The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1916-06-29
BATTLE WITH MEXICANS|
TWO CAVALRY TROOPS ALMOST
ANNIHHATED.
Negro Troopers Decoyed by Mexicans,
4 Surrounded and Fired on With
Machine Guns.


San Antonio, June 23.-The two
troops of the 10th cavalry under
Capt. Charles T. Boyd practically
were wiped out. by the attack of
Mexican forces under Gen. Felix
Gomez at Carrizal June Fl, accord
ing to indications given in fragmen-
tary reports received by Gen. Fun
ston from Gen. Pershing tonight.
Gen. Pershing's message stated
that seven survivors in all, including
those who arrived last night, have
reached the main column. All were
enlisted men.
According to the stories of the sur
yiyors. as outlined in Gen. Pershings
report, a mounted force of Mexicans
made a charge from the flank of the
American troops at the conclusion OF
q parley between Capt. Boyd and
Gen. Gomez, at the same time that
q machine gun opened fire from the
front as Gen. Gomez reached his
lines.
Capt. Boyd had ordered his men to
dismount as the machine gun open
ed. fire, and the combined effect OF
the Mexican charge, the machine gun
fre and the rifle fire from the Mex1-
can garrison of Carrizal, which had
almost surrounded the little Ameri-
can force under cover of the pafley
sought by Gen. Gomez to discuss
whether Capt. Boyd should be allow
ed to pass through the town, stam-
peded the horses.
No details were made known to
Gen. Pershing as to whether the
Mexican charge was checked.
With their mounts gone, caught
without means Of escape, ringed
about on three sides with the fire of
ali overwhelming force, the fate of
the little detachment is believed by
officers here to have been sealed. 1t
is feared that only the most stupen-
dous luck, backed by desperate valor,
could have extricated Capt. Boyd's
men from the trap.
The reports from Mexican forces
placed the number Of killed, includ-
ing two officers, at from twelve to
forty. It is reported that seventeen
were taken captive into chihuahua
CITY.
The accepted percentage of wound
ed to those killed in modern warfare
would place the wounded at from
thirty-five to forty at the lowest esti-
mate. The strength of the two
troops, c and K, is not known here,
but it is estimated that they could
not have exceeded 130 meA, allow
ing for those sick and on detached
service. With only survivors report
ed as arriving at the main column,
the number of those accounted for,
atsleast specifically, is pitifully small.
The report from Gen. Pershing
stated that the stories of the surviv-
ors were confused and did not con-
form in all details with the report
made from the first arrivals from the
battlefield. Gen. Pershing reported
there was a scene of wild confusion
when the Mexicans opened and their
cavalry charged. The straggiers ap-
parently were cut off in an effort. of
Capt. Boyd to extr1cate his men
from the jaws of the trap which was
closing on his command, or fed be-
fore the outcome of the battle could
be learned.
Gen. Pershing, according to his re-
port, had received no word from the
two battalions of the 11th cavalry
which he had sent to rescue the rem
nants Of Capt. Boyd's expedition. He
stated that he had taken no meas
ures to support the squadrons of the
11th.
Gen. Funston said tonight that he
had received no orders regarding a
report that Gen. Bell had crossed the
border at Ell Paso and that no con-
sfrmation had been received of ru-
mors of reported bandit raids near
Hachita, N NJ, and Brownsville.
Woman's Alphabet.
will be-