Raid on San Ygnacio facts for kids

The Raid on San Ygnacio was a fight that happened on June 15, 1916. It was between the United States Army and Mexican raiders. The battle took place near the border town of San Ygnacio, Texas.

At that time, three different Mexican groups were known to attack Texas. Most signs pointed to either the Seditionists or the Carrancistas being responsible for this attack. Four American soldiers were killed during the battle. At least six of the raiders also died. This event led to the US sending a military mission to find the raiders. This mission made the already difficult relationship between Mexico and the United States even worse.

Why the Raid Happened: The Background

The Mexican Revolution was a time of great change and fighting in Mexico. This caused a lot of trouble along the border between the United States and Mexico.

The Plan of San Diego

By early 1915, a group of Mexican rebels called Seditionists created a plan. It was called the Plan of San Diego. Their goal was to take control of American border states for President Venustiano Carranza. They started attacking military bases, small towns, and ranches in South Texas.

Luis de la Rosa first led the Seditionists. But in June 1916, Mexican authorities arrested him. This happened while he was traveling to Monterey. He was then kept under house arrest.

According to Joseph Allan Stout, a writer, De la Rosa's arrest and the capture of other Seditionist leaders mostly ended their campaign by early 1916. However, Stout also said that Esteban Fierros, a railway manager, was thought to be planning raids in the summer of 1916. He even planned a big attack on the United States for June 10. On that very day, American soldiers chased some raiders to Matamoros. Just five days later, San Ygnacio was attacked.

Who Were the Raiders?

The rebels led by Pancho Villa also raided along the Texas border. But their main area was in Chihuahua. This was far from San Ygnacio. Also, the raid happened while General John J. Pershing was fighting Villa's forces. This was part of the Mexican Expedition. So, it's not likely that Villa's group was responsible.

Finally, there was the Mexican Army, also called the Constitutionalistas or Carrancistas. They had already shown they were not friendly towards the United States. They had even threatened to kill American soldiers. On April 12, 1916, the Carrancistas attacked the 13th Cavalry at Parral. After the San Ygnacio Raid, on June 21, they attacked the 10th Cavalry in the Battle of Carrizal.

The Attack on San Ygnacio

San Ygnacio was a small town in South Texas. It was about 30 miles south of Laredo. It sat on the banks of the Rio Grande river. In 1908, only 198 people lived there. But the town had stores, a post office, and a drugstore.

Because of the trouble in the area, two groups of soldiers, Troop I and Troop M of the 14th Cavalry, were staying in a camp near San Ygnacio. There were about 150 American soldiers in total.

The Battle Begins

The raid started around 2:00 AM on June 15. Over 100 Mexican raiders attacked the cavalry camp. A newspaper article from New York Times said that an American guard heard noises. A patrol was sent to check, and they were fired upon. The Americans quickly got into their trenches and fought back.

Official US Army records state that three soldiers were killed. About six more were hurt, and one of them later died. The Mexican raiders lost between six and eight men killed. Several were also captured. American reports said they found the bodies of six Mexicans. They believed others might have been hurt before escaping back to Mexico.

One of the Mexicans killed was identified as Lieutenant Colonel Villareal. The US Army first thought he was a Seditionist or a Villista. But a captured raider said he was a Carrancista soldier. He claimed Villareal was "just obeying orders." However, this might not have been true. According to Stout, General Alfredo Ricaut of the Constitutional Army was actually fighting against raiders at that time.

What Happened Next: The Aftermath

Major Alonzo Gray was in charge of the American soldiers during the battle. Right after the raid, he was allowed to lead a mission to chase the raiders. Major Gray crossed the border into Tamaulipas on June 16. But he could not find the raiders' trail.

Meanwhile, about 30 raiders fired on some men from the 26th Infantry near San Benito, Texas. General James Parker responded by sending Colonel Robert Bullard and 400 soldiers into Mexico that same day. Bullard's men had a "stiff skirmish" near the border. It ended with "apparently no casualties."

The Americans could not go any further. General Ricaut, following orders from Carranza, gathered 1,000 soldiers in Matamoros. He threatened to attack the Americans if they did not return to the United States. Ricaut also promised to catch the raiders himself. He gave weapons to the people of Matamoros. He also "ripped up" the railroad tracks crossing the Rio Grande.

Ricaut's men eventually captured 40 of the raiders. Later that day, after the skirmish, they attacked Major Edward Anderson and his squadron of men. This happened as the Americans were heading back to Texas. In the fight that followed, two Mexicans were killed. No Americans were hurt.

Tensions Rise

The raids on San Ygnacio and San Benito, along with General Pershing's mission in Chihuahua, created a very tense situation. It seemed like the United States and Mexico were close to a big conflict.

Just two days after the raids, on June 18, President Woodrow Wilson announced something important. He said he was sending more National Guard soldiers to the border. Within two weeks, American reinforcements started to arrive. By the end of the year, over 150,000 soldiers were in position. Wilson also sent 16 more warships to patrol the Gulf of Mexico and Mexico's Pacific coast.

Carranza did the same. He gathered his forces along the border. He also told Mexican civilians to arm themselves. This was in case of an American invasion. According to a magazine called New outlook, Volume 113, there were big shows of military strength in US cities. This had not been seen since the Spanish–American War in 1898. Also, thousands of Americans living in Mexico started to leave. They went north or to the safety of the United States Navy.

Avoiding a Full War

A full war never happened. After a raid near Fort Hancock, Texas, on June 31, attacks into American land stopped by July. This helped calm things down between the two nations. It was not until late 1917 that new attacks began. But these happened in West Texas, far from where the Seditionists had been active.

Another reason war was avoided was that neither Wilson nor Carranza truly wanted it. Wilson was focused on events in Europe. Carranza said he was "absolutely certain that the American people do not want war with Mexico." But he also believed that some strong groups wanted a conflict. Carranza said his government wanted peace with the US. But he felt the US government needed to explain its true intentions. He thought Wilson was interested in more than just stopping the raids.

Wilson replied to Carranza by sharing his concerns. He said that for three years, Mexico had been in civil war. He mentioned that American lives were lost and American businesses were destroyed. He also said that raiders were allowed to roam near the US border. They could take American property without being punished.