Following a series of town raids on the United States' Mexican border and an outright attack a cavalry regiment in March of 1916 by Mexican insurgent leader Francisco "Pancho" Villa, the United States decided to dispatch an expedition into Mexico to bring this outlaw to justice. Selected by President Woodrow Wilson, general John J. Pershing was sent along with 4,800 men into unmapped Mexican terrain to find Villa, a feat that would prove to be harder than expected. Due to issues with the Mexican government regarding the use of Mexican Railways to transport and supply his troops, Pershing was forced to rely on a combination truck-rail shipping system, slowing his progress into the Mexican countryside. Because of these and other problems this expedition did not prove successful in either capturing Villa or stopping raids on United States border towns, but did result in the deaths of several high-ranking generals within Villa's military organization. After nearly a year of fruitless search and wasted time Pershing and his men were recalled to the United States in preparation for upcoming involvement in the first World War.
Connection Across Continents
Following his service in this hunt for Pancho Villa, general John J. Pershing would go on to command the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I, and through his service become one of the highest ranking generals in America Military History, second only to George Washington.
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