Research


Administrative History

The Mexican Punitive Campaign (1916-1917) was undertaken by the United States Army by order of President Woodrow Wilson during the Mexican Revolution. The campaign, which was staged in the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua, was precipitated by an attack on the U.S. cavalry garrison at Columbus, Mexico, on March 9, 1916 by revolutionaries led by Pancho Villa. The expedition, led by General John J. Pershing, failed in its attempt to capture Villa but succeeded in dispersing his followers.

Additional information relating to the role and activities of the New York State National Guard in this campaign can be found in The Annual Report of The Adjutant General of the State of New York For The Year 1916, J.B. Lyon Company, Albany, 1917 (available at the New York State Library).