The Mena weekly star., 1916-06-29
MEN FACED CERTAIN
 DEATH AT CARRIzAL
Cautain Mercy Reaches Camp and Tells of the Heroism of His
 Troopers-Twenty-three of Them Were Slain.

LU.
 American negro troopers faced all most certain death at Carrizal with smiles in their eyes and slang on their lips, and they burst into song once or twice as they fought their grim fight against odds. This was the story told by Capt Lewis s. Nor ey, when he arrived at field head quarters today.
 For 45 minutes the men fought, joking among themselves all the while, even though they realized we had been trapped and had little chance of getting out alive" he said
 Captain Mercy said he had never seen such valor as was displayed by Captain Charles T. Boyd in leading a handful of dismounted troopers thru the machine gun fire and into the ambush of death He said that it was not until their ammunition was exhausted that the troop was finally cut to pieces. He told of the heroic death of Lieutenant Henry R. Adair of Portland. Ore. in an attempt to replenish the ammunition.
 Died Fighting.
 Lieutenant Adair died fighting. his last words being, Co on, sergeant. :" to a man at his side, Captain Mercy said. The two were on their way to the pack animals carrying the am- munition when they were intercept ed near small irrigation ditch by a detail of Mexicans. Lieutenant Adair had been wounded and lost his re- yolver in the previous fighting. but he borrowed another and was fight ing a hand- -to-hand battle when he was killed. He fell backward un- conscious and was caught by the ne- gro sergeant as he slid toward the ditch, which was filled with water. The sergeant held Adair in his arms, his face above the water, until he died. The wounded officer revived only long enough to whisper orders to leave him and to finish the mis- sion. Captain Mercy said that Cap tain Boyd warned the men before the fight that they were advancing into the greatest danger He said the Carranzistas opened first from their machine gun trench and that al- most immediately afterward a de- tachment of the Mexicans circled to the rear and drove off many of the Americans horses while the cavalry men dismounted in line of skirmish.
 The size of thA battle field and the cover from which the Mexicans fought made it necessary for his troop and that of Captain Boyd's to separate and fight what were practically individual engagements. CaDtain Mercy said.
 Captain M0rey was brought here by troops of the Eleventh Cavalry. sent to rescufe Carrizal survivors. Twenty-tfIree Were Killed. ,-, Twenty three American soldiers are, known to have lost. their lives m the battle at ,Carrizal, according 10 a report to General PershinR from MaJ0r Jenkins. commanding the Eleventh Cavalry column, ordered to SCOUT the country for survivors. The report told of the rescue of Captain Lewis s. Mercy after he had made a daring stand in the face of heavy odds and heroic sacrifices in an ef- fort to save the lives of his men. Major Jenkins said he had evidence that nine American troopers. in addi- tion. to those previously reported dead, were killed.
 Note Confirms Stories.
 A note found on the body of Cap- tain Charles P. Boyd, the American commander who lost his life in the charge of the Mexican machine gun trench, proved that General Felix Gomez. the Mexican commander. in- vlted him into the town of Carrizal and that he refused and afterwards conferred with Gomez outside the town.
 After the first firing K troop, un- der Captain Mercy. took refuge in a nearby adobe hut. believing they were surrounded and outnumbered. Captain Mercy ordered his men toI leave the hut in small detachments that their chances of escape might be increased.
 Captain, Mercy, slightly wounded With four men remained hidden all day Tn the house, which was within 2,000 yards of the Carranzista line That night the four started afoOt to make their way back to General Pershlng. However, Captain Mercy soon became so weak from loss of blood that he was unable to walk Believing he was dying he ordered ms men to leave him and save them selves.
 CrawlS to Ranch House.
 This they did, but the wounded officer managed to crawl to the ranch house of an American named McCabe, about nine miles from Car rizal.
 Major Jenkins found Captain ,Morey hidden in McCahe's house. Ills wounds are not dangerous. Gen. efai peshing said 43 members of the command engaged had been ac- counted for, and that one other is known to be alive, but is lost in the desert. The remainder of the 8f men of the detachment are. believed to nave been killed or captured
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 hemains of Joab Caviness Home.
 The remains of Joab Caviness arrived in Mena Tuesday from the State Hospital at Little Rock, ana were taken in charge by Under- taker Patton.
 Ine funeral services were con- nnueted at the Caviness residence on Toik street Wednesday afternoon at q q o'clock and were in charge of the hPV I W