The log cabin Democrat., 1916-06-23
SAY U. s. TROOPS DIDN'T OPEN FIGHT MEXiCANS MADE ATTACK On American Troops at Carrizal, Ac- cOrding to Members of
 Tenth Cavalry.

San Antonio, Tex, June 22.-Strag- glers from the Tenth Cavalry detach- ment that was in the fight at Car rizal arrived at General Perishing's s headquarters today and told him that the fighting began with an unprovok- ed attack on the Americans at the conclusion of a barley with the Mex ican commander. General Pershing transmitted their story to General Funston tonight, who immediately re- ferred it to the war department.
 The men were unable to tell any thing regarding the number of killed and wounded, or even the later phases of the engagement. They re treated during the fight, became sep arated from their commands, and made their way back to the Ameri- can lines. Two troops of the Tenth Cavalry, Companies C, commanded by Capt. Louis Mercy, comprised the detachment that arrived within a mile of Carrizal at ' a. m. June 21. They had stopped at Ojo de Santo Domingo on the previous night, re- suming their march toward the east at o'clock the next morning.
 From their position in front of Carrizal, the commander of the de tachment, believed by General Per shlng to have been Captain Boyd, since he was senior in rank to Cap tain Mercy, sent forward a Mexican guide to secure from the comman- der of the Mexican garrison their permission to pass through the town.
 Gen Felix Gomez sent back word by the guide that the Americans might pass through if they would consent to a barley. Without wait ing for the commander of the Ameri- can force to reply, General Gomez. accompanied by an aide, appeared and the American office rode forward to talk with him.
 While they were talking, the men said, the Mexican troops moved for ward and deployed in such manner that there appeared danger of the American force being surrounded. One of the men who had been hold ing the horses of the American off cer and the man who had ridden for ward with him, said the American of ficer appeared to protest against the positions General Gomez's troops were taking. A few minutes later General Gomez rode off toward the end of the Mexican line and imme diately after he arrived there the Mexicans began the attack, sweeping the American line with a machine gun.
 It was not until then, the strag- glers said, the American commander gave orders for both troops to dis mount and return the fire.
 General Pershing said that before the Americans left on the expedition both he and Major Evans of the Tenth Cavalry cautioned the com manding officer to be very careful not to provoke a fight.
 General Pershing had received no news of two squadrons of the Elev enth Cavalry he sent out this morn ing to get in touch with the troops that were at CarriZal. Staff officers here calculated that the relief party should reach the remnant of the little detachment late tonight or tomor- row morning. It was assumed that because the two troops were return ing with their wounded, progress necessarily was slow and that the relief party would have to travel al most the entire distance from tls main line of communication to Car riZal, some 80 miles.
 General Pershing assured General Funston that he would forward to him as rapidly as possible any addi- tlonal detail she secured, and until he IS in possession of all the facts and IS convinced of their accuracy. General Funston will make no move calculated to complicate the situation of new hostilities.
 Chihuahua City, June 22.-The F Amencan soldiers, negro troopers of the Tenth Cavalry, who were cap tured in the battle at Carrizal. were brought here today with Lem H. Splllsbury, Mormon scout employed by General Pershing, and were in termed. Salisbury said that Capt. Charles T. Boyd commanded the Americans, and that both he and Lieut.. Henry R, Adair were killed.
 Captain Mercy, who was with the