The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1916-07-06
HORSE SAVES
SOLDIERS LIFE
Survivor Of Carrizal Vivid
ly Describes the Battle
With Mexicans.

A survivor OF the engagement,
Sam II. Harris. dusky private OF c
.-c-r, Tenth cavalry. was brought to
the border late Sunday afternoon suf-
fering from wounds In his left shoul-
der and arm. From him came the
assertion that pitted against the 50
men OF the American detachment
were fully 700 Mexicans.
ITO top II off," said Harris. they
had a machine gun and they sur
prised us.
I'VE approached them in n peace
ful way and never had an idea that
they would try to massacre us. Had
we known they wanted to fight, we
could have given II TO them. ! guess
they got enough, at that"
Harris troup was entirely sur
rounded by the Carranzistas. he said.
He escaped, wounded, from the cor
don the enemy had drawn around
the Americans by riding straight
through their lines on his charger.
which had also been wounded. He
rode this horse until he fell from loss
OF blood. and then nabbed another
fleeing animal with which he even
tually caught up with other survivors
whom he accompanied TO field head
quarters.
Harris account OF the battle and
his escape was expressive and color
full. Tears came to his eyes as he
recounted the heroic effort OF HIS
wounded charger TO carry him to
safety.
THAT horse shure saved my lIfe."
he said. 81 want you to know let
him see how I appreciated II.
"our troop. with Captain Boyd
commanding, had pulled before Car
rizal. The captain ordered everyone
10 dismount and we all got down. I
was horse holder and took charge
OF some animals while the riders
stood at attention.
"Just before Captain Boyd went
forward. my horse got nervous and
began TO prance around. | lost what
was going on. looking after those
fool animals.
Next thing ! knew the shooting
had started. looked around. Cap
tain Boyd was down and couldn't
see him. | kept on looking. There
was easily 700 OF those 'greasers'
around us. They had come right up
out OF the ground. formed a half cir
Gle. Our men kept on falling. The
first shots came from a machine gun.
II was trained right on us. and. be-
lieve me, Il talked fast. Every few
might have been seconds
for all | know-it would let up while
the operator was putting in more
slips. Then you could pick out the
clicks OF the rifle fire.
at was more than two minutes be-
fore the Mexicans had surrounded us.
We were right there in the middle.
fighting like the dickens, All around
the horses were rearing and plung-
ing. Every little bit a horse or a
man. would get bullet and go down.
81 couldn't fight for had to keep
after those mounts. Pretty soon my
own horse. a great big fellow, stag
gered and whlnnied, They had hit
him in the neck,
81 put my hand on the spot where
the blood was spouting out II was
then they got me-in the shoulder,
II lost control of the animals COM
pletely, My own horse was whinny-
ing and tugged on his rope. | could
see fellows dropping all around me,
and horses were running off, over the
bodies. We didn't have a show in the |
world and saw it, cut the horses
loose and climbed on the animal, hit
il for the thinnest part of the circle,
81 went right through the Mexi-
cans. My horse brushed two OF them
out of the way as we charged.
owe my life to that horse sure
as you live, Don't you know that
animal was so brave and big hearted
that he carried me along for 10 miles
before he settled down to a walk.
give miles further on his legs
Just gave out and he went down.
Man, hope you never have to
'ay goodbye to a horse like that.
i seemed to me that | couldn't leave
him. l looked back to see II there
was anyone following. There wasn't
70 l knelt down and poured little
water on his tongue. He was slip
ping fast and l just told him how
orry | was. l thanked him for the
mighty big favor he did me. Yes,
Iir. | thanked him, like he was hui