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Many on this site will be familiar with the story of the 13th cavalry during the raid on Columbus NM on the night of the 9th of March 1916 and the resulting expedition into Mexico.
The following relates in part to a Lt Lininger of the 13th Cavalry. Clarence Lininger was born in Indiana and had a long military career. His career started as a Private with the Indiana Infantry where he saw service in Cuba and the Philippines. On his return from the Philippines with the 47th Infantry U.S.V he gained his commission as 2nd Lt. He joined the 1st Cavalry on the 2nd of February 1901, where he was to again to see service in the Philippines. In 1915 he was assigned to the 13th Cavalry who at that time were serving on the Mexican Border, he later went on to become Instructor and later Assistant Commandant of the Cavalry school Ft Riley. After his retirement from the regular army he served with New York National Guard retiring with the rank of Brigadier General in 1949.
As a result of the raid on Columbus, General Pershing was directed to pursue and break up the band or bands that had attacked Columbus. The expedition entered Mexico on the 15h of March 1916.
In April 2nd troops K and M of the 13th Cavalry under the command of Major Frank Tompkins had been given orders to scout southward, by the 10th of April they were camped in a small town called Conchas in the valley of Zaragosa. That evening a Capt Mesa a Carranza officer from the garrison at Parral entered the camp. He invited the US troops to enter Parral on the promise of rations and a campsite, he organised a messenger mounted on a mule to proceed to Parral in one day so arrangements could be made.
By the night of the 11th of April the US troops were camped near Santa Cruz de Villages, eighteen miles from Parral. The next morning around 7.10am the march to Parral commenced, reaching the town around 11.45am. The troops were looking forward to a good time after the friendly meeting with Capt Mesa and promises that had been made, but upon entering the town there was no Mexican official to meet them. Eventually Tompkins was taken to meet with a General Lozano, where he was told that no messenger had reached them and that Tompkins should not have entered the town. Tompkins agreed to withdraw as soon as they were shown a camp site, Lozano agreed but delayed, in the mean time Tompkins made arrangements for supplies with a merchant named Scott.
Eventually the US troops and Lozano prepared to move out, at this time large crowds started to appear with shouts of “Viva Villa” and “Viva Mexico” at which point firing broke out from the angry crowd towards the rear of the column as they reached the outskirts of the town, Lozano who had been at the front of the Column, rode to the rear to try to disperse the crowd with his sabre. Lozano sent a message to Tompkins asking for his immediate withdrawal as he could not control the townspeople, Tompkins responded that he would move northward as soon as he received his supplies, he never received a reply from Lozano. Meanwhile there was a build up of Carranza troops on a hill to the south of the US troops, who attempted to move around the left flank of the US cavalry to which Tompkins responded by sending troops to move them back but they were fired upon by the Carranza soldiers, to which the US troops returned fire. Tompkins ordered a small rear guard commanded by Lt Lininger to cover their retreat. It is reported that the small rear guard force of eight men killed twenty Carranza soldiers and wounded many others.
Tompkins ordered the withdrawal towards Santa Cruz de Villages as the US position was under threat of being flanked. The Mexican troops continued following and firing on the US troops, it was ignored until the Mexican troops came within 600 yards of the US cavalry, at which point the eight man rear guard dismounted and returned fire. It is reported by Tompkins in ‘Chasing Villa’ that due to the “… close shooting on the part of our rear guard, coupled with a lack of coordination on the part of the Mexicans, allowed us to withdraw in leisurely fashion”. Halfway between Parral and Santa Cruz the command was halted in order to look after wounded and for a brief rest, the march was then resumed in columns of twos at a walk and slow trot. The mounted Mexican troops continued the pursuit of US troops, at which point Tompkins, with Lininger and the eight rear guard troops, rode towards the pursuing Mexicans, they then dismounted behind a small wall, what follows is best relayed in the words of Tompkins from the book ‘Chasing Villa’.
“We got hot fire in return. I stood up using my field glasses to call the shots. Each trooper had his arm through the loop in his bridle rein. Two men in my immediate front had trouble with their horses. These animals would toss their heads every time the men would aim. One soldier said: “Hold my horse, Major,” whereupon the other trooper sounded off: “Hold mine too.” Even in the tenseness of the moment these informal demands caused me to smile but I did as requested. Shortly after I became horseholder for these two privates the horse on the right was shot through the head and the one on the left got a bullet through the rump. Our men were shooting straight and drove the Mexicans back. The horse shot in the head broke from me and ran off. Ordering Lininger to fall back I jumped on my own horse and chased the runaway, which I soon caught. Just as I seized his rein I received a bullet in the left shoulder, but not a serious wound, I returned to the dismounted man and we both got safely back to the column In falling back Cpl Proffit had his horse shot in the neck and hindquarters, which put Proffit on foot between the lines, Lt Lininger wheeled, galloped back to Proffit and as he circled him the soldier grabbed the officer’s left elbow, made a flying mount and landed behind the Lt with his rifle in his hand, and both returned to the column unscathed though the horse was slightly wounded. This was a gallant rescue. I recommended Lininger for the Medal of Honor, our highest military decoration, but he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal instead”.
But that was not the only brave action that day, Sgt Major Juno had his horse shot from under him. This was witnessed by the orderly for Tompkins, a Pvt Radcliffe, who at the time was leading Tompkins spare mount, he rode to Juno offering him the mount but it was a tall horse with a McClellan saddle packed with the belongings of Tompkins and the stirrups crossed under the pack, Juno, being a short soldier, was unable to mount, Radcliffe dismounted and gave Juno his mount he then took a flying mount landing on the back of the horse. Another action of bravery was by Adjutant James B Ord, although having just been shot through an ear noticing that a Trooper Ledford had been shot from his horse he dismounted and lifted Ledford onto his own horse then led it back to the Column, for this Ord was recommended for the Medal of Honour but received the Distinguished Service Medal. Sadly Ledford later died after being hit once again.
Still being pursued by mounted Mexicans, Capt Turner dismounted with twenty troops in order to stop the pursuit, reports differ from them killing fifteen to forty two of the pursuing Mexicans and wounding many more.
This stopped the chasing Mexicans enabling the US troops to water their horses and march to Santa Cruz de Villages, where the US troops were able to occupy rooftops and place horses under cover, although they still received some incoming fire from the Mexican troops, when the Mexicans decided to advance nearer Lt Lippincott made his famous 800 yard shot killing a Mexican soldier, it was at this point the Mexicans decided to fall back. There was a flag of truce from the Mexicans and a correspondence between Tompkins and General Lozano, later that night the 13th cavalry were reinforced by members of the 10th Cavalry. As a result of the days action, two American soldiers were killed and six wounded . Mexican loses were higher, with around forty killed and many wounded.
The following are scans of the original letters in my collection sent to Lt Lininger from Major Tompkins, plus a letter sent to the War Dept from Tompkins reference the Medal of Honour and the fact paperwork relating to the recommendation had been lost.
You can see that Major Tompkins believed it to be a “raw deal” and that Lininger deserved to be awarded the Medal of Honour. It would seem that the case must have been reopened or relevant papers found in order for Lininger to at least receive his Distinguished Service Medal for his bravery.
The letters are some of my most cherished items, but I wish to share them and hope the story is of some interest.
(Photograph courtesy of National Archives).
The very top photo shows the letters from Tompkins, plus a personal letter from Lt Lininger to his wife whilst serving in Mexico.
Kurt.
