Omaha daily bee., 1916-06-27

| iN'S tSiiiShl anu WV huiilDSi VI
ing was estimated officially at fifteen
Columbus, N. NJ, June 26.-Eight
to one, these are now said to be the
odds at which the Americans strug-
gled at Carrizal.
A survivor of the engagement, Sam
H. Harris, a dusky private of Troop
| c, the Tenth cavalry, was brought
to the border late this afternoon. suf-
fering from wounds in his left Shout
der and arm. From him came the
assertion, that pitted against the
eighty-four men OF the American de-
tachment, were fully 7 Mexicans.
ITO top it Off" said Harris, they
had a machine gun and surprized us.
I'VE approached them IN peace
full way, and never had an idea that
they would try to massacre US. Had
we known they wanted fight, we
could have given it to them. ! guess
they got enough at that"
Surrounded by Mexicans.
Harris troop 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 also
had been wounded. He rode this
horse until it fell from loss of blood,
and then nabbed another fleeing ami
NAL with which he eventually caug hit
up with other survivors whom he
accompanied to field headquarters.
Harris account of the battle and
his escape, was expressive and color
full. Tears came to his eyes as he
recounted the heoric effcrt of his
wounded charger to bear him to
safety.
That horse sure saved my life"
he said. 81 want you to know | let
him see how l appreciated it.
All at Attention.
"Our troop with Captain Boyd
commanding, had pulled up before
Carrizal. The captain ordered every
one to dismount and we all got down,
was a householder, and l took
charge of some animals while their
riders stood at attention.
lust after Captain Boyd went for
ward, my horses got nervous and
began to prance around, | lost what
was going on, looking after those
fool animals.
Next thing know, the shooting
had started looked around. Cap
tain Boyd was down and l couldn't
see him. l kept on looking. There
were easily 700 of the 'greasers'
around US. They had come up right
out of the ground, forming a half
circle. Our men kept on falling.
Open With Machine Gun.
"The first shots came from ma.
chine gun. 1t was trained right on
us, and. believe me, it talked fast.
Every few minutes-it might have
been seconds-for all l know, it
would let up while the operator was
putting in more clips. Then you
could pick out the clicks of the rifle
fire.
1T wasn't more than two minutes
before the Mexicans had surrounded
us We were right there in the mid
die, fighting like the dickens. All
around, the horses were rearing and
plunging. Every little bit, horse or
a man would get a bullet and go
down.
81 couldn't fight, for l had to keep
after those mounts. Pretty soon my
own horse, a great big fellow, stag
gered and whinnied. They had hit
him in the neck.
Get" Him in Shoulder!
Il put my hand OH the spot where
the blood was shooting out. Just
then they got me-in the shoulder.
Il lost control of the animals COM
pletely. My own horse was whinny-
ing and Juggling on his rope. could
see fellows dropping all around me,
and horses were running off, over
their bodies We did not have a
show in the world and | saw it.
cut the horses loose and climbing
ON my own animal hit it for the thin
nest part of the circle.
Il went right through the Mexi-
cans. My horse brushed two of them
out of the way as we charged,
Owes Life to Horse.
81 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 ten
miles before he settled down to
walk. Five miles further on, his legs
just gave out, and he went down.
Man, | hope you don't ever have
to say goodbye to horse like that,
at time and in place like that. 1t
seemed to me | couldn't leave him.
| looked back to see if there was
any one following. There. was not,
so | knelt down and poured a little
water from my canteen on his tongue.
He was slipping fast, and l just let
him know how sorry l was. |
thanked him for the mighty big favor
be did me. Yes, sir, thanked, like
he was human. And I guess he
understood, for he got that look in
his Eyes animals have when they are
grateful.
Says Good Bye.
Il wanted to stay longer, but he
was about gone, coughing blood. No
use, my stayin, when some of those
'greasers might catch up and get
me: | was bleeding, too, and in pain.
| thanked him again, and said good
bye!
Il walked and walked. A few
miles on, | ran on to one of our ami
mails. jumped him and rode on to-
ward Colonia Dublan. Before | got
there, ran into some other survivors,
and we went on together"
Private Harris will be kept here
for treatment