Raid on Glenn Springs facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Raid on Glenn Springs
Part of the Bandit War, Mexican Revolution
Nine men of the 14th Cavalry in front of the Ellis home at Glenn Springs, Texas in 1916.
Date May 5, 1916 Location Brewster County, Texas 29°10′34″N 103°09′25″W / 29.176°N 103.157°W / 29.176; -103.157 Result Villista/Carrancista victory
Belligerents
United States	Villistas Carrancistas
Commanders and leaders
Charles E. Smyth	Natividad Alvarez  (POW) Rodriguez Ramirez
Strength
9 cavalry	~80 cavalry
Casualties and losses
3 killed ~5 wounded	~1 killed ~3 wounded 1 captured
Civilian Casualties 1 killed, 2 captured

The Raid on Glenn Springs happened on the night of May 5–6, 1916. During this event, Mexican groups known as Villistas and Carrancistas attacked two small towns in Texas: Boquillas and Glenn Springs.

In Glenn Springs, the attackers set buildings on fire. They fought a three-hour battle with a small group of American soldiers. At the same time, another group of rebels robbed a store and a silver mine in Boquillas. Four Americans died in these attacks. The rebels also took two people as hostages to Coahuila, Mexico. In response, the United States Army sent soldiers into Mexico. They fought the rebels and rescued the hostages.

What Led to the Raid?

After a big battle in Mexico in April 1915, a rebel leader named Pancho Villa and his army were in trouble. By 1916, Villa's men needed food and supplies. They planned to raid an American town called Columbus, New Mexico.

The Columbus Raid

On March 9, 1916, about 500 of Villa's men attacked Columbus. They burned parts of the town. American soldiers fought back. The Villistas were defeated and chased back into Mexico. Many rebels were killed, wounded, or captured. Eighteen Americans died, including civilians and soldiers.

This attack made U.S. President Woodrow Wilson very angry. He decided to send soldiers into Mexico. Their mission was to capture or kill Pancho Villa. This mission was called the Pancho Villa Expedition.

The Pancho Villa Expedition

General John J. Pershing led the expedition. It lasted from March 1916 to February 1917. Pershing's troops went into Chihuahua, Mexico. They fought Villa's men many times. They captured or killed some rebel leaders. But Pancho Villa himself got away.

Even with American troops in Mexico, Villa's rebels kept raiding U.S. land. There was a lot of tension along the Texas-Mexico border. Raids into southern Texas were common. To protect the Big Bend area, President Wilson sent troops there in June 1915.

Life in Glenn Springs and Boquillas

Glenn Springs and Boquillas were small towns. They were about 12 miles apart. Only nine soldiers from the 14th Cavalry were stationed in Boquillas. There were no soldiers in Glenn Springs.

Glenn Springs had about 80 people. Most worked at a candelilla wax factory. A general store was also there. Most residents were Mexican-American. They lived in simple homes called jacales.

Boquillas was even smaller. It was located along the Rio Grande river. It had a general store and a few jacales.

The Night of the Attack

On May 5, 1916, just 57 days after the Columbus raid, the attack began. Lt. Col. Natividad Alvarez led the Mexican rebels. He had between 60 and 80 men. Alvarez was a follower of Pancho Villa. But he also had some Carrancista fighters with him.

Alvarez split his group into two. He led one group to Boquillas. Rodriguez Ramirez led the other group to Glenn Springs.

The Attack on Glenn Springs

It was Cinco de Mayo, a Mexican holiday. Many Mexican people were celebrating in Glenn Springs. The rebels blended in with the crowd. They entered the Mexican neighborhood without being noticed by the soldiers.

The attack started after 11:00 P.M. Everyone in town was asleep. The rebels began shooting and shouting "Viva Villa" and "Viva Carranza."

The nine American cavalry soldiers, led by Sergeant Charles E. Smyth, hid in an old adobe building. They fought for almost three hours. The rebels then set fire to the roof of the building. The roof was made of candelilla leaves, which burned easily.

The fire forced the soldiers to leave the building. As they tried to reach their horses, three soldiers were killed. At least four others were wounded or badly burned.

The soldiers who died were:

• William Cohen
• Stephen J. Coloe
• Lawrence K. Rogers

One civilian, a young son of C.G. Compton, was also killed.

The surviving soldiers escaped into the desert. Mr. and Mrs. Ellis watched the attack from a canyon. They later walked 12 miles to a ranch for safety.

The Attack on Boquillas

The rebels met no resistance in Boquillas. They successfully robbed the town. Lt. Col. Alvarez was captured by the townspeople. However, the raiders took two hostages. They were Jesse Deemer and Monroe Payne. The rebels then went to the Del Carmen mines to steal money. More hostages were taken there, but they were later released.

After the attacks, Ramirez's group from Glenn Springs joined Alvarez's men in Boquillas. They crossed the Rio Grande into Mexico. The hostages were taken in a stolen truck. Jesse Deemer pretended to be German. Pancho Villa considered Germans to be friends.

After the Raid

The commercial buildings and some homes in Glenn Springs were badly damaged. The wax factory, the Ellis' store, and the adobe building where soldiers fought were all burned. Several houses were robbed. The rebels even stole Mrs. Ellis' clothes.

In total, four Americans were killed. Two were captured, and at least five were wounded or burned. At least one Mexican rebel was killed, and a few were wounded.

After the raid, the U.S. Army set up a camp at Glenn Springs. They stayed there until 1920. The settlement later became a ghost town.

The American Response

When Gen. Hugh L. Scott heard about the attack, he sent another group of soldiers into Mexico. This group was led by Col. Frederick W. Sibley and Maj. George T. Langhorne.

They left Marathon on May 8. They gathered at Jesse Deemer's store in Boquillas. Col. Sibley allowed Maj. Langhorne to go ahead with two groups of the 8th Cavalry.

Rescuing the Hostages

Langhorne and 80 men crossed the Rio Grande on May 11. They headed for El Pino, Coahuila, Mexico. This was where Deemer and Monroe Payne were being held.

After a 24-hour march, Langhorne reached El Pino. He learned that the rebels wanted to trade Lt. Col. Alvarez for Deemer and Payne. Langhorne did not want to negotiate. He sent 12 sharpshooters in a car to attack the village.

When the Americans advanced, the rebels ran away. Deemer and Payne were rescued.

Continued Search and Return

Even though the hostages were free, the Americans kept looking for the raiders. On May 15, a small group of cavalrymen, led by Lt. Stuart W. Cramer, had a short fight at Castillon. Five Mexicans were killed, and two were wounded. No Americans were hurt.

This expedition happened while the U.S. and the Mexican government were trying to make peace. The Mexican leader, Venustiano Carranza, said that this "little punitive expedition" could lead to war. He had already protested about Gen. Pershing's expedition. So, it was agreed that Sibley and Langhorne would return to the U.S. They did so on May 25, after traveling 550 miles.