A Punitive Expedition Time Line

[Pat Holscher]

Enclosed is some interesting information on the Punitive Expedition from War Department Annual Reports in Three Volumes, pp 318-23, Washington, GPO, 1918. The entire book is filled with interesting tidbits from this campaign.

REMOUNT SERVICE.

For the Mexican border service a total of about 55,000 animals were purchased in a period of about three months. Only a few National Guard organizations reached the border with any animals. The purchasing officers for public animals of the Quartermaster Corps at Kansas City and about 20 officers of the mounted service from the Southern Department were charged with the work of buying animals. It was necessary to get the animals quickly.

The light horses suitable for Cavalry are rapidly decreasing in numbers, for the reason that it is more advantageous for the farmer to breed a heavier horse which commands a better price and is more useful for farm work. {Emphasis mine. LTC}

http://books.google.com/books?id=7cNMAA ... &q&f=false

Wow, 55,000 animals in three months! And to think the British Remount people were active in the same period.

Interesting comment of what farmers were breeding at the time. This reflects the concerns noted by Derry in her book noting British concerns in the same period, regarding horses in North America.

[Couvi]

The British and the French complained that the United States produced only artillery horses. This might be the reason for those comments. The average farmer would hot have a lot of use of a long-legged thoroughbred, but he did have a use for something short and strong to pull a plow or a wagon.

There is also some interesting stuff in that volume on the Medical Department's report on the Punitive Expedition.

[Pat Holscher]

The British and the French complained that the United States produced only artillery horses. This might be the reason for those comments. The average farmer would hot have a lot of use of a long-legged thoroughbred, but he did have a use for something short and strong to pull a plow or a wagon.

There is also some interesting stuff in that volume on the Medical Department's report on the Punitive Expedition.

Exactly right. And by that time, the big market, usually, for horses were cities freighters of one kind or another. Farmers themselves preferred "chunks" but started breeding big draft horses about this time as they could use them and sell the surplus to urban freighters.

[Pat Holscher]

Same source

1916

Jan 11 Villa raids a train in Chihuahua.

March 9. Villa raids Columbus NM

March 15. Pershing's command crosses into Mexico.

April 8. US Army is now 300 miles into Mexico.

Apriil 12 US Army and Carrancistas fight at Parral, 500 miles in to Mexico. End of US advance.

June 18 Portions of National Guard federalized.

June 21 Battle of Carrizal between US Army and Carrancistas.

September 26, 1916 Wyoming National Guard leaves for service on the Mexican border.

[Pat Holscher]

[
September 26, 1916 Wyoming National Guard leaves for service on the Mexican border.

September 28, 1916. Two additional battalions, under orders since June, depart for the border.

Weather wise, they'd have been leaving at the beginning of the bad weather here, for the warmer south, so perhaps that was some slight consolation.

[Pat Holscher]

Bumped up in light of the centenary of the commencement of the Punitive Expedition on March 9.

[Pat Holscher]

November 1, 1915.

Battle of Agua Prieta. Villa suffers a defeat from Carranza's forces at Agua Prieta, a town across from Douglas, Arizona.

March 9, 1916.

Villa raids Columbus New Mexico. His forces cross into the United States at approximately 1:00 am. They attack about 4:20 am.

The raid commenced at about 0100 when Villistas, by that time a much reduced force, crossed the border near Palomas, Chihuahua to advance on the small town of Columbus New Mexico, which they intend to raid in retaliation for Woodrow Wilson's actions in allowing Carranza's forces to be transported by rail across Texas to be used against Villa's forces in northern Mexico.

Most were on foot. Columbus is 2.5 miles to the north of the Mexican border town, where Villistas had been located and recuperating after a recent defeat at the hands of Carranza's forces.

Villa, who may or may not have accompanied his troops that day, commanded approximately 500 men. His force of horsemen was in disarray after being defeated at the Battle of Celaya in April of the prior year, from which it had still not recovered. Villa had gone in that battle with 22,000 men, 8,000 of which were killed, and another 8,000 of which were captured in the battle. His forces at Palomas, while dangerous, were a shadow of his prior Division del Norte.

Villa believed that nearby Columbus was garrisoned with about 30 US soldiers. This intelligence was erroneous and US forces in the region were alerted to the possibility of trouble occurring.

At 0415, more or less Villistas entered Columbus New Mexico from the west and southeast crying "¡Viva Villa! ¡Viva México!"

They expected to encounter an American garrison of only 30 men, as noted above, based upon their scouting and intelligence. However, Columbus had a garrison of over 300 men, to Villa's force of approximately 500 men. The US forces were from the U.S. 13th Cavalry who occupied adjacent Camp Furlong. Moreover, U.S. troops were equipped in a modern fashion, complete with the Benet Mercie light machine gun which had been adopted for cavalry use.

From 0415-0445 to 0730 a pitched battle between Villistas against cavalrymen of the 13th U.S. Cavalry ensued. While caught by surprise, the US forces had some inkling that Villistas may have been on the move prior to the raid and reacted very quickly. Local Columbus New Mexico residents also took part in the battle, defending their homes. While the battle started in darkness, the fact that a hotel caught fire soon aided US. forces in being able to pick out Villista targets.

The early minutes of the action featured a heroic reaction by Lt. John P. Lucas who fought his way alone from his tent to the guard shack in spite of lacking shoes and shirt. Lucas who commanded a machinegun troop, organized a single machinegun in defense until the remainder of his unit could come up. He then organized them and worked to repel the Villistas. Lucas made a career of the Army and died after World War Two at age 59 while still serving in the Army.

At 0730 a Villista bugler sounds retreat. Villistas began the process of withdrawing to Mexico with their wounded. Troopers of the U.S. 13th Cavalry pursued retreating Villistas into Mexico. Major Frank Tompkins, sought permission against the rules of engagement to cross the border and was granted the same by Slocum. His troops advanced past Palomas and fifteen miles into Mexico, where their pursuit is arrested by the Villista defense. As he had only a portion of the Camp Furlong garrison he was badly outnumbered in the pursuit but nonetheless engaged the Villista rear guard four times, inflicting heavy casualties on them. When his advance was finally checked, he withdrew into the United States.

The raid leaves part of Columbus in ruins and will launch the United States into a punitive expedition into Mexico against Villa's forces, and which would nearly lead to war with Mexico. Woodrow Wilson filled the vacant position of Secretary of War that very day.

[Pat Holscher]

Secretary of War Barker issued the following instructions late this day to Frederick Funston and John Pershing, requiring each to personally acknowledge their receipt, as the United States prepared to intervene in Mexico:

In the view of the great distance between the seat of Government and the forces in the field, the President regards it as of the utmost importance that General Funston and all officers in command of troops of the United States clearly understand the exact nature of the expedition of our forces into Mexico, and he therefore directs obedience in letter and in spirit to the following orders.

ONE. If any organized body of troops of the de facto Government of the Republic of Mexico are met, they are to be treated with courtesy and their cooperation welcomed, if they desire to cooperate in the objects of the expedition.

TWO. Upon no account or pretext, and neither by act, word, or attitude of any American soldier, shall this expedition become or be given the appearance of being hostile to the integrity or dignity of the Republic of Mexico, by the courtesy of which this expedition is permitted to pursue an aggressor upon the peace of these neighboring Republics.

THREE. Should the attitude of any organized body of troops of the de facto Government of Mexico appear menacing, commanders of the forces of the United States are, of course, authorized to place themselves and their commands in proper situation of defense, and if actually attacked they will of course defend themselves by all means at their command, but in no event must they attack or become the aggressor with any such body of troops.

FOUR. Care is to be taken to have in a state of readiness at all times the means of rapid communication from the front to the headquarters of the General commanding the Department, and, through him, to the War Department in Washington; and any evidence of misunderstanding on the part of officials, military or civil, of the de facto Government of Mexico as to the objects, purposes, character or acts of the expedition of the United States, are to be reported to the Department with the utmost expedition, with a view to having them taken up directly with the Government of Mexico through the Department of State

[Pat Holscher]

March 17: The U.S. Army's 2nd Provisional Cavalry Brigade reaches Colonia Dublán where the U.S. Army establishes its main base of operations for the Punitive Expedition. The town was 52 miles south of the border and was a Mormon colony in Mexico.

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U.S. Troops reading newpapers at Colonia Dublán.