Mexican Border Campaign

War on the Rio Grande frontier

The one stretch of American ground to see sustained fighting in these years was the Mexican border. The Mexican Revolution spilled across the line through the 1910s, drawing raiders, revolutionaries, and the United States Army into a decade of skirmishing from California to the Gulf. The violence mixed several strands: raids by Mexican revolutionary bands, a separatist plot in south Texas, and reprisals by American soldiers and Texas Rangers. It reached its peak in 1916 when Pancho Villa's men struck a New Mexico town and drew a large American expedition deep into Mexico. Border towns lived under the threat of sudden raids, and the region became the training ground for an army that would soon deploy to France.

Columbus, the Bandit War, and Ambos Nogales

The best known action came on 9 March 1916, when Villa's forces raided Columbus, New Mexico, burning part of the town and fighting the garrison before withdrawing. The raid prompted the Punitive Expedition under General John J. Pershing. Further east, the Bandit War of 1915 saw armed bands raid ranches and rail lines across south Texas, tied to the separatist Plan of San Diego, answered by harsh sweeps that fell heavily on Mexican American communities. In 1918 the Battle of Ambos Nogales pitted United States troops against Mexican forces in the twin border towns of Nogales, a clash that helped lead to the fencing of the international line. These scattered fights made the border the era's true home front.

Written by Aubrey Research from Mexican Border War on Wikipedia, cited as a reference and not reproduced.

Where these engagements were fought

All 9 are placed on the map. Select a marker to see the engagement.

Documented engagements

By state

Engagements and locations are compiled from published sources: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).