--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Ivins, Anthony W. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 19 number: 11 published: 1916-09 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Anthony W. Ivins, "On Villa’s Trail in Mexico. I," *Improvement Era* 19, no. 11 (September 1916): 1015–1019.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera19011unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera19011unse start_page: 1015 end_page: 1019 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1916-09) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera19011unse publication_year: 1916 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1916, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # On Villa’s Trail in Mexico. I On Villa's Trail in Mexico BY HON. ANTHONY W. IVINS I When Francisco Madero marched triumphantly into Mexico City, after Porfirio Diaz had hurriedly taken his departure for Europe, the hope was expressed by people who were familiar with Mexican affairs that constitutional government was about to be established in that unfortunate country. Madero made one fatal mistake. Believing that the protestations of loyalty to his ideals made by representatives of the old Cientifico and Clerical parties were sincere, and desiring to harmonize all factions, he distributed the government patronage among his own adherents and those who had opposed him, with the result that men who had been his bitter enemies were placed in some of the most responsible positions, among them Victoriano Huerta, who was made commander-in-chief of the Mexican army. When Kelix Diaz undertook to overthrow the government, and was arrested at Vera Cruz, Madero departed from the time honored custom of executing men who were guilty of GENERAL HUERTA treason, and pardoned him. In appreciation of this great favor, in which his life, which had been forfeited under the laws of all civilized nations, was spared, Diaz again took up arms against Madero, and with the assistance of Generals Huerta, Blanquet, and other military chiefs who were the trusted agents of the administration, succeeded in deposing and killing the president, vice president, and other close friends and advisors of Mexico. Huerta then turned against and banished Diaz, declared himself dictator of Mexico, assumed control of the legislative and administrative powers of the government, in defiance of the constitution, and inaugurated a reign of terror. Doctor Domingues, Abram Gonzales, the brothers of Madero, and other men of prominence who dared protest against the wholesale murders which were being perpetrated, were put to death, and it became plain ; 1016 IM I'KOVKMKNT ERA that the policy of Huerta was cither to kill or expel from the country every prominent man who had been friendly to the Madero policy. Governors and legislatures of various states, either through fear or favor, declared their allegiance to the Huerta administration, and for a time it appeared that this arch traitor might dominate the country. There was one man in Mexico, however, with a will sufficiently strong, and courage enough, to protest against the policy of the dictator, brand him as a traitor and murderer, and declare that the Mexican people were entitled to, and should enjoy the rights which the constitution of their country guarantees. That man was Venustiano Carranza, governor of the state of Coahuila. Tn the beginning he stood almost alone, but soon after his revolt against Huerta, the congress of the state of Sonora, and the governor, joined him Zapata, ; the revolutionary chief of the South, offered allegiance Francisco Villa gathered an army in Chihuahua, and through the combined efforts of these leaders Huerta was driven from Mexico, and the Constitutionalists were in VENUSTIANO CARRANZA complete control of the country. Had they been able to unite, order and good government might have been established, but the turbulent element which followed Villa and Zapata could not be controlled. They refused to recognize the authority of Carranza, or to take orders from him, with the result that factional warfare soon commenced, in which Zapata retired to the South, occupying the states of Morelos and Mexico, where he constantly menaced the capital while Villa : withdrew his forces to the states of Durango and Chihuahua, and became the dominant factor in Northern Mexico. Sonora remained loval to Carranza, who also controlled the central states. Tn order to make his control of Northern Mexico complete, T V illa rlanned a campaign for the conquest of Sonora, and marched into that state with about ten thousand men. To meet this invasion Carranza obtained permission to move troops through the United States which enabled him to concentrate sufficient forces at Agua Prieta (Black Water), and other points in Sonora, to ON VILLA'S TRAIL 1017 meet and disastrously defeat Villa. Angered and humiliated because of the failure of his plans, and attributing his defeat to the assistance rendered his enemies by the United States, the pretended friendship manifested by Villa toward Americans turned to hatred. Wherever his soldiers passed, as they straggled back from Sonora to Chihuahua, they looted and robbed, Americans and American property suffering more than the property of others. Many of Villa's men deserted him and went over to the Carranza party, and when he finally reorganized his forces and planned the raid on Columbus, his available army probably did not exceed six hundred men. He was short of ammunition and supplies, Chihuahua and Ciudad Juarez were occupied by Carranza forces too strong to be attacked, there was but one way in which he could hope to recoup his exhausted resources, and at the same time wreak vengeance on the United States, that was by crossing the international boundary and attacking some defenseless American town. m n £si^*wSMOKING RUINS OF COLUMBUS. N. M., TAKEN THE MORNING AFTER THE RAID Tt was a bold undertaking, but with his characteristic assumption, he did not hesitate to execute the plan once it had been determined upon. Columbus is a small town in the southern part of New Mexico on the Mexican boundary line. It has banks, stores, hotels, and among its citizens are many well-to-do business men. Villa planned a surprise attack on this town. They would make a dash across the line during the night, rush the camp of the small garrison of U. S. troopers who were patrolling the border at that point, loot the banks and stores, rob the homes of Americans and recross the line and take refuge in the Sierra Madre mountains, before reinforcements could come to the assistance of the few sldiers camped at that point. When this plan was made Villa was near Guerrero, about two hundred miles from the border. 1018 IMPROVEMENT ERA The details of the enterprise were carefully worked out, and executed with boldness and dispatch, which illustrate the intelligence and natural genius of this uneducated leader of men. Leaving Guerrero he led his army north to Madera, thence along the top of the Sierra Madre to Colonia Garcia, Hop Valley, Pacheco, Pratt's Ranch, and on across the open country to Columbus, making prisoners of the Mexicans who chanced to be in his path, and killing every American who fell into his hands. So rapid and silent were his movements that he covered the two hundred miles, and reached the border without exposing his movements to the border patrol, and the attack on Columbus was a complete surprise. When the charge was sounded soon after FRANCISCO VILLA midnight, while the town and camp of the patrol were in slumber, the Mexicans swept through the camp of the American troops killing a number of .soldiers as they went, and scattering the remainder, and then attacked the town. They set fire to stores, hotels and private residences, and A DETAIL OF THE EIGHTEEN TROOPERS WHO FOLLOWED VILLA FROM COLUMBUS AFTER THE RAID Columbus lies at the foot of the three peaks in the faint distance. The dead horses were killed by fire of the troopers. shot the defenseless inmates, as they endeavored to escape from the flames, looted and murdered, and made the night hideous with their yells. — ON VILLA'S TRAIL 1019 Thus far the plans of the raiders had carried perfectly, but there was one thing upon which they had not counted, the courage and fighting ability of the American soldier. Aroused from their sleep by the shots and shouts of the enemy, there had been momentary confusion, but the officers were soon there, the small force rallied, and a dashing attack was made upon the Villistas; the machine guns and rifles cracked, and the looters turned from their work of blood to defend themselves against the attacking party. The battle was short and decisive, the Mexicans were forced back across the border leaving their trail marked by the bodies of dead men and horses. Twenty miles into their own country eighteen U. S. troopers followed this army of raiders. Relating the story of the retreat, one of Villa's men said: "These troopers would ride fast until they got near us, when they would dismount and fire and every time they fired, men and ; horses would fall all around us then they would mount and fol- ; low us again, with the same result. In vain Villa tried to rally his men and make a stand, the men would not face those deathdealing rifles. Finally, when we reached the hills we made a stand and they rode back toward Columbus. Many of our men were killed or wounded by them." The pursuing troopers suffered no losses. The Rivals Awake, little man, ho, ho, ho, can't you hear The old cock a-crowing in tones loud and clear? The rascal's there now calmly strutting about, So come, son, be moving, it's time to roll out. Just hark, how the birds call your name from that tree, Their hearts all a-tremble with pure ecstasy. Great God, who could doubt that Thou art earth's king When November mornings such cadences bring! Arise, son, be stirring, great guns, are you blind? Shake off slumber's shackles that fetter the mind; The frost crystals glitter on bush and on tree, Alladin's charmed garden is open to thee: Just see how the kingfisher watches the stream Where the willows droop low, for the trout's silver gleam. All the birches are bronzed by the sun's ruddy touch, Up, up, son, be moving, you're missing too much! Still sleeping! Great Scott, boy, what charms has your bed When the champagne of sunrise still floats overhead? You're missing the gladness that dawn always brings To the slumbering earth on her ethereal wings! Still — sleeping ah, Youth, great Aurora's sweet smile Can't rival the visions you're viewing the while Sleep on, loved one, in your dream-covered cot, The morning brings nothing my sonny has not. LOGAN, UTAH H. R. MERRILL