After the Battle of Columbus

After the Battle of Columbus

Following the attack on Columbus, New Mexico, soldiers of the 13th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army ride through the desert searching for bodies after the raid led by the revolutionary forces of Pancho Villa on March 9, 1916.

Villa’s men crossed the border and launched a surprise assault on the small frontier town, targeting military installations and businesses. The attack left several soldiers and civilians dead and briefly threw the settlement into chaos.

The raid shocked the United States and triggered a strong response from the government. Shortly afterward, the U.S. Army launched the Pancho Villa Expedition, also known as the Punitive Expedition, led by John J. Pershing, with the objective of capturing Villa.

Despite months of pursuit deep inside northern Mexico, Villa was never captured.

This photograph captures the tense aftermath of the raid and reflects one of the most dramatic moments along the Mexico–United States border during the years of the Mexican Revolution.