Ojo de Agua Raid facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ojo de Agua Raid
Part of the Bandit War, Mexican Revolution
Date October 21, 1915 Location Ojo de Agua, Texas Result United States victory
Belligerents
Seditionistas	United States
Commanders and leaders
Aniceto Pizana Luis de la Rosca	Ernest Schaeffer  †
Strength
25–100 cavalry	22 cavalry 8 infantry
Casualties and losses
7 killed ~9 wounded	4 killed 8 wounded

The Ojo de Agua Raid was an important fight between a group of Mexican rebels and the United States Army. It happened on October 21, 1915, in a place called Ojo de Agua, Texas. This event was part of a bigger plan called the Plan of San Diego.

The rebels, known as Seditionistas, crossed the Rio Grande river from Mexico into Texas. Their goal was to bother American military posts along the border and cause problems for the local businesses. They attacked a communication station used by the United States Army Signal Corps at Ojo de Agua. A small group of American soldiers bravely defended themselves. They were trapped in one building and many were hurt. Luckily, more American soldiers arrived and pushed the rebels back into Mexico. This raid was a turning point. It made American leaders decide to send many more troops to the border. They wanted to stop any more serious attacks from the Mexican rebels.

Why the Ojo de Agua Raid Happened

Throughout 1915, Mexican rebels often attacked the Texas border area. This was part of their secret Plan of San Diego. These rebels, called Seditionistas, were supported by the Mexican government under Venustiano Carranza. They attacked American military bases and businesses along the border. Their goal was to start a conflict in the Southwestern United States. They hoped to take control of this area and return it to Mexico.

General Frederick Funston was in charge of guarding the border for the United States. He had about 20,000 soldiers. The Seditionistas were only a few hundred. But they never attacked with a large force. The border was very long, making it hard for General Funston to protect every part of it.

The Seditionista attacks became a big problem in the Big Bend region of Texas. Local groups of citizens even formed to fight off the Mexican raiders. This was because General Funston did not have enough troops to keep everyone safe.

To protect the Big Bend area, the United States sent soldiers from the cavalry and Signal Corps. They set up posts along the Texas border. One of these posts was in the village of Ojo de Agua. This village had already been attacked on September 3, 1915. The Seditionistas planned another attack there in October 1915.

The American base at Ojo de Agua was led by Sergeant Ernest Schaeffer. It had a radio station and about ten men from the 3rd Cavalry Regiment. There were also eight men from the United States Army Signal Corps. The post was not heavily guarded. It seemed like it would be no match for the 25 to 100 raiders who planned the attack.

The Attack on Ojo de Agua

The Mexican raiders crossed the Rio Grande and reached Ojo de Agua around 1 AM. They immediately attacked the American soldiers stationed there. The American soldiers were sleeping in a wooden building. They fought back bravely, even though they were greatly outnumbered. The Signal Corps soldiers only had pistols, which were not as powerful as the rebels' weapons.

During the fight, Sergeant Schaeffer was killed. Command then went to Sergeant First Class Herbert Reeves Smith. By this time, Smith had already been shot three times. Besides attacking the soldiers, the raiders also robbed the local post office. They also attacked the Dillard family's home, setting it on fire and stealing their animals.

The American soldiers at Ojo de Agua could not call for help. Their wireless radio station had been destroyed early in the attack. However, other American military groups nearby heard the gunfire. Two groups of American cavalry set out to investigate.

One group was a company from the 3rd Cavalry. It was led by Captain Frank Ross McCoy from Mission, Texas. This was about 8 miles (13 km) from Ojo de Agua. Another smaller group of twelve new soldiers was led by Captain W. J. Scott. Scott's group was only 2 miles (3.2 km) from the fighting. So, they arrived much earlier than McCoy's group. They immediately attacked the raiders from the west. This forced the rebels to stop their attack on the mission. McCoy's force arrived just as the Mexicans were leaving, so they did not see much fighting.

What Happened After the Raid

By the end of the raid, one civilian and three American soldiers had died. Eight others were wounded, including Sergeant Schaeffer, the commander of the Ojo de Agua post. The Seditionistas also lost soldiers. Five of their men were killed, and at least nine others were wounded. Two of the wounded later died.

Among the dead rebels, a Japanese man was found. Also, two soldiers from the Carranza government were found. This showed that the Carranza government had been secretly supporting the Plan of San Diego.

The American soldiers were praised for their courage during the raid. Sergeant First Class Herbert Reeves Smith received a special award called the Distinguished Service Cross. This was for his brave actions during the fight.

The Seditionista raid on Ojo de Agua had a big effect on American military plans. Because the raid was so serious, General Frederick Funston decided to send many more troops to the Texas–Mexico border. He also asked Washington, D.C., for permission to show no mercy to any Mexican raiders who attacked the United States in the future.

Washington did not agree to General Funston's request. However, the raids did stop when Washington officially recognized the Mexican government under Carranza. Carranza wanted to have good relations with the American government. So, he ordered the Seditionista commanders to stop their attacks. Without support from the Mexican government, the Plan of San Diego movement ended. There were no more Mexican invasions of the United States until the Villistas raids began in 1916.

See also

In Spanish: Incursión en Ojo de Agua para niños