Pancho Villa invaded the US but suffered defeat in 1916 – Desteret News

A look back to local, national and world events through Desist’s news archives.

On March 9, 1916, over 400 Mexican raids led by Pancho Villa attacked Columbus, New Mexico, killing 18 Americans. It is one of the few times when the United States has suffered an attack on its land of origin.

Ah Pancho Villa. Did you think it was a true historical figure?

In the early 1900s, he was definitely.

The Newing Desberet news has been carrying daily updates about the battle to catch Villa and how the Utah National Guard was called to support the fights along the US-Mexico border.

US-Mexico relationships in the early 1900s

After two years of war, the two countries sign the Treaty of Guadelupe-Hildalgo in early 1848. In exchange for $ 15 million, Mexico taught half of its territory, or 890,000 square miles, including California, Arizona and New Mexico, as well as Texas.

Fifty years later, the uprising increased along the border. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson ordered the marines to take over the Mexican port of Veracruz in retaliation for arrest of American sailors. In November that year, the revolutionary leader of the “Pancho” Villa peasant “took over.

His government collapsed the following year.

Battle of Columbus

According to historical reports, by the end of 1915, Villa lost much of the large support he had enjoyed at the beginning of the Mexican revolution. Losing a series of battles, the villa and the remaining 500 soldiers of his northern army were desperate for food, horses and weapons.

In March 1916, Villa planned an incursion on the Columbus military garrison, New Mexico. The small town was just a few kilometers over the border. According to historians, Villa sent spies to gather information and turned to report that the garrison was made up of only 50 men. On the night of March 8, Villa led the North Army in Columbus and attacked the garrison in the first hours of March 9th. Villa people have started to rob and set fire to the houses in the city.

But instead of the 50 American soldiers Villa had expected, there were 350 soldiers, including 13 -American cavalry, stationed at the garrison.

The raid quickly became a fierce fight when the American troops fought from the garrison with machine guns. A second detachment of American soldier has launched a counterattack, which forced Villa and his people to withdraw. Were followed by the American knights back across the border in Mexico.

A few weeks later, Villa forces attacked two small cities in the Big Bend region of Texas, Glenn Springs and Boquillas, fighting with another garrison of American soldiers.

In response to attacks, American forces under the command of General John J. Pershing has invaded Mexico in an attempt to capture the villa. The raid has also reached anti-villist reprisals in the southwest, with six captured raids hanging by vigilant in Columbus.

The law on national defense was signed on June 3, 1916 and became one of the distinct moments in the history of the National Guard. On June 18, 1916, the Utah National Guard gathered two cavalry squadrons, a field artillery battery and a field hospital. In total, the Utah guard would assign more than 800 soldiers along the Mexican border. The units of the Utah National Guard began to reach the border on June 29, 1916 and set the camp in Nogales, Arizona, along the Santa Cruz river.

Utahns also had interest in the border, because many followers of the Church of Jesus Christ of the last days have settled in the north of Mexico of 1890-1910. Here are some stories from Desteret News Archives about Villa, battles along the US-Mexico border and why Utahns carefully care about the colonies in northern Mexico:

“Villa Pancho is walking again“

Pancho Villa Ruda is the newest policeman in Mexico

Mexican cities full of poverty – and faith

Twila Van Leer: The genealogist who started to help with family history at 8

“Foreign attacks on the rare American soil in the history of the nation“

“Chronology: US-Mexico relations of 1835“

“Reminding him of 176 years ago: How Utah ceased to be part of Mexico“

“Guns of Villa, Calamity Jane for sale“

“Film review: “Old Gringo”“