Evening star., 1916-12-31
Mexico and
the
United States

previous time during the years of civil
war that followed the retirement of
President Porfirio Diaz. The policy of
President Wilson, which he himself
termed one of "watchful waiting" gave
way to one of more determined char
acter following repeated attacks made
by bands of Mexican bandits upon
American border towns and assaults by
Mexicans upon Americans and other
foreigners in Mexico.
The relations between the two coun-
tries approached crisis early in the
year when. on January 10. nineteen
men. nearly all Of them Americans.
were taken from a train near Chihua-
hua and killed by band of bandits.
Conditions became still more tense
when. on March 3, several hundred
bandits led by Villa, raided and burned
the town of Columbus. N. NJ, killing
nine American civilians and eight
United States soldiers. On March 10
President Wilson ordered 5000 United
States troops into Mexico to catch Villa
and two days later on first troops
crossed the border. On March 16 the
posts and the American expeditionary
force. Seven American troopers were
wounded in the encounter.
Before this time Gen. Carranza, head
Of the de facto government in Mexico,
had begun to display his antagonism
toward the American expedition and on
March II he issued orders forbidding
American troops from entering Mexi-
can towns He also refused to grant
permission for the American forces to
transportation of supplies On March
19 Villa bandits killed several Ameri-
cans in raiding small colonies about
100 miles south of the border. An
American gunboat at Tampico took on
board all foreign women and children.
On March 2s a force of United States.
cavalry under Maj. Dodd defeated a
Villa band at Guerrero, killing sixty
Mexicans. One United States soldier
was mortally wounded Villa was re-
in this battle. On April / another de-
tachment of United States cavalry de-
feated a Villista force north of Guer-
zero, killing sixty of the bandits. On
April IL Gen. Pershing, in command
OF the American expeditionary force,
was informed that Villa was dead. Per-
sistent reports of this character were
received. but were proved untrue
On April ~ a detachment of United
States troops was attacked by Carranza
troops and citizens of Parral Two
Americans and forty Mexicans were
killed in the encounter. The follow
ing day Carranza demanded the with
drawal of the American troops from
The pursuit of Villa came to a stand
still. however. because of the hostility
Of Carranza.
A conference between Gen. Scott.
CHIEF OF star of the United States
army: Gen. Funston, in command of
the United States troops on the border
and Gen. Obregon, Carranza's secre-
tary of war. which opened on April 2s.
proved fruitless. and on May 9 Presi-
dent Wilson ordered the state militia
gether with $500 more regulars to
the border. On May 81 Gen. Carranza
again demanded the withdrawal OF the
United states troops from Mexico on
peril OF recourse to arms" and fol-
lowed this up on June 16 with a def
mite threat OF attack unless the troons
were Withdrawn northward. The fol-
lowing day reinforcements were rusbad
to the United States troops in Mexico
and within n short time The. evnadition
ary force aggregated about II, 900 men
On June 1S the War Department or
dered all the state militia mobilized
and within the next two weeks 30 O0o
of the state soldiers had been rushed
to the border.
A detachment of American troops was
attacked by Carranza troops at Car
rfzal. June 81. and twelve Americans
were killed and seventeen captured
On June 25 President Wilson demanded
that the captured troopers be released.
CarranZa met this with a demand for
the release of thirty Mexican prisoners
in the United States and the lifting of
the embargo placed by the United
States on shipments of munitions and
food into Mexico. The following day.
however. Carranza agreed to release
the troops.
A short time later Carranza aban-
doned his hostile attitude and in a con-
ciliatory note to President Wilson sug-
gested the appointment OF joint COM
the two countries. On July 28 Presi-
dent Wilson accepted this proposal.
President Wilson named Secretary of
the Interior Lane. Judge George Gray
and DIR. ]. R. Mott as members of the
American commission on August 22,
and on September the Joint commis-
sion began its sessions at New London,
Conn. The sessions continued until