The United States got involved in the Mexican revolution, and as far as Pancho Villa was concerned, they picked the wrong side. The de facto military political leader of northern Mexico, he embarked on a mission to harass and punish the Americans, to get them to pull out of the conflict. He started off with the standard kidnappings, etc., but consciously stayed on the Mexican side of the border. The Americans thought he did not want to provoke the full military might of the United States. Turned out he was just building up his defenses.

On this day, March 9, in 1916, Pancho Villa headed up a raiding force that crossed the American border in New Mexico and surprised a cavalry regiment garrisoned there (it did not help that the cavalrymen had been drinking the evening before.) Pancho managed to sack the town, taking many horses, mules, and as much ammunition as he could carry.

As expected, the United States quickly assembled an army to enter Mexico in pursuit of the outlaw. But now the Americans were on Villa’s turf. Escorts assigned ostensibly to help guide the army led the astray at every opportunity; Indian guides gave them false direction; and Villa fairly comfortably hid his force among the mountainous terrain and mounted harassment raids. In the end, after almost a year of fruitless hunting, the Americans gave up the search and turned back. Villa lived out the rest of his days as a celebrated hero.