Battle of Carrizal facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Carrizal
Part of the Mexican Border War
Captured U.S. soldiers after the battle
Date June 21, 1916 Location Carrizal, Chihuahua, Mexico Result Mexican victory
Belligerents
Carrancistas	United States
Commanders and leaders
Félix Gómez   †	Charles T. Boyd   † Henry R. Adair  †
Strength
150	200
Casualties and losses
24-45 killed 43 wounded	50 killed 11 wounded 24 captured

The Battle of Carrizal was an important fight that happened on June 21, 1916. It was a clash between soldiers from the United States Army and the Carrancistas, who were part of the Mexican army. The battle took place in a town called Carrizal in the Mexican state of Chihuahua.

This battle was part of the Pancho Villa Expedition, which was when the U.S. Army, led by General John J. Pershing, went into Mexico. They were trying to find and capture a famous Mexican revolutionary leader named Pancho Villa.

What Happened at Carrizal?

In June 1916, General Pershing heard that Pancho Villa might be in Carrizal. He sent two captains, Charles Boyd and Henry Morey, with their troops from the 10th Cavalry to check it out.

When the American soldiers arrived, they didn't find Villa's men. Instead, they met soldiers from the Mexican Army. These Mexican soldiers were called Carrancistas. They were loyal to Venustiano Carranza, who was the President of Mexico at the time.

The Mexican army had strict orders. They were told to fire on any American soldier who moved in any direction other than north. The Americans were warned about this. However, Captain Boyd ordered his men to attack anyway.

The Battle and Its Outcome

The fight that followed was tough. The American attack was pushed back by the Mexican forces. During the battle, both Captain Boyd and Captain Henry R. Adair were killed. Ten other American soldiers also died, and 24 were taken prisoner.

The Mexican forces also suffered losses. Between 20 and 50 Mexican soldiers were killed. This included their commanding officer, General Félix Uresti Gómez.

There's a story that Pancho Villa watched the battle happily. But this story is probably not true. Villa was badly hurt at the time. Both the American Army and the Carrancistas were trying to catch him.

Gen. Felix U. Gómez, who was killed in the battle.

Why Was This Battle Important?

General Pershing was very angry about the outcome of the Battle of Carrizal. He wanted permission to attack the Carrancista army in Chihuahua. But U.S. President Wilson said no. He was worried that such an attack would start a full-scale war with Mexico.

The Battle of Carrizal marked the end of the main part of the Mexican Expedition. The U.S. Army stopped trying to chase Pancho Villa in Mexico. Pancho Villa survived, and small raids on American soil still happened.

At the same time, the relationship between Germany and the United States was getting worse. World War I was happening in Europe. Because of this, the U.S. didn't want to get into a big war in Mexico. So, instead of fighting more, the two countries started talking to each other to solve their problems.

Legacy of the Battle

• Lieutenant Henry Rodney Adair was one of the American officers killed in this battle. Years later, during World War II, a training camp for soldiers was named Camp Adair in Oregon. This was done to honor his service.
• The Battle of Carrizal was also a big part of the story in a 1917 movie called A Trooper of Troop K.

See also

In Spanish: Batalla de El Carrizal para niños