Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-06-24
CAVALRY COMMAND
ALMOST WIPED OUT
IN CARR|ZAL FIGHT
Seven Survivors in All
Reach Main Column,
Pershing Reports.
OBJECT OF TREACHEROUS
ATTACK BY CARRANZA MEN
Only Most Stupendous Luck
Could Have Extricated Amer
leans From Trap.
OTHERS MAY HAVE BEES SAVED
Many Grim Evidences In Washing
ton That Tension Is
Increased.

SAN ANTONIO. TEN. June 23-The
TWO troops of the Tenth Cavalry, under
. captain Charles T BOYD. practically
We're wiped on, by the attack OF the
Mexican forces under General Gomez Al
carrizal on June 81. according TO indica :
tons given in frarmentary repor, re-
ceived BY General Funston from Cen
e!al Pershing tonight.
General Pcrshnu's message stated
that seven survivors III all. Including (
those who arrived last night. have
reached the main column. All were
enlisted men, hu; the repor, did not
say whether there we're noncommis-
sionsd officers among them.
According To the stories Of tho sur
'ivora as outlined in General rcrshing $
,erort. a mounted force OF Mcxicans
made a charge from the finnk of the
American troops at the conclusion OF
par'cy between Captain Boyd and
General Gomez At the same time tina
machine gun opened fire from the
front rs General Gomez reached his
lines. Captain Boyd had ordered his
men TO disrlount as the machine gun
opened fre. and the combined effect OF
the Mexican machine fire and The rife
FIRE from the Mexican garrison OF Car
rizsl, which had almost surrounded the
little American force under cover OF
the parley sought by General Gomez
10 discuss whether Captain BOYD should
be allowed 10 pass through the town
s:ampedcd the horses
No DETAILS As Tu tIII:1k
0E Nl:Nlt'tN CHARGE
y, details wer. nads itun'.u 20 Gen.
eyal Pershing as TO whether tn" MeXi-
can charge was checked
With their mounts vonc. eau, hi with
ont means o! escape. "inIci stout or
three sides with the fire Of an over.
whelm!nE force. th, fate II IKE little
detachment is believed by officers here
TO Nave been scaled. II is feared that
only the mos; stupendous luck. backed
by desperate valor could have cxtri.
Gated Captain Boyds men from the
trap.
The reports from Mexican forces
place tho number of killed, including
two officers. At from twelve 10 forty
II Is reported seventeen were take,
captive into Chihuahua City.
The report from General Pershinr
stated that the stories Of the survivor:
were confused. and d;d not conform ir
all details with the report made by the
first arrivals from the battle field
General Pershing reported that there
was a scene of wild confusion wher
the Mexicans opened fire and their cav.
airy charged. The stragelers, appar
emily, were cut off in an effort of Cap,
tain Boyd to extricate his men from
the jaws OF the trap which was CLOSING
on ais command or fed before the out
come OF the battle could be learned
The accepted percentage of wounded
to those killed in modern warfa re
would place the wounded at from,
thirty-five to forty at the lowest esti.
mate. The strength of the two troops
G and X. Is not known here. but it is
estimated that they could not exceed
thirty-flve men. allowing for those sick
and on detached service. With only
seven survivors reported as arriving
at the main column. the number oi
those accounted for, at least specu-
latively, is pitifully small.