File No. 812.00/18525
The Secretary of State to Special Representative Rodgers
Washington, June 22, 1916, 6 p.m.
160. Your 165, June 21. War Department to-day received following from General Bell, El Paso:
Mexican Consul Garcia telephoned me 6 p.m. as follows: There was a clash this a.m. at Carrizal near Villa Ahumada between Carrancista and American troops in which General Gomez and other Mexicans were killed, number unknown. Number of Americans killed or wounded unknown. That General Gomez sent a captain with an order to American commander to go back but American said he was going to Villa Ahumada and opened fire on Mexican captain wounding him and killing a private who was with him. That Ameriicans attacked General Gomez but were driven back and that several were taken prisoners. Prisoners were sent to Chihuahua. Garcia says this is telephoned at request General Gonzales.
Following from General Bell personally:
An American who was on the train to-day passing Villa Ahumada about two thirty p.m. states that he saw several dead Mexicans put on his train and among them was a dead Mexican General. There were also several Mexican wounded. He gathered from talk of Mexicans that fight was with American cavalry about nine miles west and that the Americans were decoyed into a trap by using a flag of truce. That they were then fired on by machine guns and then had to retire. Copy furnished Pershing. Report states our troops engaged were 10th Cavalry. More particulars later.
Department’s unconfirmed reports give American dead at forty and captured at seventeen. Above information from Mexican official sources.