This day in New Mexico History - January 28

On this day in New Mexico history, January 28, 1917 - The bulk of American forces who had gone into Mexico chasing Pancho Villa for his raid upon Columbus NM the previous March were withdrawn by order of President Wilson. Trouble with Pancho Villa began in 1915, when the United States government disappointed Villa by siding with and giving its official recognition to Carranza's national government. Feeling betrayed, Villa began attacking American property and citizens in northern Mexico.

Early in the morning of March 9, 1916, Pancho Villa's troops attacked the border city of Columbus, New Mexico (South of Deming, NM currently on I-10) and its local detachment of the U.S. 13th Cavalry Regiment, killing 10 civilians and 8 soldiers and wounding 2 civilians and 6 soldiers. The raiders also burned the town, took many horses and mules and seized available machine guns, ammunition and merchandise, before they returned to Mexico. On March 15, on orders from President Woodrow Wilson, General John J. Pershing led an expeditionary force of 4,800 men into Mexico to capture Villa, who had already had more than a week to disperse and conceal his forces before the punitive expedition tried to seek them out in unmapped terrain.

Upon returning to the United States, General Pershing publicly claimed the expedition was a success, although privately he complained to family that President Wilson had imposed too many restrictions, which made it impossible for him to fulfill his mission. President Wilson needed the troops back in the United States and ready to go France because he could see he was going to have to declare war upon Germany which he did April 6, 1917. Pershing took his finely tuned battle troops to France and in May they were reconstituted as the 1st Division.

A personal note: My grandfather, Horace Swickard, was one of the soldiers who went with General Pershing into Mexico and then on to France as a member of the 1st Division as a machine gunner. He was wounded twice and also suffered the effects of poison gas. He was a lifelong member of the Disabled American Veterans.

This day in New Mexico History - January 28