Glenn Springs raid

Part of the Bandit War, Mexican Revolution

Nine men of the 14th Cavalry in front of the Ellis home at Glenn Springs, Texas in 1916.

Date	May 5, 1916
Location	Brewster County, Texas 29°10′34″N 103°09′25″W / 29.176°N 103.157°W / 29.176; -103.157Coordinates: 29°10′34″N 103°09′25″W / 29.176°N 103.157°W / 29.176; -103.157
Result	Villista/Carrancista victory

Belligerents

United States

Villistas

Carrancistas

Commanders and leaders

Charles E. Smyth

Natividad Alvarez

Rodriguez Ramirez

Strength

9 cavalry

~80 cavalry

Casualties and losses

3 killed
~5 wounded

~1 killed
~3 wounded
1 captured

Civilian Casualties 1 killed, 2 captured

The Glenn Springs raid occurred on the night of May 5–6, 1916, when Mexican Villistas and Carrancistas attacked the towns of Boquillas and Glenn Springs, Texas. In Glenn Springs, the raiders burned several buildings and fought a three-hour battle with a small force of American soldiers who were stationed there. At the same time, a second party of rebels robbed a general store and a silver mine in Boquillas. Four Americans were killed and the rebels took two hostages to Coahuila. In response to the attack, the United States Army launched a short punitive expedition into Mexico, fought with the rebels, and rescued the captives.

Following the Mexican federal victory at the Battle of Celaya in April 1915, Mexican rebel Pancho Villa led the remnants of his once large army back to northern Mexico. By 1916, Villa and his men were in desperate need of food and provisions to continue their revolution, so they devised a plan to raid the American border town of Columbus, New Mexico. On the early morning of March 9, 1916, approximately 500 mounted Villistas attacked and burned the town, though not long after that they were encountered by some 300 American troops. After a pitched battle, the Villistas were defeated and pursued back into Mexico, having lost nearly 200 killed, wounded, or captured. Eighteen Americans died in the engagement, including ten civilians and eight soldiers, an outrage that incited President Woodrow Wilson to authorize a punitive expedition into Mexico to capture or kill Villa. The Pancho Villa Expedition, as it became known, was under the command of Gen. John J. Pershing and it lasted from March 14, 1916, to February 7, 1917. Starting from various camps and forts along the border, Pershing headed into Chihuahua where his men engaged the Villistas on multiple occasions. Pershing was able to capture or kill several rebel commanders but Pancho Villa got away, and his rebels continued to launch raids on U.S. territory while American troops were in Mexico. Tension along the international border between Texas and Mexico was high during the Mexican Revolution. Raids into southern Texas were very common, so to help protect the Big Bend region, President Wilson allowed troops to occupy the area in June 1915.

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