The Johnson City comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1916-1917, 1916-06-22
BATTLE WITH
MEX|CANS
SCORE OF U. $. SOLDIERS WERE
KILLED IN CLASH.
BLAME PUT ON AMERICANS
PERSHING'S MEN MOVED DOWN
by MACHINE GUNS.

Ell PASO Tex, June 21.-Ameri-
can and Carranza troops fought a
sanguinary battle today only few
hours after President Wilson's six
thousand-word note warning General
Carranza that the ''gravest conse-
quences would follow an attack upon
American forces in Mexico, had gone
forward With which side victory
rested was not known on the border
tonight, as no report from General
Pershing had come through.
Casualties also were not known,
but a score of Gen. Pershing's men
were said to have been killed and the
Mexicans were reported to have lost
more than forty. Seventeen Ameri-
cans were declared by Mexican Of
ficials to have been captured and
hurried to Chihuahua City under
guard. A machine gun used by the
Mexicans was said to have done
heavy execution. The engagement
occurred near the town of Carrizal,
nine miles southeast of Villa Ahu-
mada. the Mexican field headquarters
in Northern Chihuahua.
News of the battle was received
in Juarez early this afternoon by
General Francisco Gonzales, Carran-
"a commander of the military zone of
the border. ]. C. Hubble, returning
to the border from the interior,
brought to El Paso the news that he
had seen numbers of Mexican dead
along the Mexican Central railroad
tracks at villa Ahumda and had
been told that there had been an en-
counter.
General Gonzales first step after
confirming the news was to issue u
statement placing the blame on the
American commander. He charged
that the American troops fired first
on the Mexicans, and that their shots
were directed at a courier who had
just presented tp them a request
that they retire.
American army officers declared |
absolute disbelief tonight in General |
Gonzales assertions. The opinion
was expressed that if the Americans
fired on the Mexicans they did so be-
cause it was necessary in order to
insure their own safety.
Excitement spread in El Paso as
extras were issued and the news be-
came known. Quiet was maintained, |
however, in view of General Bells |
frequent admonitions that his sol |
diers could take care of any situation
that might arise. While awaiting in
structions from headquarters at San |
Antonio, General Bell kept his entire
force in readiness for instant action.
Whichever side began the engage
ment, the Mexicans had the advan-
tage for they had provided them
selves with machine gun and this |
is supposed to have done deadly ex-
ecution in the ranks of the Ameri- |
cans. That the latter were not inef- |
ficient, however, was proved by the
number of Mexicans dead and wound
ed, removed to Villa Ahmuda and |
witnessed by Americans coming |
north on a train bound for Juarez.
The battle began about 1920 a. m.
and lasted not more than an hour.
1t apparently ended with both sides
Withdrawing. The failure of General
Pershing to report on it indicated
that the American survivors had not
yet returned to their base at an
early hour tonight.
Washington, June 21.-Much del
pends, it was indicated, on whether
the clash was a result of General
Carranzas determination to enforce
his demand for withdrawal of Ameri-
can troops from Mexico or merely a
detached incident, arising out of a
misunderstanding between command
ers.
If it was deliberate attempt to
back up the Carranza edict by force,
there seems little doubt that Presi-
dent Wilson will accept it as an act
of war and make good his words in
the latest communication to the le
facto government. in which he said
that any such attempt would be fol-
lowed by the "gravest consequences"