Pancho Villa's Raid on The United States - Visiting Pancho Villa State Park and Columbus, NM
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ก.พ. 2025
- On March 9, 1916, followers of the Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa crossed the border and assaulted the town of Columbus, New Mexico, marking the last time the continental United States would be invaded by a foreign army. That raid made Pancho Villa, who just a few years before had the support of the U.S. government, enemy number one.
During the 90 minute long battle the city of Columbus was looted and burned and the Army's Camp Furlong was attacked. Following the raid, 100,000 soldiers would be sent to the border and the Army under General Pershing would enter Mexico in search of Pancho Villa. This would mark the first use of trucks and airplanes in combat by the United States Army, and the last major combat action by soldiers on horses.
Time would turn Pancho Villa into an almost mythical outlaw, and much of the battle site is now part of Pancho Villa State park, the only state park that I know of in the U.S. that is named for a foreign combatant.
In this video, we travel to Pancho Villa State Park and Columbus, NM to see the last place a foreign army invaded the continental U.S. and to find out what is left from that day over a century ago.
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No better way to spend my lunch than eating and watching Steve educate me on the southwest US. Thanks, Steve!
I do that too!
Fully agreed.
I allways looking forward for my thursday lunch watching Steve ;) And I love the relaxing music Steve have in his videos :)
Agreed. Love the history. Thanks Steve
100 years later were still being invaded.
My husband and I used to take all our friends and family to see this park. I've been there multiple times. It's amazing to me that it's so forgotten because it changed the way we do war. I give speeches in Toastmasters about the park, most people love it, but they have never heard this history. Thanks for the drone shots. I've visited all the park and the museum, but the drone shots make it more interesting.
The park definitely seems like a great place to camp.
@@SidetrackAdventures We never camped there because we lived close, but it was a great day adventure.
@@sandyzalecki1145
IF the GOVERNMENT wanted a SECURED BORDER....they would have done it then....
BUT WHAT did THEY do?
NAMED a STATE PARK in his HONOR.
@@MarshallMcCrory You know this was over 100 years ago right? Borders were completely different then.
Another great video. This one is particularly interesting to me. My Uncle Loyd Lord was a member of a cavalry unit in Cleveland, Tennessee in 1916 and was called up to participate in the excursion called the Mexican Expedition searching for Pancho Villa in Mexico. His outfit took a train to El Paso, Texas and then went to Nogales, Arizona where he was encamped for about 16 months. Apparently that part of Arizona near the Mexican border was very fertile, covered with grass land and tree areas and had ample water at that time.
My Uncle returned to Cleveland, Tennessee and reported the lush picture to the family and then, one by one, other Uncles and Aunts followed by my grandparents all moved out to Arizona in the 1930's. Ironically the only one that did not move to the Sonoran desert was the uncle who first went to that part of the country. Thank you for the effective descriptions you included of the event and places.
In the late 1980's I asked an elderly Uncle Calvin Lord why the family moved from Tennessee to Arizona and he said, "It was that damn Pancho Villa". As you might expect I was very confused with that answer but now you also know the reason.
As I understand it, my grandfather was in the cavalry unit led by Pershing that pursued Pancho Villa into Mexico. He was a veterinarian and cared for the unit’s horses.
He also was deployed to France during WWI. He also served as a veterinarian for the cavalry’s horses there.
He looks a lot like my old girlfriends brother in law. He was smarter than any of my girlfriends family.
My great great grandfathers nephew was pancho villa so technically my distant cousin uncle or whatever .. my grandfather lived about an hour from where pancho villa is from .
@@clo8862 My grandfather's sister was supposedly friends with Villa's wife. She reported seeing the death mask. Family 'stories.'
My grandfather was also with Blackjack Pershing...my grandfather also fought in Europe during WWI and was wounded severely. I have a shadow box with some of his medals.
My great grandfather was one of villa's Villistas and took care of the horses and miles. They later settled in the Arizona/new Mexico area and eventually we mostly ended up around Albuquerque,NM.
You are a great Narrator ! . Thank you for bringing these stories of American History to us. - British Gal, living in Wyoming :-)
Thank you. My grandmother is from Wyoming, beautiful area.
Narrator AF... as the kids say.
Love and Respect.
Im going to go be a bicultural now.
There is a picture of a Mexican Revolutionary at our favorite Mexican Restaurant in South Carolina. I now know that this person was Pancho Villa because it is the exact same image that you had in your video! Thanks for the educational info!
Really well put together video between the storytelling and b-roll. The park looks amazing actually between the museum and desert scenery. It's nice to see the buildings covered to help preserve the adobe.
Thank you. Yes, those buildings are probably in a lot better shape than they would be if not for the covering.
The Daily Sentinel….I used to deliver that newspaper in the early 70s.
I learned so much about Pancho Villa from this video. Thanks for doing all the research and presenting.
“The General and the Jaguar” is a good book on General Pershing and Pancho Villa. Another great video! Thank you!
Neat story, Steve. My grandpa served under Pershing on the Mexican border. Horse- or mule-drawn artillery. He didn't see action, though.
My grandfather rode with Pancho Villa. I never got to meet my grandfather, he passed away before I was born. He did live up to the age of 116
I’m a descendant of him
how young are you
65 my parents had me late in life ❤️
@@pamhernandez397 my aunts going to be 65 next week
My great grandfather was part of the Dorados de Villa ❤
Thank you for including the reason for park name. It was the first comment out of my mouth when video started. Excellent video as usual thank you.
My uncle George Pennington and aunt Marie lived in Columbus. We visited them in the late '50s, when I first heard about Villa's raid. They died there in 1966.
Road tripping & making memories with Family is always fun. I remember doing exactly the same with our two young daughters 2 decades ago at least . Enjoy every minute spent exploring with them Steve . Thanks for posting this one for us all.😎👍
Often heard about Pancho Villa's raid on Columbus, New Mexico, but knew very little about it. Thanks for filling in the missing blanks, Steve. The research you do for your videos is amazing. Great camera shots, and the drone videos especially. When are you going to move up to documentaries?
Outstanding video ... 👊🏻 gotta throw you a bone, give it to that barking dog next time you're in town 😹
Thanks. I'm sure the dog was all bark!
Great documentary, Steve. Thank you for all the work you put into this.
Seeing the destruction in town from fire must have been very disturbing to General Pershing. Only about seven months earlier he lost his wife and three daughters when his home caught fire at the Presidio of San Francisco. Only his young son survived.
I just realized my eyes were tearing up as I wrote this comment thinking how he must have felt. Very sad in both cases.🇺🇸
Thanks!
Thank you, I really appreciate it.
Good stuff as always Steve. Thank you so much for your efforts and research for our enjoyment.
My grandfather was in the Illinois National Guard at this time and was with Black Jack Pershing's Army chasing Villa all over the Southwest and Mexico. He later served in France during WW1.
I bet he had stories to tell. It really feels like that period, even World War I to a degree, is overlooked today.
My grandfather also was in the Illinois National Guard and was sent to chase Villa. He said that was a time when he felt the best physically, and he enjoyed camping out in the desert.
My grandfather passed away long before I was born; however, as my father has told me, he, (my grandfather) was in the Connecticut National Guard Cavalry unit that was also part of chasing down Poncho Villa and was in WWI. Unfortunately, my grandfather passed away in his early 40s from the effects of exposure to Mustard Gas during WWI.
@@Jack-xo2zpPancho Villa was my great grandfather and I also originate from the same state he’s from Durango Mexico, my dads side having the last name Villa.
@@edgardovilla199viva Villa y viva Mexico
Thank you for letting us tag along on another adventure that we would never see otherwise!
Great video. I grew up in southern NM but it took me years before I visited the park. The park and the museum are first rate and give a lot of context to the raid, mainly that previously there were many smaller raids from south of the border and that the Germans were goading the Mexicans to join their side of the Great War. Pancho Villa never explained why he ordered the raid and in the grand tradition of Mexican double-crosses, was murdered by his former compatriots. One challenge to visiting the park is that it's in the middle of nowhere. There's not much in Columbus, which is an hour south of Deming (not much there either) and that's an hour west of Las Cruces.
I visited there about 30 years ago as a kid and went to a huge Flea Market just across the border in Mexico. I remember my sister and myself exploring an open area near the flea market and we were finding old rifle cartridges and some even still in the stripper clips. We found various objects lying just under the surface that revealed significant military activity there at one time. It was a pretty interesting visit.
FYI the park has few visitors because the septic has failed and they don't seem to be in a hurry to repair it.Thanks for the video. I've camped there many times.
Great video about an almost forgotten event.
One story that I read about the US Army invasion of Mexico dealt with camels. Some Quartermaster decided that it would be smart to use camels as pack animals in the desert areas that the Army was going. Unfortunately, no one researched camels. There were more problems with the camels then advantages. After a few weeks of doing more fighting with the camels than Pancho Villa, the Army let the camels loose.
There were camels roaming around southern New Mexico and Arizona until the 1920’s.
This did give the US Army their first use of mechanized vehicles. General Pershing remembered the advantages of trucks instead of horses ( or camels) in WWI. The US was the first country to use mechanized vehicles in WWI.
Good point. Even in WW2 most armies used horses widely while the US was mechanized. Fascinating to think of some random camels roaming New Mexico as a blueprint for the future US military
@@barba928 most of the industrial world was still agriculture based all the way up to WW2, and Europe had a nastier depression in the 30's than happened in N. America. Also, you can't EAT a truck.
Camels were used by the Army in the Southwest before Pancho Villa raided Columbus, NM. General MacArthur, born on an Army base, grew up in the West and as a young boy in the 1880's came across a few camels when riding horses not far from the Fort with his older brother, Arthur.
Camels would seem like a natural for the desert. I suppose noone knew how to handle them.
I can Invision a Mexican boy on seeing a camel for the first time. What kind of horse is that?
Great work as always. The way you illustrate what you see is reminiscent to how Rick Steves describes European towns and landmarks.
Steve, thanks for sharing your historical wanderings. I found your channel about a year and a half ago when I was living out of state. Really helped mellow those pangs of homesickness and reminded me of great times exploring when my kids were young. All the best to you!
Another great video Steve. I admire your research that you do for the videos. One of my good friends from college had a grandfather that rode with Pancho Villa around the turn of the century. Arturo and I are in our 70's and have many great memories. Thank You
thanks for another historical video. I have always wanted to visit that area and see where the raid took place. You filled in alot of details and have learned alot!
A lot
Thanks Steve,
I visited Columbus several years ago.
You covered everything rather well.
Georgie Patton was one of Pershing's 2 aide de camps.
Happy Trails,
Just wanted to say thanks Steve for these amazing videos I’m unable to see all these sights in person and your videos give me a chance to see these old towns and history and be there again thanks for everything
As always, I'm very appreciative when Steve posts a new video.
Thanks Steve.
Another fine job recounting a battle that I did not know very much about; until now that is ! Thanks again Steve for enlightening me .
My family is from there. There childhood home was right below the water tower on your video.
Your videos are awesome man! Been following you for almost a year now! Love the history lessons and the hikes treks. Keep up the good work dude!
Steve, as usual a great video. I have yet to ever find any statement incorrect until this great story. You said that Pancho Villa’s Raid into the United States was the last one. The last Raid into the USA started on Jan. 20th. 2021 along the Complete Southern Border and it is ongoing to this day. Approximately 8 Million PLUS have invaded this once great nation. I love your videos and previously used them as guides for some of my exploring as I travelled Our Country from Sep. of 2018 to Dec. of 2021 I had a Fifth Wheel and I primarily travelled the SouthWest Desert. Keep up the Great Work.
Awesome story telling and sharing of the sites you spoke about Steve! Always a plus when The Sidetrack Adventures Posse can Smile and Wave to your Bride and Son as well! @ 2:40 The explanation about the person standing behind Gen. Pershing was such an unexpected bit of info too. I will say that Pershing and the guy behind Villa seemed to be the only ones truly smiling! As it seems to be with these Tales of Yore, many different versions pop up which I tend to think really does add to The Mystic of the story! I'm betting that the camp ground does some serious business in warmer months as the area is a neat place to see! Thank you so much Steve for bringing the SA Riders along! Cheers From Columbus, Ohio To Columbus, New Mexico! 👋
Thanks. Interestingly I read that Columbus, NM is named after Columbus, Ohio rather than being named after Christopher Columbus directly.
@@SidetrackAdventures Much like in the HBO "Soprano" series, we have both sides of protesters when it comes time for Columbus Day here. Good or Bad, I still say COW-lumbus as in MOO. The city council really wants to be like Seattle or other more modern areas, but we will always be a COW-Town! 🤣
Another great story Steve. There is a cool statue of Villa in the Mex town south of there. Another interesting place in that area is Playas, NM. It’s an old silver mine town that fed contractors use for training now. Cheers
My maternal grandfather was in the Mass. National Guard Calvery and participated in the subsequent raid into Mexico. I have a photo of him mounted on his horse. Thank you for the video and some context.
Another superb history lesson.
Kudos to you on speaking of the Naming of the Park. Most folks would shy away anything remotely controversial.
I loved this. Thought it was one of your best videos to date. Thank you! Love the obscure historical details.
Thanks Steve, always wondered what the scene looked like... I had an "uncle" who was a calvary man, who told us tales as kids about hunting Poncho Villa, Thanks for taking us along! Bart in Houston.
Interesting! Some big names involved in this story. A friend told me how her great-grandmother (who grew up in Chihuahua, Mexico) recalled being hidden away as a young girl when Pancho Villa and his men came to their town. The transition to mechanized warfare was huge. The older brother of my English grandfather bailed out on University to repair aircraft engines during WWI. After the war he ran an auto repair business in the UK, and both his son and grandson became engineers in manufacturing. We found pages from a 1915 calendar in one of the sheds when my Mother-in-law moved from her parent's farm; they were from a bank and had black and white photos of early prototype tanks. Very weird looking!
Hi Steve, I appreciate all the work that you do in putting these video's on TH-cam for us to enjoy. I also love your passion for history my friend! 👍 - Dave
Thank you.
As native San Diegan living in Arizona, look forward to your videos. Keep up the good work.
Thanks.
I love this channel. Educational, interesting, and calming. Thanks!
Thanks Steve. One of the cannons that Pershing took in pursuit of Villa has been restored and is displayed in Annandale, Virginia. A SW footnote, Pershing is buried in a special section of Arlington National Cemetary and Ira Hayes is buried about 50 yards from him.
Another great video. I was there about 20 years ago before the new museum. I am so glad that the items I saw there were preserved in the new building. I recall memorabilia on open display and not presented respectfully. Thx again for your work!
Another great video Steve, keep up the good work, all the best from Australia.
Another well done and well researched story! Can’t wait for the next one.
Absolutely love any and every video you do. Yhank you so much for all the work you put in and the travel costs.
You're a historian Steve! A video historian. I love this story and Pat Garret too! You make me want to listen to history again because you keep coming up with new content. I love to listen to you!❤❤❤
Great video and history lesson as usual! I heard the dog barking at the JAG office and thought it was mine and took off to see what was happening - great video!
Thank you for another excellent and well researched video! Presentations like this give this old man the inspiration for more road trips! 🙂👍
1) There were several other border skirmishes as well.
2) In addition to cars & trucks there were also motorcycles used by the Army.
What I like about your videos there just about the right amount time. Informative and interesting. Keep up the great work.
Thanks for the education Steve. I was aware of Pancho Villa but now I know the story. Thanks!
What a great job you do on your videos. You make mundane scenery interesting and that is cool. My compliments to the editor of your videos.
I had a great great aunt that past away at 102 back in 1989. She would tell us stories of riding on wagons from Arkansas to Pecas, Texas. She would tell us stories of hiding from poncho villa! I’m not sure how accurate her stories were about when it came to poncho villa. But I always enjoyed sitting with her and listening to her with my full attention
Awesome video!! Often wondered if there was anything worth visiting at this location - now i know and hope to make a trip of my own and explore. The town looks larger than imagined as well.
Well put together. Thank you for this.
My grandfather was in the 7th calvary at that time and he said that they chased Pancho Villa. I will have to do some research on that. Thanks for sparking my interest in this.
Very cool video, Steve. Thanks for the info. I had no knowledge about this event.
"7 captured, 6 executed": do we know why the seventh was spared, and what ultimately happened to him? A very minor detail, I admit, but it is curious.
During the trial it was determined the one who wasn't executed never entered the town and only stayed back to guard the horses. He also claimed while he had a rifle, he had no ammunition for it. He was sentenced to life in prison.
@@SidetrackAdventures I would rather be hanged.
@SidetrackAdventures thanks brother. Thank you for your work 🙏
What a cool family you are! Thanks for sharing your adventures with us!
J'en avais entendu parler de ce raid. Merci de nous montrer les lieux et de comprendre la fin d'une période et le début d'une autre.
Thank for memories, Steve... Lived in Las Cruces for 8 yrs, went to Columbus & walk into Puerto Palomas, eat & shop at the Pink House, get my stomach meds at the pharmacy, walk back to the border, chat with the border guards for a while, then head back home. It was great!
Good stuff Steve. I think at some point Dwight Eisenhower was sent down there but at the time he was only a lieutenant.
We learned about in grade school History class and my history professor was quite impressed that I knew all about it
Its crazy how so few people know about it now.
Another great informative video told in your soothing low key style. Love them.
You do a fantastic job with your videos. I enjoy watching them and they are full of really interesting history. Thanks.
Steve, ever since I saw your videos, I can't wait for your next one. THANKS.
Good video, good reliable info... Thank you... always wanted to know more about Pancho Villa.😉😎
Thank you for the video! Though it's been a while, I have been to Columbus dozens of times. I'll have to revisit sometime in the near future and check out the museum and Coote's Hill. I'm pretty sure that I've been in the train station, but I'll try and check that out as well.
Keep it up... What you are doing is priceless. Stay true to the facts as much as possible.
Love and Respect.
-Emilio CA
Exceptionally well done tour of this historic site, thanks👍
Great job at telling the history of the places you visit thanks for all your hard work
My wife's paternal grandparents were in the first part of the Mexican Revolution when Porfiro Diaz was ousted. Her grandfather carried scars from bullet wounds through out his life. Other ancestors were with Villa through most of the revolution and some died. None took part in this raid though as far as I know. By the time this occured Villa's forces were pretty much finished.
Thanks Steve for another great episode
Thank you.
Interesting piece of history. Thanks for including part of the town especially the train station.
Thank you Steve, another interesting piece of history.
Great history lesson. After your videos, I always do some research on the history of the area so I can learn more about it. Thanks
Very cool. I’ve heard the name before, but this was a great way to learn about the history of such an important event.
Thanks for the video!
My great Uncle who was a toddler at his untimely death, was killed in the raid by Pancho Villa and his men. The Deming museum has some interesting things pertaing to the raid also.
Hi Steve,
Love your videos, looking forward to your next adventure!
Love the forgotten history you explore. Always fascinating to watch. 100 years is not that long ago, but it was certainly another world then.
Another interesting one Steve! Thanks so much!
Awesome video
Thank you,
When My Grandfather was a teen, He was tasked to bury Poncho Villas dead Soldiers
In Agua Prieta, Mexico.
Steve, another great adventure. I used to live in Columbus and some of my photography is hanging in the visitor center at the state park as well as the historic railway station across the highway.
Stop and consider this. Columbus sits at the intersection of Highways 9 & 11. I was on top of Cootes Hill on September 11 2001 watching the sunrise.
The photographs are the ones which I mentioned.
Pancho Villa never came into Columbus in March 1916. He remained in Palomas while his henchmen raided Columbus!
Lots of history there and if you want to know more contact me.
Best Regards Ric
Great documentary. I personally enjoyed the photography/narration production. Thanks.
My wife and I frequent the park on our way from Tucson to St. Louis to see family. We have camped there in RV's and tents. It is hella quiet at night and is a great place to view the sky if you don't do it facing the border portal. Thanks for taking us along.
Excellent, informative and well-done. Thanks.
Great story and fascinating history. We’ve added it to our road trip list.
The drive out there is great.
Hello all, my great grandfather was killed in the raid and is buried there! He owned a grocery store in Columbus. We attended the 100 year anniversary in 2016.
I knew the military history, but knew nothing about the town, or the terrain. Thanks for the views
Wow, Steve! Talk about doing your homework! Great history lesson!!👍 Safe travels!!
Another great video. Can't believe that it is cold there! It looks so warm with the desert and the glorious sunshine. What do you class as cold? Currently 0°C /32°F here.
I remember learning about Pancho Villa in high school but I thought the raid was in Texas. It was a long time ago 😶🌫️. I didn’t know there was a park named after him. Thanks for the information.
👍☮️🌞🏜️
Thank you for another great video!
Cheers and safe travels.