Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1916-07-07
Captives Return To Americas Soil.

The 23 negro troopers of the Tenth Cav
airy. who. at Canizal, Villa Ahumada.
Chihuahua City and Juarez have been
central figures in one of the most striking
chapters of the Mexican situation, are
safely out Of Mexico.
Survivors Of an engagement with su-
perior force. victims twice Of mobs that
stoned them, more than once gripped with
the fear Of execution for their part in the
Captain Boyd expedition, and. lastly, OBJ
jects of intercession by the President of
the United States. they were brought to
the border from Chihuahua City on spe-
cial train Thursday Of last week and turn
ed over 20 General George Bell, Jr., COM
mander of the Ell Paso base.
Following is the story Of the Carrizal
battle. briefly told by the men of the Tenth
Forty-two Mexicans were killed and 80
wounded in the battle. There were $50
Mexicans in the battle. partly covered in
irrigation bitches, while American troops,
far inferior in numbers, fought in the open,
the negro troopers said. I'VE came mighty
close to cleaning up the whole bunch at
that" said one. land would have done it
If it had not been for the bitches and the
machine guns. Once we charged clear to
the machine gun. but lacked strength to
push past and take it."
There were only 76 of us in the battle"
said another. I'VE left the main column
with SO. but 10 were sent back with the
wagon train. don't know who fired first.
The Mexicans were formed like a horse
shoe. almost enveloping us when the firing
started. They had two machine guns, both
concealed from us, one on each flank. We
were fairly enflladed. Captain Boyd made
us lie prone and told us to make every
shot count. sure did.
I'VE fought and fought and fought until
| thought we would never stop. Between
shots we scraped at the ground with our
rifle butts to try to scoop out little shell
ter, but that did not help. ran out of
cartridges and borrowed few, and then
ran out again. Isaw our right flank charge
and wither under the fire as they swept to
the Mexican line. Finally, when every
other man around me had been shot, | Got
mine, spent bullet that knocked me fiat.
| jumped up and ran as hard as could.
The Mexicans fired volley, and just ran
faster. Then lot of Mexicans jumped on
their horses and ran me down. threw
up my hands and surrendered.
"'You blankety. blankety blank what
are you fighting us for ?" they yelled at
me in Spanish. Why. man, jest match
ely amt fighting you at ali. | answered.
They all laughed at me and tied me up.
| saw wounded men bayonetted on the
ground. 1t was sure sickening. See these
cuts on my arms There's where the Mexi-
cans bound me so tight the ropes cut
through the skin. Look the boys over and
you'll see some more"
81 had shot five Mexicans," said Luther
Alexander, who was wounded in the right
shoulder, picking them out carefully like
Captain Boyd told us to. and was putting
another clip Of cartridge when raised my
right shoulder too high. Right away,
felt like house had fallen on it, and my
days work was done. tried to work the
gun with one arm, but couldn't make it
Almost Immediately our whole squad col
lapsed and those who were not killed were
prisoners. Those very badly wounded were
shot or bayonetted by the Mexicans."
THAT little plain where we were punched
was slaughter-house," said Archie Jones
who was shot through the right arm
There was blood and dead bodies and
groaning wounded everywhere. it seemed
and after the fighting the Mexicans killed
all of the wounded who could not stand.
Shot some and bayonetted others. We
thought that was pretty bad until we GOT
a look at these irrigation bitches where
the Mexicans had been fighting. We saw
the body of General Gomez carried out
and saw the others loaded up, too"