known they wanted fight, we could
got enough. at that"
Harris troop was entirely sur
rounded by the Carranzistas, he said.
He escaped wounded, from the Gordon
the enemy had drawn around the
Americans by riding straight thru
their line on his charger, which also
had been wounded. He rode this
horse until it fell from loss OF blood.
and then nabbed another fleeing AMI
NAL with which he eventually caught
up with other survivors.
Harris account of the battle and his
escape was expressive and colorful.
The troop which Captain Boyd
commanded had pulled up before Car
RIAL" he said. 1.-THE captain ordered
everyone to dismount and we all got
down. was a householder and took
charge of some animals while their
riders stood at attention.
Fully 700 Mexieans.
Just after Captain Boyd went for
ward my horses got nervous and be-
gan to prance around. lost what
was going on. Next thing I knew the
shooting had started. Captain Boyd
was down and / couldn't see him. I
kept on looking. There was easily 700
of those greasers around US. They had
come right out of the ground, forming
a half circle Our men kept on fall
ing. The first shots came from ma
chine gun. It was trained right on
q.
Every few minutes-it might have
been seconds. for all know-it would
let up while the operator was putting
in more clips.
'It wasn't more than two minutes
before the iMexicans had surrounded
US. We were right there in the mid
die fighting Ike the dickens. All
around us the horses were rearing
and plunging.
II couldn't fight for I had to keep
after these mounts. Pretty soon my
own horse staggered. They had hit
him in the neck. Then they got me
in the shoulder.
Rides Thru Circle Of Fire.
II lost control Of the animals COM
pletely. MY own horse was tugging
on his rope. I could see fellows drop
ping all around me and horses were
running over their bodies. We didn't
have show in the world and saw
it I cut the horses loose and, climb
ing on my animal hit 1t for the
thinnest part of the circle.
II went right thru the. Mexicans.
My horse brushed two OF them out OF
the way as we charged.
81 owe my life to that horse sure as
YOU live. Don't you know that animal
was so brave and big hearted that he
carried me along for ten miles before
he settled down to a walk. Five miles
further on his legs just gave out and
he went down.
Man, I hope you don't ever have
to say goodbye to a horse like that,
at time and place like that. II
seemed to me I couldn't leave him.
looked back to see II there was any
one following. There wasn't, SO \
knelt down and poured a little wafer
from my canteen on his tongue. he
was slipping fast and just told MN
how sorry / was. I thanked him for
the mighty big favor he did me. Yes
sir. / thanked him. like, he was human.
I guess he understood for he got that
look in his eyes animals have when
thew are grateful"