The Hunt For Pancho Villa: The Columbus Raid and Pershing’s Punitive Expedition 1916

In the days following the raid, Americans across United States read sensational headlines.

In no time Americans and the press demanded revenge for the outrage committed by General Villa and his men in Columbus. The Wilson administration also began implementing a plan on how to punish Villa.

The American public demanded revenge for the Columbus Raid, and public opinion at the time clamored for action to be taken by the United States. (AdeQ Historical Archives)

To lead the expedition, US Army Chief of Staff Major General Hugh Scott selected Brigadier General John J. Pershing. A veteran of the Indian Wars and Philippine Insurrection, Pershing was also known for his diplomatic skills and tact. Attached to Pershing’s staff was a young lieutenant who would later become famous, George S. Patton. While Pershing worked to marshal his forces, Secretary of State Robert Lansing lobbied Carranza into allowing American troops to cross the border.

While motions were being made for an army to be prepared for an expedition, Secretary of State Robert Lansing negotiated with Venustiano Carranza to allow the United States to enter Mexico without interference. Carranza balked at granting approval for the expedition. As a compromise, he insisted that his own troops would track down Villa. The United States refused his offer, and after a week of fervent bartering Carranza reluctantly agreed to allow the Americans across the border as long as they strayed no further than the state of Chihuahua. The army was under the impression that Carranza would allow the expedition to ship supplies over the Mexican Northwestern Railway, but initially he refused. Several weeks into the expedition, Carranza made some concessions and allowed the Americans to use the railroad, but by then supplies were already moving by horse and primitive Dodge trucks. The army’s telegraph lines also needed constant attention since the Mexicans made a sport of cutting the wires. The Punitive Expedition learned the hard way that Carranza had little interest in cooperating with the efforts to capture Villa.

Venustiano Carranza de la Garza was one of the leaders of the Mexican Revolution. He ultimately became President of Mexico following the overthrow of the dictatorial Huerta regime in the summer of 1914 and during his administration the current constitution of Mexico was drafted. (AdeQ Historical Archives)

Secretary of War Newton D. Baker, new on the job, called Chief of Staff of the Army, Major General Hugh L. Scott, into a huddle and told him, “I want to start an expedition into Mexico to catch Villa.”

This seemed strange ... and I asked: “Mr. Secretary, do you want the United States to make war on one man? Suppose he should get onto a train and go to Guatemala, Yucatan, or South America; are you going to go after him?”

“That is not what you want then. You want his band captured or destroyed,” I suggested.

And after his approval the ... telegram was sent to General Funston ... in which it will be seen that no mention is made of the capture of Villa himself.

Funston received that telegram on March 10. It gave him the go-ahead to organize the Punitive Expedition and named Brigadier General John J. Pershing as commander. The objective was to subdue the Mexican revolutionary forces and to capture Francisco (Pancho) Villa. This turned out to be an exceedingly difficult military task, especially in view of the fact that General Pershing’s orders not only called for him to proceed against Villa and his followers but also directed him to pay scrupulous regard at all times to Mexican sovereignty. In the meantime, newspapers across the United States, such as The Santa Fe New Mexican, announced “President Orders US Army to go Get Pancho Villa Dead or Alive.”

US CAVALRYMAN AND VILLISTA IRREGULAR

The cavalry corporal from the 10th US Cavalry regiment is wearing a well-worn wool campaign shirt with red and white polka-dot bandanna to protect him from breathing in dust from the desert trails and wind storms. His olive-brown Montana peak campaign hat bears a yellow hat cord designating him to be a cavalryman. His equipment consists of Model 1910 cartridge belt with suspenders of khaki webbing with first-aid pouch suspended from the wearer’s right side and bayonet from his left, as well as a M1910 aluminum canteen suspended either from his cartridge belt or to his saddle. His russet brown shoes are strapped with M1911 spurs. He is armed with a Model 1903 Springfield rifle and a M1911 government pistol in a brown leather holster on his right hip, and a Model 1913 Cavalry Saber fitted to his saddle.

The Villista Irregular wore what suited him best in the rough desert terrain of northern Mexico. Popular dress worn by the Villistas consisted of western cowboy/vaquero-style clothing, western cowboy-style boots with large Mexican-style spurs, and a “sombrero” of straw or felt with tricolor ribbon band affixed around the cone of his hat. The ribbon band were in the colors of the Mexican flag and were sometimes marked with “DIVISION DEL NORTE”. His kit consisted of a canteen, a haversack made of canvas material bulging with personal rations, a bandolier with 7mm cartridge shells and cartridge belt and holster for his Colt Single Action army revolver with a silver ornate knife tucked into his belt. He is armed with a Colt Single Action army revolver or a Mexican copy thereof as well as a Model 1910 Mauser Rifle.

On March 14, 1916, Brigadier General John J. Pershing was given command of two cavalry brigades and a brigade of infantry – 10,000 men – with orders to find, pursue, and destroy Villa’s forces. The Punitive Expedition advanced into Mexico on March 15, initially with the consent of President Carranza; however, as the expedition wore on through the next 11 months, Carranza became increasingly hostile to it.

On March 15, Pershing’s forces crossed the border in two columns with one departing from Columbus and the other from Hachita. Consisting of infantry, cavalry, artillery, engineers, and logistical units, Pershing’s command pushed south seeking Villa and established a headquarters at Colonia Dublan near the Casas Grandes River. Though promised use of the Mexican Northwestern Railway, this was not forthcoming and Pershing soon faced a logistical crisis. This was solved by the use of “truck trains,” which used Dodge trucks to ferry supplies the 100 miles from Columbus.

Logistically, the Punitive Expedition started as a nightmare. Nothing of this magnitude had ever been attempted by the US Army. Word of the dilemma was forwarded to Secretary of War Newton Baker, who was somehow able to spend $450,000 of unappropriated funds to purchase new trucks. The funds were well spent as more than 10,000 tons of supplies were eventually delivered by truck to Pershing. Moving supplies by truck was no easy feat during the expedition, however, because roads depicted on available maps turned out to be nothing but trails that were impassable during wet weather. As a result, engineers had to rebuild many of the roads. The expedition also had to rely on mules and wagons to a large extent to keep supplies moving.

The residence of General John J. Pershing in Fort Bliss, Texas, at the time of the Villista Raid on Columbus, New Mexico, on March 9, 1916. (Photo by the author)

American troops on the march against Villa in Mexico, 1916. (AdeQ Historical Archives)

Even though the European armies were already employing thousands of trucks in World War I, the US Army only had about 100 vehicles, located at widely scattered posts and depots throughout the country. On March 14, 1916 the Quartermaster General purchased 54 one-and-a-half-ton trucks from companies in Cleveland, Ohio, and Kenosha, Wisconsin. They left the Great Lakes region on a special southbound freight train on the 16th, and arrived at El Paso on March 18, having covered 1,500 miles in 48 hours, loading and crossing the border into Mexico that same night. From March to July 1916, QM Truck Companies delivered over 4,000 tons of supplies and hundreds of troops to Pershing’s mobile force, validating the truck’s worth and in the process revolutionizing the US Army’s transport.

In addition to the first use of mechanization of transport by the United States Army, aircraft also made their first appearance for the fledgling Army Air Service during the Punitive Expedition. While Villa took the first distinction of utilizing aircraft in combat during the Mexican Revolution, the Americans began experimenting with uses of aircraft as early as 1909 when the army acquired their first Wright Model B. The 1st Aero Squadron, consisting of 11 officers, 84 enlisted men, and a civilian mechanic, moved to Columbus by rail after the Villista Raid. Its first reconnaissance sortie was on March 16. By March 19, 1916 the squadron was assigned to the Punitive Expedition, where it flew into Mexico and operated until February 1917. A forward base was established at Colonia Dublán, the expedition’s field headquarters near Nueva Casas Grandes in northern Chihuahua. Detachments continued to serve in Mexico after the squadron returned to Columbus on April 22, 1916, including San Geronimo, San Antonio, Satevo, Namiquipa, and El Valle, and by the end of May the squadron numbered 16 pilots and 122 enlisted men.

American soldiers guarding the border. Border excursions by armed groups of Mexicans lessened as the Punitive Expedition dispersed the Villistas as a military threat and thousands of soldiers of National Guard units from various states were stationed along the border. (AdeQ Historical Archives)

The squadron’s Curtiss JN3 airplanes were unable to climb over the 10,000 to 12,000-foot mountains of the region or overcome the high winds of the passes through them. Dust storms frequently grounded the aircraft and wooden propellers delaminated in the heat. The squadron carried mail and dispatches, flew limited reconnaissance, and acted as liaison between Pershing and forward units. By April 20, only two airplanes remained in service (neither flyable, and both were destroyed), four having crashed and two others scavenged to provide replacement parts. Four new Curtiss N8 airplanes were delivered on 22 April, but they were little better than the JN3s that they closely resembled and were soon transferred to North Island as trainers. Another Curtiss airplane, the R2, was sent to the 1st Aero Squadron with 12 delivered by late May. The R2 was the latest type available but it too proved unsatisfactory for use on the border. In addition to its Curtiss aircraft, the 1st Aero Squadron also field-tested H-2, H-3, Curtiss Twin JN, R-Land, Sturtevant Advanced Trainer, V-1, D-5, and Curtiss JN-4 during the period 1916–1917. Between March 15 and August 16, 1916, the 1st Aero Squadron flew 540 missions in Mexico.

Dashing south from the Columbus fiasco, Villa struck the mountain village of Namiquipa on March 18, and there defeated the Carranzista garrison of 200 men. Turning to attack Guerrero ten days later, the chubby “centaur” was felled from behind during the fight by a bullet from a .44 Remington rolling block fired by one of his impressed “volunteers.” The bullet shattered his shinbone and he was hurriedly evacuated from Guerrero just hours before it was attacked by 370 troopers of the US 7th Cavalry. Led by 63-year-old Colonel George F. Dodd, the 7th charged Guerrero on horses that were completely jaded after a 55-mile march from Bachiniva over the difficult terrain of the Sierra Madre. Villistas poured wildly out of the town in the face of American pistol and rifle fire. Fifty-six guerrillas were killed, and 35 wounded. The 7th reported none killed, five wounded.

On March 29, a patrol of the 7th Cavalry, a detachment of 370 men, attacked Guerrero, believed to be a Villista stronghold. Taken by surprise, the Mexicans were routed from the village; at least 35 Villistas were killed, including Nicolas Hernández, reputedly Villa’s right-hand man. While the 7th Cavalry had moved on Guerrero, elements of the 10th Cavalry searched in vain to the east. At Aguas Calientas, on April 1, about 150 Villistas fired on the 10th but were quickly driven off. The American troopers scoured the countryside for fugitives but aborted this operation when they were ordered, on April 10, to advance on Parral, 400 miles south of the border.

Columbus had the distinction of having the first tactical military airfield in the United States. A squadron of JN3 Curtis Jennie biplanes provided aerial observation for the expedition, although most of the aircraft were lost to crashes in the rugged Mexican mountains. (Author’s photo)

Backing up the 7th and 10th Cavalry columns were several smaller “flying columns” assigned to block possible escape routes. When the 13th Cavalry reached Parral just after noon on April 12, 1916, they found the reception far from friendly. Major Tompkins was ushered into the office of General Ismael Lozano, a Constitutionalist officer, who told him that he should never have entered the town and demanded that he leave at once. As Tompkins led his men out of town, they were pursued by a large crowd shouting, “Viva Villa” and “Viva Mexico.” Tompkins drew a laugh by shouting “Viva Villa” back at them.

Outside Parral, Carranzista soldiers began firing on the retreating Americans. A sergeant standing next to Tompkins was hit and killed. The major dismounted a rear guard and had them take up position on a small hill. From here they let loose accurate rifle fire, killing an estimated 25 of their pursuers. Then the troopers set off again, until they had to make their next stand, killing another 45 Mexicans. The running battle, during which two Americans were killed and six wounded (including Tompkins), continued late into the afternoon, until the Americans finally marched into the fortified village of Santa Cruz de Villegas, 8 miles from Parral. Although they had found temporary shelter, the situation still looked grim – about 100 American troopers were surrounded by 500 to 600 Carranzistas.

A 1915 Jeffery-Quad Armored Car No. 1 on display at the Pancho Villa State Park, Columbus, New Mexico. At least one Jeffery, along with a White Armored Car and the armored cars from the New York National Guard, was used in the Punitive Expedition against Pancho Villa in 1916. (Author’s photo)

Tompkins sent out scouts to find reinforcements and one of his troopers located a squadron of the 10th Cavalry a few miles away. They had scattered about 150 Villistas in the village of Agua Caliente (not far from Guerrero) on April 1 and had been moving south at a somewhat slower pace. Now Major Charles Young, one of the few black officers in the army, spurred his Buffalo Soldiers toward Santa Cruz. They arrived just before 8p.m. on 12 April.

Though no one knew it at the time, the battle of Parral was a turning point: It marked the Punitive Expedition’s furthest penetration into Mexico, 516 miles, and the first time Americans had clashed with Carranzistas. Though there would be more battles to fight, the expedition would now begin a gradual pull-out from Mexico. The squadron withdrew to Santa Cruz de Villegas, and on April 13 was reinforced by elements of the 10th and 11th cavalries. The situation at Parral developed into a standoff between US and Mexican forces that threatened to propel the nations to the verge of war. To avert this, Pershing ordered his troops to withdraw from Parral. Seeking to avoid further provocation, Pershing decided to use his five cavalry regiments to patrol prescribed areas only.

On April 22, while pulling back to its assigned district, the 7th Cavalry encountered Villistas and defeated them at Tomochic. Another of Villa’s generals, Candelario Cervantes, who was said to have personally led the attack on Columbus, New Mexico, was killed when he and some of his men stumbled into a gunfight with a small US Army party on a mapping expedition.

On May 5, Major Robert L. Howze led a squadron of the 11th Cavalry against a Villista band at Ojos Azules. In a spectacular fight at a ranch, Howze led his cavalry, supplemented by a machine-gun troop and a contingent of Apache scouts, in a pistol charge. Six troops of that regiment attacked the Villistas. The bugler sounded the charge as the troopers swept through the area and engaged the enemy. The small mules carrying the machine guns and ammunition could not keep up, falling too far behind the charge to allow the guns to be brought into effective range. Despite barbed-wire entanglements that prevented maneuvering of his troops, Howze charged directly at the ranch buildings. Sixty-one bandits were slain, with not one US casualty. This was the “last cavalry charge” distinction given to the 11th US Cavalry in the Mexican Punitive Expedition.

National Guard units from Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico had been called into service on May 8, 1916. With congressional approval of the National Defense Act on June 3, 1916, National Guard units from the remainder of the states and the District of Columbia were also called for duty on the border. In mid-June President Wilson called out 110,000 National Guardsmen for border service. None of the National Guard troops would cross the border into Mexico but were used instead as a show of force. Nonetheless, activities on the border were far from dull. The troops had to be on constant alert as border raids were still an occasional nuisance.

During Pershing’s expedition into Mexico, activities on the border were far from dull. The troops had to be on constant alert as border raids were still an occasional nuisance. Three of the raids were particularly bloody. On May 5, 1916 Mexican bandits attacked an outpost at Glenn Springs, Texas, killing one civilian and wounding three American soldiers. On June 15 bandits killed four American soldiers at San Ygnacio, Texas, and on July 31 one American soldier and a US customs inspector were killed. In all three cases Mexican raiders were killed and wounded, but the exact numbers are unknown. These excursions dwindled as Villa’s forces were diminished through attrition with Pershing’s relentless pursuit.

Almost left behind at Fort Bliss, 2nd Lieutenant George S. Patton Jr. had wangled an appointment as General Pershing’s temporary aide-de-camp. During the Punitive Expedition, Lieutenant Patton was sent out with three headquarters Dodge touring cars, ten soldiers from the Sixth Infantry, two civilian chauffeurs, and two civilian guides to buy corn for the headquarters detachment’s horses.

Entering the town a few minutes before noon, one of Patton’s guides, an ex-Villista named E.L. Holmdahl, spotted a number of men loitering around the plaza. Although they were unarmed, he recognized some of them as Villistas he had soldiered with in campaigns against Huerta. “They are Villa’s men,” he whispered, “and they are a bad lot.” As the men sighted Holmdahl, they drifted away down the crooked side streets of the town. Holmdahl’s warning, however, set off alarm bells in the young lieutenant’s mind. Colonel Julio Cárdenas, former leader of Villa’s elite troop of “Dorados,” was rumored to be in the area.

Hearing in a local Mexican town that a Villista leader might be nearby, the enterprising young officer decided to make a detour to check out the story. His small caravan steered toward the San Miguelito Ranch owned by Villa’s most trusted colonel. 2nd Lieutenant George S. Patton and his force, riding in Dodge touring autos, approached the San Miguelito Ranch from the south, appropriately at high noon on May 14, 1916. Patton positioned two carloads – eight soldiers and a guide – at the southern wall around the hacienda and its two gates. He and the remaining two soldiers (a corporal and a private) and a guide parked their car northwest of the compound and made their way east along the low north wall, heading toward the big arch of the main gate.

Patton carried a rifle in his left hand, with his right on the pistol butt at his hip. He was almost at the gate when three horsemen dashed out of the hacienda into the courtyard and headed southeast, running right into the Americans stationed there. The Mexicans immediately wheeled around and charged toward Patton. Bullets whizzed around the lieutenant as he pulled his Colt single-action from its holster and returned fire. One bullet broke the left arm of the lead rider, who was later identified as Coronel Julio Cárdenas, a close aide to Pancho Villa. Another shot took down his horse. The wounded man scrambled for cover as Patton retreated to a wall to reload. The other two Mexican riders split up, trying to escape.

The Cárdenas raid. During the Punitive Expedition, Lieutenant George S. Patton raided a small community and killed Julio Cárdenas, an important leader in the Villista military organization, and two other men. Patton is reported to have carved notches into his revolvers.

Patton saw one of them go by and shot the horse in the hip, knocking down the mount and the soldier. In an act of chivalry, the American waited for the Mexican to extricate himself, stand up and pull his weapon – only then did Patton (and a couple of his men) shoot and kill him.

The third Villista almost made good his escape, riding hard some 100 yards east of the hacienda. Patton holstered his pistol and aimed his rifle. He and several of his command opened up. The Mexican fell dead in the dust. Meanwhile, in the confusion, Cárdenas had exited on foot through the southwest gate and was running for some fields. Holmdahl caught up with the wounded man, who fell to the ground and put up his good, right arm in a sign of surrender. Holmdahl approached with a drawn revolver to take the Mexican into custody. Cárdenas dropped his hand and pulled his pistol. His shot missed. Holmdahl put a bullet in the colonel’s head.

The dead Villistas were later identified as Colonel Cárdenas, Private Juan Garza, and Captain Isadór Lopez. The body of the bandit colonel bore five wounds, and his bandoliers held 35 empty cartridge loops. The two notches on the left ivory grip of the Patton Peacemaker are believed to have been placed there by him to represent the killings of Cárdenas and Garza.

Patton’s men tied the bodies to the hoods of the cars, while Patton put Cárdenas’ silver-studded saddle and sword into his vehicle. The spectacle of the three cars with the bodies tied on the hoods caused a great commotion along the road, but Patton and his party sped through the countryside to their headquarters at Dublan without incident.

At around 4p.m., Patton arrived at Dublan with the three bloody corpses strapped across the blistering-hot hoods of the automobiles. War correspondents crowded around to get a first-hand account of his adventure. The stories they filed made Patton a national hero for several weeks. His photograph appeared in newspapers around the United States. Pershing was pleased that someone had enlivened the hunt for Villa and actually taken out a key member of his band. He even permitted Patton to keep Cárdenas’ sword and silver saddle as trophies of his first fight. His reward came with a promotion to 1st Lieutenant and Pershing’s affectionate description of him as “my bandit.”

At the time of the raid the US Army only had about 100 vehicles, located at widely scattered posts and depots throughout the country. On March 14, 1916 the Quartermaster General purchased 54 one-and-a-half ton trucks from companies in the Great Lakes region. They left the region on a special southbound freight train on the 16th, and arrived at El Paso on March 18, having covered 1,500 miles in 48 hours. They loaded and crossed the border into Mexico that same night. (AdeQ Historical Archives)

Despite the mechanized nature of the expedition the bulk of the army were still powered by horses and mules as evidenced by these wagons. Of interest is the cover of one wagon stenciled with “SANITARY TRAIN 6 ART / U.S.” on the side. (AdeQ Historical Archives)

The battles of April 22 and May 5 were the last “major” engagements of the Punitive Expedition although in minor fights during May two of Villa’s principal commanders, Julio Cárdenas and Candelario Cervantes, were killed. In the meantime, however, relations between the United States and the Carranza government deteriorated further as Mexican bands continued to raid US border towns along the lower Rio Grande. A number of the raids had been led by Carranzistas, rather than Villistas. It was at this point, with the National Guard mobilized, that US troop strength along the border reached six figures. On the Mexican side of the border a severe fight broke out in Carrizal at the end of June when a 10th Cavalry patrol entered the town without Carranzista permission.

By May 19, 1916, the 10th Cavalry was in camp at Colonia Dublan alongside the 11th Cavalry. Here they would spend the remainder of their time in Mexico, with periodic scouting expeditions. The planes of the 1st Aero Squadron were out of commission, either wrecked or broken down, and could not be used for reconnaissance. So the job of scouting fell to the cavalry. One such scouting expedition was sent out on June 16 to check on the Mexican troop build-up around Ahumada. Captain Charles T. Boyd, in command of C Troop, with Hank Adair as his lieutenant, was given orders to recon in the vicinity of the Santa Domingo Ranch and to avoid any clash with Mexican forces. Similar orders were issued to Captain Lewis S. Morey, Troop K. Captain George B. Rodney watched as Boyd’s troop left camp and he counted the men as they rode past. “... Sixty-four men in column, joking and laughing as they filed out of camp; then his ‘point’ of four men shot to the front and he and Adair waved their hands to me in laughing adieu.”¹⁸

THE BATTLE OF CARRIZAL, CHIHUAHUA

We started forward deployed in line of foragers, moved forward until we were within 500 yards of the enemy, then we dismounted and our horses moved to the rear and we moved forward, the Mexican cavalry started riding around both flanks and when we were about 200 yards from the enemy, we received a heavy volume of fire from rifle and machine guns and we knew that the ball was opened then.

We then received the order to lie down and commence firing, using the battle sight (which is the way we aim our rifles when we are fighting at close range). All of our men were taking careful aim, and Mexicans and horses were falling in all directions but the Mexican forces were too strong for us as they had between 400 and 500 and we only had 50 men on the firing line, so even though we were inflicting terrible execution, they outnumbered us too greatly for us to stop their advance around our right flank.

At this stage of the game, the Mexicans were so close that it was almost impossible to miss them, they were even so close that it was possible to hit them with stones had we desired. After about 1½ hours hard fighting they were about 30 yards from our right flank. I tried to swing the left half of our platoon (of which I was in command) around so as to help out our platoon on the right, but it was impossible, about that time our Captain yelled out to Sergeant Page, Quote, “Sergeant Page! Good God man, there they are right upon you!” and Sergeant Page responded, “I see them Captain but we can’t stop them and we can’t stay here because it is getting too hot”. By that time bullets were falling like rain and the Captain ordered all of us to look out for ourselves and our men moved off the field by our left flank. No one can truthfully say that our men ran off the field because they did not, in fact they walked off the field stopping and firing at intervals.

KEY

US troop movements

	US Cavalry
	C Troop, 10th Cavalry
	K Troop, 10th Cavalry
	Mexican Cavalry

10th Cavalry troopers along with their scout Lem Spillsbury captured by Carranzista troops after the battle of Carrizal, Mexico. Return of the prisoners occurred on June 21, 1916 on the International Bridge at El Paso, Texas. (AdeQ Historical Archives)

The two columns converged on the ranch, about 60 miles east of Colonia Dublan, on the evening of June 20. There they gathered intelligence on Mexican troops at Ahumada from the American foreman, but Boyd felt that his orders required him to take a look for himself. So the two troops left at dawn on the 21st for Ahumada via Carrizal. Just outside of the town of Carrizal, Boyd found a Mexican government force, estimated at “several hundred” in battle position, awaiting his detachment. They were deployed behind a row of cottonwoods along a stream bed, and in the town, which was fronted by a barbed-wire fence. Between Boyd and the Mexican defenses was an irrigation ditch filled with water. The Mexican commander and his entourage met him and informed Boyd that his orders were to prevent the Americans from advancing any further to the east. Boyd replied that his orders required him to pass through the town.

A long discussion ensued, with the Mexicans opposing the entry of the troops and the American commander insisting on his orders. It is reported that finally the Mexican commander offered to allow the two troops to pass through the town in column of fours, but fearing a trap this was declined. At any rate the discussion was closed by the Mexican returning to the town and the prompt disposition for attack by the two troops, whose combined strength was less than 80 men. The led horses were sent to the rear and troops were formed in line of skirmishers, Troop K being well to the right, with orders to protect the right flank. With this disposition the line moved forward.

As the line drew closer to the edge of the mesa where a barbed-wire fence edged the creek, fire was opened on them from two machine guns that the Mexicans had cleverly disposed under cover. The fire was returned, but the machine-gun fire had already played havoc with the horses, stampeding several of them. C Troop, charging forward, lost Captain Boyd, who was shot first in the hand, then in the shoulder, and then as he sprang out of the irrigation ditch to lead his men he was shot in the head and died instantly. Lieutenant Adair took the troop and carried it forward, storming the town. The two machine guns had previously been put out of action by the hot fire from Troop C. At this stage of the fight Troop K, on the right flank, came under a heavy flanking fire from some Mexican soldiers in a cottonwood grove, and a party of Mexican cavalry appearing at the moment on the right flank of Troop K, that troop fell back, leaving the right flank of Troop C exposed to the hostile fire. Lieutenant Adair, having advanced to the line of houses in the town, found that his men were short of ammunition and went back to get the belts from the wounded, of whom there were quite a few. As he came back he was shot while crossing the irrigation ditch. The bullet struck him just above the heart and he died a few minutes later. With no officers left in the troop, the men became confused. Realizing that they were opposed by tremendous odds – and that they had no support, for K troop had retired – they retreated, but not until they had inflicted a loss of about 80 on the enemy, including their commanding general.

The horses of both troops, stampeded by the bullets that went into the herds, did not stop till they came to the San Domingo ranch where the men found them later. The two troops, losing all cohesion, dropped back to the ranch and got the horses. Both Troop C officers and six enlisted men were killed, four others wounded, and eight were taken prisoner. K Troop lost four enlisted men, Captain Morey and six men wounded, and 15 enlisted men taken prisoner. Lieutenant Adair, along with Captain Charles T. Boyd, was killed by Carranzista troops at Carrizal, Chihuahua, on June 21, 1916. Streets at either end of Fort Huachuca parade ground are named for these two officers. General Pershing officially mourned the loss of Captain Boyd and Lieutenant Adair. “The memory of the splendid bravery of these two officers, who lost their lives, and of the men who personally followed them is cherished by this entire command.” All the prisoners captured by the Carranzista troops were returned to US custody ten days later at El Paso, Texas.

The Mexicans lost their commander, General Felix U. Gomez, and 11 other officers. Thirty-three of their enlisted were killed and 53 others wounded. They were disorganized enough to lose their advantage and many of the American troopers avoided capture by escaping on foot into the countryside to be picked up later by rescuing troops.

A Carranzista Cavalry unit during the Mexican Revolution. This image was taken at the time of the funeral for President Carranza. (AdeQ Historical Archives)

Tensions between the United States and Mexico were at a breaking point. Not since the Mexican–American War of 1846–48 had the two countries come so close to all-out war. Neither country was prepared, and neither wanted war. The War Department recognized that a force of at least 200,000 was needed to invade Mexico and that Carranza did not have the troops to ward off an American invasion. To avoid further incidents like Carrizal, Funston ordered Pershing to cease sending out long-range patrols. It was becoming increasingly obvious that Carranza’s de facto government openly disliked the American presence in Mexico. Major General Hugh Scott and Funston met with Carranza’s military chief, Álvaro Obregón, at El Paso and agreed to gradually withdraw Pershing’s forces if Carranza would control Villa.

The expedition learned that some of Carranza’s soldiers were joining forces with the Villistas. To counter this threat, Pershing’s men spent the remainder of their time operating in a limited area close to their base of operations at Dublan. By order of General Funston, the supply route was moved further north to prevent Carranza’s men from cutting off the expeditionary force from Columbus. It was not really necessary for Pershing to send troops any further into Mexico. Villa’s forces at this point were badly depleted by casualties and desertion, and those who remained were widely scattered. Although the Villistas were still on the loose, they were not much of a menace.

In September the indefatigable Pancho, his wound healed, surfaced and attacked Satevó and Santa Isabél, killing hundreds of Carranzistas. Gathering followers, he looted Chihuahua on September 16 and “persuaded” 1000 Carranzistas to enlist in his army. Rapid successes at Parral, Correón, and Camargo followed. On Thanksgiving Day, Villa reoccupied Chihuahua and picked up 2000 more Constitutionalist converts.

Pershing, furious at Wilson’s orders that he avoid conflict with Carranzista forces and push no further into Mexico, pleaded to be allowed to take Chihuahua and put Villa out of commission once and for all. Anxious to avoid a war with Carranza’s government that would entangle his army in Mexico and leave the US prey to smoldering plots of Germany, Wilson held back the indignant Pershing. In January 1917 the problem resolved itself when Villa received his final trouncing by Federalists near Torreón.

The focus of the Punitive Expedition now changed from actively seeking out Pancho Villa to a more defensive position of protecting the troops from Carranza’s forces. A new enemy, boredom, now tormented the troops. During the warmer months, they faced an almost daily dose of dust storms and swarms of flies. Organized recreation was virtually nonexistent for the men on duty in Mexico. In the absence of a USO or YMCA, soldiers organized baseball games, boxing matches, and hunting expeditions. Gambling was also another diversion for the troops, since they had nowhere to spend their army pay. As long as no disorder resulted from the gambling, Pershing and his staff made little effort to discourage it.

Members of the 6th Field Artillery Regiment preparing their guns as infantrymen march past in the distance. (AdeQ Historical Archives)

Another feature of the camp at Colonia Dublan was the numerous Mexican prostitutes who followed the troops. To prevent the men from leaving camp, Pershing had the prostitutes rounded up and placed under guard in a specially created barbed-wire stockade. Soldiers wishing to visit the stockade were required to show the guard on duty that they had the necessary fee, which was regulated by the provost marshal. Before completing business with one of the visiting ladies, a soldier was required to take a prophylactic provided by the army. The result of this strict sanitary measure was one of the lowest venereal disease rates an army has ever known.

The events in Carrizal shocked both sides to the negotiating table. Pershing reduced the scope of his operations, concentrating around his main base at Colonia Dublan. Talks with Carranza petered out but the crisis between the two governments eased. Although Villa remained at large and even organized a new army in southern Mexico, it was the events in Europe in January 1917 that were drawing the United States into World War I, and President Wilson was forced to order the withdrawal of the Punitive Expedition from Mexico.

On January 18, 1917 General Funston informed Pershing “that it was the intention of the Government to withdraw from Mexico at an early date.” Pershing “recommended that the date of the beginning of the movement from Dublan, Mexico, be not later than January 28, 1917, the withdrawal to be entirely by marching, and the command to assemble at Palomas, Chihuahua, and march across the border together.” The troops marched out of Colonia Dublan on January 30 and recrossed the border at Columbus, New Mexico, on 5 February, 1917. Shortly after the withdrawal, various units of the National Guard were returned to their homes. Small forces were maintained in Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico to “prevent further trouble from scattered bands of outlaws.”

The following US Army units were involved in the punitive expedition between 1916 and 1917: 5th, 7th, 10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th Regiments of Cavalry; 6th, 16th, 17th, and 24th Regiments of Infantry; Batteries B and C, 6th Field Artillery; 1st Battalion 4th Field Artillery; Companies E and H, 2nd Battalion of Engineers; Ambulance Company Number 7, Field Hospital Number 7, Signal Corps detachments, 1st Aero Squadron; and Wagon Companies Number 1 and 2. By the end of the Punitive Expedition over 148,000 men served in the expedition and/or along the US and Mexican border.

So the bands were dispersed, and a number of Villa’s principal lieutenants were killed: General Hernandez at Guerrero; Pablo Lopez, wounded at Columbus, captured by Carranzistas, and executed in April; Captain Silva killed by Howze at La Joya April 10; Lieutenant Beltran, killed by Howze at Santa Cruz de Herrera April 11; Cervantes, Villa’s chief lieutenant in the Columbus fight, killed May 25 by an infantry scouting party; Colonel Cárdenas killed May 14 by Lieutenant Patton. In General Pershing’s report of 10 October, 1916 he stated that:

The number of Villistas who participated in the Columbus Raid based on information received from native sources, is four hundred and eighty-five. The casualty list of Columbus raiders in actions from March 9, to June 30, includes their losses at Columbus. ... Of the total number of 485 Villistas who attacked Columbus, N.M., two hundred seventy three have been reported killed; one hundred eight wounded, who are not captured; nineteen are held in confinement by US troops; and one hundred fifty six are still at large, of whom sixty have been amnestied by the de-facto government, leaving thirty seven unaccounted for.

THE PUNITIVE EXPEDITION

THE BATTLE OF CARRIZAL, CHIHUAHUA