Pancho Villa

Columbus, New Mexico made its way permanently into history books on March 9, 1916. In the wee hours of the morning Francisco "Pancho" Villa and 1,500 of his villistas raided the town of Columbus, making this town the last place a foreign government successfully invaded the continental United States. They stole several horses and mules, killed civilians and U.S. military and burned down much of the town. 500 Villistas were killed in the raid. In response to the attack, the U.S. Army sent in 12,000 troops under Gen. "Blackjack" Pershing to seek out and kill Pancho Villa. Gen. Pershing and his army would spend the better part of a year searching for Pancho Villa in Mexico. Despite the large force and the use of combat airplanes (a first for the U.S. Army at this time), Pancho Villa was never captured by the United States.

Pancho Villa began his career as a bandit at age 16. After killing a rich hacienda owner who was trying to rape his younger sister, he escaped on horseback and spent the next several years as a bandit on the run, who successfully evaded the authorities. In 1910, Francisco Madero turned him onto politics and recruited Villa to the beginnings of the Mexican Revolution. Villa made the transition from bandido to revolutionary. With the help of the U.S., Madero and the revolutionaries were able to overthrow Porfirio Diaz who had ruled the country for 34 years. Five years later, it would again be the U.S. support for a different presidential candidate, Carranza and his regime, that would lead Villa to invading Columbus.

Pancho Villa seems to be highly regarded on both sides of the border, especially among the Mexican community. In Columbus, there is a state park, a restaurant, and a bar/cafe named after him. Considering there is not much else here, that is quite a lot of businesses with the name Pancho Villa.

Each year around March 9, a giant celebration happens on both sides of the border in honor of the day Pancho Villa raided and looted Columbus. In the next few weeks, men and woman on horseback will begin a 300-kilometer ride from the interior of Mexico to Columbus, New Mexico. They carry only what they need to eat and sleep under the stars along the way. I am told that this year will be especially impressive and they expect the number of riders to reach 1,000. The riders will barrel through the border and into Columbus reenacting Pancho VIlla's raid on horseback 90 years ago. I wish I could be here to see it! After the riders reach Columbus, the fiesta grande will begin!




Taken at the Pancho Villa State Park in Columbus, New Mexico