Hysterical Journey to Historic Places

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THE PUNITIVE EXPEDITION

During the early morning hours of March 9, 1916 Pancho Villa launched a surprise attack on the peacefully snoring community of Columbus, NM. Pancho was all mad because the Wilson Administration recognized Venusiano Carranza as the rightful leader of Mexico and imposed an embargo on guns and ammo sold to Pancho. There was a fellow living at the Commercial Hotel in Columbus who had been supplying Pancho with guns and ammo, but because of the embargo could no longer deliver them. He still owed Pancho money for the failed shipment. Pancho wanted a pound of flesh from that guy, and he wanted to rob the custom house, and the bank, and maybe capture a few cavalry horses too. The Commercial Hotel was the first establishment that Pancho’s men visited and the gun dealer was the first man the inquired about. He was, however, not in town. The Rurales robbed everyone they found there, and then burned the place down before moving on to loot other businesses. In the meantime LT Castleman, who was in charge of the guard mount that morning, gathered his troops and moved to protect the bank. From there he had a clear field of fire into town. Lt Lucas, commanding the machine gun troop, hopped out of bed and ran barefoot to roust out his men and secure the machine guns. Light from the burning hotel illuminated the scene and the machine gunners took a heavy toll on Pancho’s men. By daylight the raid was over. Pancho was routed and last seen fleeing back to Mexico. Eight civilians were killed, and eight soldiers were also killed. Ninety of Pancho’s men had been killed and five captured. The dead Mexicans were piled up and burned, and the five captives were promptly hung for murder. Major Thomkins charged off in pursuit of Pancho, but Pancho was running too fast and made good his escape. The Wilson Administration was enraged by the raid on Columbus and within a week had gathered military forces there under command of General Black Jack Pershing to launch an invasion of Mexico. It was called the Punitive Expedition and lasted from March 16, 1916, until February 5, 1917. They never did catch Pancho. Mostly who they fought was Carranza’s army. The Punitive Expedition ended just in time for General Pershing to take command of American forces entering WWI in France. The First Aero Squadron was established at Columbus to provide communication and surveillance to the expedition. It was the first ever use of military aircraft by the United States. George Patton was a captain by then, and he made his bones by killing one of Pancho’s colonels with one of his ivory handled 45s. Patton rose to the rank of colonel himself during WWI and commanded our armor. The photos were taken at the Pancho Villa State Park Museum in Columbus.

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Photos

1915 JEFFERY QUAD ARMORED TRUCK
This contraption never saw service with the expedition. It was simply not practical.

ARMY TRUCK
Hundreds of these were used. They are a far cry from venerable old deuce and a half trucks that we all know and love.

ARTILLERY
This is what passed for artillery in the days leading up to WWI. I doubt that much artillery was used in Mexico during the expedition. It was mostly a cavalry operation.

COOTES HILL PLAQUE
Coote's Hill is on the grounds of the state park. Pancho directed the fight from there. It might be the only place where Pancho, Pershing, and Patton ever stood at the same place.

CUSTOM HOUSE
Also on the grounds of the state park. Coote's Hill rises behind it. Pancho's men never got the chance to plunder it.

DEPOT
Another place where both Pershing and Patton once were.

DODGE STAFF CAR
Black Jack Pershing rode around in a vehicle identical to this one. It could not go everywhere he needed to go though.

JENNY
The First Aero Squadron had eight of these planes and eleven pilots.

LT LUCAS HOUSE
The house is at the bottom of Coote's Hill. Lucas fought his way from here barefoot to join the fight.

PANCHO CAME FROM THERE
Pancho would have come up from between those two low hills in the background. Probably he escaped through them like his tail was on fire too.

SHOT UP BUT MADE IT TO DEMING
A guy took his family and escaped the battle in this car. It got shot up and he was wounded but made it safely out of range before he passed out. His wife then drove the car up to Deming. She had never driven a car before. He recovered from his wounds.