The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1916-07-13
RECALLS War OF
1916 WITH MEXICO
Veteran Tells Of Ambush That
Caused HOStiIitioS.
FLED At A BAYONET CHARGE
Santa Annals Troops Wouldn't Fight
onslsushts Of Ameriesns-Not q Gun
or Flag Was Lost During the Two
Years strussle-csll For $4,000 VOL
unteers Was Issued.

Years strussIe-csIl For $4,000 Vol.
unteers Was Issued.
War between the United States aud
Mexico I'm 1916 began us the result OF a
skirmish similar to the unprovoked at.
tack by Mexicans upon the detachment
OF General Pershing's forces, 1t was
recalled by n veteran OF the first Mexi.
Gun war, Colonel Charles J. Murphy OF
New York, who is the youngest sur.
yivor of that conflict. Colonel Murphy
also was a staff officer I'm the civil war;
On June he was eighty-four years
old. Colonel Murphy, commenting on
the fight at Carrizal, said:
THE news OF the FIRST battle in Mex.
leo reminds me that the war with Mex.
leo IN 1S46-s commenced In n similar
way on April -. 1916, although there
was not a formal declaration Of war
between the two countries. Like the
recent fight, II was an ambuscade
for the Americans, and similarly the
Americans were attacked by superior
forces of probably four to one.
Captain Thornton, United States
army. marching at the head of seventy
men OF the Second Dragons In Texas,
fell into an anbuscade of Mexican reg
ular troops ON April "a, 1916, number
ing between 800 and 400. After n gal
liant resistance he was killed. with six.
teen members Of his command. and
thirty-eight were wounded. The re-
mainder of the force were taken prls-
oners. In this fight, as In that of the
other day, II may be noted that appar.
emily the approximate numbers Of the
slain and wounded were the same on
both sides.
1t Yves six days later when the Mexi,
cans attacked Fort Brown and We're
repulsed. said Colonel Murphy. On
May General Taylor defeated the
Mexican army OF Generals Ampudla
and Arista.at Palo Alto.
1T is a noteworthy fact that these
battles were fought without n declara-
ton of war on either SIDE" continued
the colonel Indeed, no declaration Of
war was ever made by either of the
two contending republics"
Thirty Thousands Volunteers Called.
These conflicts were followed by q
call for 10000 volunteers by President
Polk. More than 65,OO0 volunteers re-
sponded promptly. AS a comparison of
the quotas furnished by each state
with the present mobilization OF the
militia on President Wilson's call.
these figures are given by Colonel Muir.
ply:
Alabama, 2,9sl; Maryland and Dis
trict of Columbia. 1872; Arkansas,
1924; Florida, $50; Missouri, GAL;
Georgia, LOST; North Carolina, sos; II.
linois, 1871; South Carolina, 1.120; New
York, 1880; Indiana, 4,3s9; Ohio, 1884;
Iowa, 229; New Jersey, 40; Kentucky.
4,09i; Louisiana. 7.341; Pennsylvania,
2,117; Michigan. 1912; Tennessee. 1894;
Massachusetts. $50; Texas. 1894; Mis-
sissippi, 2,235, and Wisconsin, 146.
At that time Mexico had a regular
army OF 10000 and had called into the
field an additional force. chiefly volun.
teers, of nearly 100000 men.
Colonel Murphy reviewed the details
OF some Of the later battles TO show, he
said, the tricky act Of General Santa
Anna In using flag Of truce and a mes.
senger to General Taylor for the pur
pose OF giving his army time to escape
the Americans at the Rancho Buena
Vista. General Scott, too, later found
that Santa Anna had violated an arms
tice of twenty days, terrifying his posi-.
ton and reinforcing his army. Speak.
Ing of the final big battles OF that war
md the taking of the City OF Mexico,
Colonel Murphy recalled these impress.
sions made upon him at the time:
ut was no holiday war. 1t was re.
Dlete with toflsome marches, with bills. |
tertng and bleeding feet, through hot
sands under a tropical sun, over Jag !
sed rocks and snowy mountain ranges
where horses and riders persisted with
old and exposure IL abounded with |
lameless tragedies both I'm bloody fields
near many a smoking gun and In the
leep gloom OF fever stricken hospitals
in that memorable war of two
ears we fought seventy battles and
without the final loss OF a
ingle gun or an American ensign. En-.
aged always against heavy odds, we
'ore the honor OF our great republic
on our ever advancing
words and bayOnets.
81 must not forget TO mention that the
oldiers of the Mexican armies through
ut the whole war were never known
D stand single charge OF bayonets.
blended with patriotic reflections.
re proudly recall the fact that we
iarched nearly 5000 miles through the
ountry OF an enemy alien TO us I'm race
nd language and performed no act to
'ound the modesty OF women. The
ames Of no defenseless homestead
GIFTED up our line OF march, and no
latin hymn OF vesper bells were ST.
need by our coming
What has been the result of that
Glorious war; IL acquired for us the
lst territories Of California. Nevada,
dorado, New Mexico, Idaho, Arizona
ID Utah, thus adding 100000 square
lies, or 6i0,00O,O00 acres, TO the Unit
States. nearly doubling its area"
Those Mexican Names.
Mexican names that are euphonlous
Spanish are awkward when pro- I
'unced as in English. The yowels
we the same sound as In German. j
s the sound of "A strongly aspirated
and ii is mute. The double Il {
rolled, and the double l. is followed 7
the consonant sound of Y. The ac- J