red Tenth
Cavalry, was dispatched from Pershing's main force towards the town of
Villa Ahumada. The force was commanded by Captain Charles T. Boyd of
Troop C and Captain Lewis Morey of Troop K. Lieutenant Adair was second
in command in Troop C to Captain Boyd. Including officers and civilian
scouts, the force numbered about 80 men.

Early on the morning of June 21, the detachment wishing to pass through
the garrisoned town of Carrizal, sought the permission of the Mexican
commander. Amidst a show of force, the officers were invited into the
town by the commander, ostensibly for a parley. Fearing a trap they
refused the invitation and invited the Mexicans to a parley outside the
town. The Mexican commander came out with his entire force and began to
dispose them in positions which were very threatening to the Americans.
Captain Boyd informed the Mexican that his orders were to proceed
eastward to Ahumada and protested against the menacing position of the
Mexican forces. The Mexican replied that his orders were to prevent the
Americans from proceeding in any direction excepting northward, the
direction from which they had just come.

Captain Boyd refused to retreat, but ordered his men not to fire until
they were attacked. The Mexican commander retired to the flank and
almost immediately opened with machine gun fire from a concealed trench.
This was quickly followed by rifle fire from the remainder of the force.
The Mexicans outnumbered the troopers nearly two to one and their most
effective force was intrenched. The Americans were on a flat plain,
unprotected by anything larger than bunches of cactus or sage brush.
They dismounted, laid flat on the ground and responded to the attack as
best they could. The horses were mostly stampeded by the early firing.

The spray of lead from the machine gun had become so galling that
Captain Boyd decided to charge the position. Not a man wavered in the
charge. They took the gun, the Captain falling dead across the barrel of
it just as the last Mexican was killed or put to flight. Lieutenant
Adair was also killed. The Mexicans returned in force and recaptured the
position.

Captain Morey had been concerned in warding off a flank attack. His men
fought no less bravely than the others. They finally were driven to seek
refuge in an adobe house, that is; all who were able to reach it. Here
they kept the Mexicans at bay for hours firing through windows and holes
in the walls. Captain M