Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-06-23
TRICK TRAPPED
CAVALRY, SAYS
GEN. PERSHTNG
Mexicans Advanced in Bat
tie Line During Farley,
Report Asserts
TROOPER TELLS OF FIGHT

SAN ANTONIO. June 23--while the en-.
tire border anxiously awaited news OF fur
Their fighting IN Mexico, the details OF
General PershIngs first Official report to
General Funston on the Carrizal conflict
magnifed the first vague story Of Mexi-
can treachery that reached the border and
Indicated clearly that the methods OF
Indian warfare were responsible for the
ambush Of the Americans.
The official report showed how the black
troopers Of tho 10th Cavalry, trapped and
almost helpless, fought for five hours
against overwhelming numbers before they
retreated to the nearby hills From there
the shattered force, carrying It's wounded,
began to make It's way slowly back to
the base at Colonia Dublan.
American officers here had predicted that
the tone of General PershIng's report would
determine whether new expedition should
start into Mexico through Juarez After
reading the report they asserted that Moth
Ing could now stop this contemplated
march.
This can mean nothing but war" said
enc of the highest officials at FL Paso III
indicates beyond all doubts that the Mex
leans are boldly defying President Wilson.
In view Of the attitude taken by the Presi-
dent in his latest note believe that within
a few days will come word to advance and
n declaration Of war"
TROOPERS STORY OF THE FIGHT
based on the information brought him by
four troopers who were present at the Car
RIAL fight. Mounted on the only horses left
the little command was sent at killing
pace TO take word 70 headquarters and at
tempt to get relief. Here is the story told
by their spokesman
I'VE had been marching since early We'd
nesday morning when we reached the neigh
borhood of Carrizal Captain Charles T.
, Boyd was riding ahead or the column. Just
q. III. re Nntn 4 atrTto
Lieutenant Henry r. Adair was further
back with the column There were SIS men
in the troop.
From our position we could see some
Mexican soldiers in the village. Captain
Boyd sent forward q messenger under q
flag of truce to ask permission to enter
the town in search of the bandits that we
were hunting. General Felix Gomez sent
back word giving permission to enter.
Gomez himself rode out to meet Captain
Boyd. Captain Boyd gave the word for
the column to advance. We were just
starting forward when we noticed Mexican
troops pouring out from behind different
kinds of shelter-adobe houses and the
hke--and deploying to the right and left.
IN BATTLE FORMATION.
"It was battle formation. From the first
glance we saw that they outnumbered us at
least five to one.
Captain Boyd noticed their movements
To any soldier that sort OF thing can mean
only that an attack is about to begin. 1
saw Captain Boyd motion to the Mexicans
and make some remark about 1t to Gomez
Gomez wheeled his mount around and
signaled with his hands Then he made
a dash for his own lines.
Il saw, Captain Boyd fall. moment
later Captain Morey was wounded in the
shoulder.
Lieutenant Adalr gave us the order to
dismount. We got out of our saddles in a
hurry. Then he told us to throw ourselves
on our faces and return the fire. Some one
got Gomez Just as he was reaching his line
The next minute Lieutenant Adair was hit
Both he and Captain Boyd are dead,
believe.
The machine-guns were still going I
could hear the bullets whistling over us.
Because of Lieutenant Adairs orders we
saved a lot OF men. But the horses did not
10 hit them and they were going down as
II their legs were suddenly cut out from
under them. The others, stung by the but.
lets and kicked by the dying horses, began
to rear and plunge The men in charge
tried their best TO hold them, but they
broke away. Some of the men were killed
trying to save the mounts.
When the horses got away we were
marooned We fought back and pre-
vented the Mexicans from advancing in
spite of their advantage in numbers and
the machine guns, We began to fall back
toward the bills as well as we could.
We recovered four horses, and then
the four of us were cent here to report
We left the rest OF the troops in the hills
The retreat was slow because OF the
wounded The Mexicans kept following
and firing, but were kept away by the
accurate rife fire of our men"