Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-06-28
General Funston to Make Ma
Move Until He Has Official
Version of Carriza| Af-
fair From Pershing.
SMALL FORCE HARD HIT
Reports of Stragglers Indicate
Attack Was Unprovoked--
Relief Troops Sent Out
From Base.

Secretary Baker made public to
day a report from General Perish.
ing on the fight at Carrizal, based
ON personal questioning of men
from the two troops of the Tenth
cavalry engaged in the conflict. II
was indicated that the attacks on
the Americans ere unprovoked,
but gave no estimate OF casualties
on either side.
General Pershing had not had
an opportunity to confer with any
officer of the two companies, and
Secretary Baker said that a def
mite conclusion as to where tho
blame rested could not be formed.
The report, which was taken to the
White House earlier in the day and
afterward laid before the cabinet, told
substantially the same story carried in
border press dispatches last night. 1t
said the Mexican troops opened fire
conference between Captain Boyd, of
Troop c, Tenth cavalry, commanding
the detachment, and General Gomez,
the Carranza commander at Carrizal.
Attack ~Unprovoked.
Secretary Bakers statement follows:
The war department has received
from General Funston the following,
transmitted from General Pershing:
personally questioned troopers with
reference to the Ahumada affair. Two
troops 10th cavaly. Boyd's troop C,
and Morey's X, Joined on the night OF the
Goth at Ojo Santo Domingo. Marched
to within one mile of Carrizal on the
c1Cf C0ntotC vlnv1 ~, ND m rr{
ing there at 1880 a. m. Boyde sent in
a Mexican guide to ask permission to
pass through the town. Mexican guide
returned with refusal from General
Gomez. Then Gomez sent out note by
orderly saying that Boyd might pass
through the town providing he stopped
for a conference.
Then General Gomez himself came.
out and discussed the situation for
about 20 minutes with Boyd. Meantime
Mexican troops moving out from town,
began surrounding Boyd's column, Co
mez retired, and when he reached the
right of his troops MeNicans began fir
ing machine guns. Boyd then dis
mounted to fight on foot"
General Pershing also reports that
he has sent out cavalry to support and
bring back the two troops in ques-
ton"
SAN Antonio. Tex. June 24-Whether
the little force of the Tenth United
States cavalry under Capt. Charles T.
Boyd fought their way out successfully
through the ring of Mexican troops
which had almost surrounded them at
Carrizal, still vas unknown at General
Funston's headquarters today. No news.
from General PEI .;hing had been re-
ceived since last nights report based
on the stories of %stragglers from Car
rial.
Command Wiped Out.
Belief that the casualties suffered by
Very heavy wa expressed by army Of
Ulcers here. II was pointed out that, if
IL men had been killed as reported
through Mexican sources, it would
mean that from 35 to 40 had been
wounded, according to the usual pro-
portion.
These, with the number reported
from Chihuahua to nave been
would account for practically one troop
or so per cent of the command. In
deed. from the reports available so far.
1t is probable that Captain Boyd's COM
mand was practically wiped out.
San Antonio. Tex, June 23.-General
Funston early today awaited further
details from General Pershing of the
attack near Carrizal by a force of Mex
cans. under Felix Gomez. on Troops C.
and X of the Tenth cavalry, under
Capt. Charles S. Boyd. The final put
come Of the battle was not made known
in General Pershing's report, received
at headquarters late last night, nor was
n indication given of the number Of
casualties suffered by the little Ameri-
can force, which had been almost sur
rounded by a ring Of Mexican troops.
This report was based on the stories
Of several stragglers who had made
their way back to the main column.
These men. apparently soldiers not ac-
lively engaged, had made their escape
before the fighting WAS over.
Attack ~Unprovoked.
According to the story told General
Pershing by these stragglers. the attack
was entirely unprovoked and was made
after the Mexican forces had partly
surrounded the Americans under cover
of a parley between General Gomez and
Captain Boyd. 1t was not until after
the Mexicans had opened fire with a
machine gun that Captain Boyd dis
mounted his command and returned the
fire.
Apparently the men who made their
way back to General Pershing's head
quarters did not encounter the two
squadrons Of the Eleventh cavalry sent
by General Pershing to reinforce the
two troops of the Tenth and no report
from this source had reached General
IperahlnG.