Pancho Vill Expedition, 10 Cavalry POWs, 1916

Entitled: Buffalo Soldiers of the 10th Cavalry who were taken prisoner during the attack on Carrizal. The Battle of Carrizal occurred on the June 21, 1916. It was a major skirmish between US Army troops of General Black Jack Pershing's Punitive Expedition and Carrancista troops fought at the town of Carrizal in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. In June 1916, Pershing was informed that Pancho Villa could be taken at Carrizal, west of Ahumada. When he sent Captains Boyd and Morey to investigate with C and K troops of the 10th Cavalry, they were confronted by Mexican Army troops, not Villa's men. Boyd ordered the men to attack anyway. In the resulting battle, the American attack was repelled. The cavalry lost two officers and 48 men killed and 24 taken prisoner. The Mexican forces lost 27, including the commanding officer. Pershing asked for permission to attack the Carrancista garrison, but President Wilson, fearing an attack would provoke a full-scale war with Mexico, refused. The Battle of Carrizal marked the effective end of the Mexican Expedition. The prisoners were repatriated at El Paso, Texas by the Carrancista government. Photo was taken after their release. U.S. Army, 1916

Picture No

12698680

Media ID

48540561

Size

4650px x 2914px (1.6MB)

Credit

DOD/Science Source/Mary Evans