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March 9, 1916, Pancho Villa attacks America!

WillieBoyd2WillieBoyd2 Posts: 5,254 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited September 8, 2024 7:00PM in U.S. Coin Forum
March 9, 2016 is the 100th anniversary of the Pancho Villa attack on Columbus, New Mexico.

Francisco (Pancho) Villa was born a Mexican peasant in 1878.
He soon became a bandit, a soldier, then formed a band to fight wealthy landowners for his people.

In 1910 Villa joined the Mexican Revolution on the side of Francisco Madero against the president/dictator Porfirio Díaz.

Villa eventually became commander of the revolutionary División del Norte (Division of the North),
also known as the Ejército del Norte (Army of the North) which at one time had 50,000 men.

He also became governor of the state of Chihuahua, south of Texas and New Mexico.

He issued his own money in Chihuahua, including copper and silver coins and paper money.

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Mexico Chihuahua Silver Peso 1915
Issued by Pancho Villa's Army of the North (Ejército del Norte)

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Mexico Ejército del Norte Paper 5 Pesos (front)

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Mexico Ejército del Norte Paper 5 Pesos (back)

In 1915 his army was defeated by the army of a rival, Pres. Carranza.

He led the raid into Columbus, New Mexico, on the morning of Thursday, March 9, 1916.
He had several hundred men with him and they attacked the town and a US Army Cavalry post at Camp Furlong.
The army managed to beat back the attack and some Cavalry units pursued them several miles into Mexico.

The attack became a major news story.

President Wilson ordered General Pershing to lead an 11,000 man army into Mexico to capture Villa and disband his army.
Pershing's men spent a year chasing Villa, they never caught him but they did put his army out of business.

Villa was eventually given a large ranch and persuaded to retired there, only to be murdered in 1923.

Villa later became a folk hero in Mexico and in the United States.
He is the hero of several American films, his name graces many American restaurants and bars,
and the site of the 1916 attack is now named Pancho Villa State Park.

Although the Villa incident was a century ago, the story still resonates.

On July 2, 2001, President George W. Bush's press secretary, Ari Fleischer, held a news conference and was asked
by a reporter if the President was going to send troops to attack the forces of the Arab terrorist leader
Osama bin Laden which had already made several attacks on American embassies and ships.
The reporter cited Pres. Wilson sending Gen. Pershing into Mexico in pursuit of Pancho Villa.

Fleischer didn't answer the question and he and reporters joked about his knowledge of history.

Fleischer later gave an answer, "The President will take action that he deems appropriate in national security interests".

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Comments

  • PRECIOUSMENTALPRECIOUSMENTAL Posts: 961 ✭✭✭✭
    Thanks for posting this interesting bit of history, that most have forgotten.

    My Grandfather was part of the Force that was sent to capture him.

    A bit of trivia, The US Cavalry had adopted Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

    In one encounter Pancho Villa escaped and out ran them, on an Indian motorcycle.

    We share a unique hobby that blends a lot of history within it.
  • bidaskbidask Posts: 14,017 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Nice write up about Pancho! Thanks

    image
    I manage money. I earn money. I save money .
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  • keyman64keyman64 Posts: 15,521 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Very interesting.
    "If it's not fun, it's not worth it." - KeyMan64
    Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners. :smile:
  • MeltdownMeltdown Posts: 8,921 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Here's a silver ingot I've had for years...
    imageimage
  • LakesammmanLakesammman Posts: 17,445 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Interesting bit of history - thanks for posting it! image
    "My friends who see my collection sometimes ask what something costs. I tell them and they are in awe at my stupidity." (Baccaruda, 12/03).I find it hard to believe that he (Trump) rushed to some hotel to meet girls of loose morals, although ours are undoubtedly the best in the world. (Putin 1/17) Gone but not forgotten. IGWT, Speedy, Bear, BigE, HokieFore, John Burns, Russ, TahoeDale, Dahlonega, Astrorat, Stewart Blay, Oldhoopster, Broadstruck, Ricko, Big Moose, Cardinal.
  • SonorandesertratSonorandesertrat Posts: 5,695 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: Lakesammman
    Interesting bit of history - thanks for posting it! image


    + 1

    Member: EAC, NBS, C4, CWTS, ANA

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  • ShadyDaveShadyDave Posts: 2,217 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: Sonorandesertrat
    Originally posted by: Lakesammman
    Interesting bit of history - thanks for posting it! image


    + 1



    image
  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Interesting bit of history... Pancho Villa was certainly a villain of many a story/movie and much

    more than he ever was involved in.... but then, that is the way with most western villains and heroes. Cheers, RickO
  • johnny9434johnny9434 Posts: 29,070 ✭✭✭✭✭
    its always nice to read some good history.
  • OldEastsideOldEastside Posts: 4,602 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Good write up

    Steve
    Promote the Hobby
  • TwoSides2aCoinTwoSides2aCoin Posts: 44,514 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Way better information and thread than what we have been fed by a few of the newer members. It always shakes out right, in the end. Thanks for sharing this piece of our nation's history.
  • SkyManSkyMan Posts: 9,493 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Interesting bit of history. Thank you for the write-up and the numismatic tie-ins!
  • EagleEyeEagleEye Posts: 7,677 ✭✭✭✭✭
    There is a statue of Pancho Villa in downtown Tucson.
    Rick Snow, Eagle Eye Rare Coins, Inc.Check out my new web site:

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