Chasing Pancho Villa

This episode of the History Files podcast aired in April 2016. As per usual, disregard any links to the CSICON network, Audible discounts, etc..

“This week, we take a look at the larger-than-life Mexican rebel Pancho Villa, and what was going on in Mexico in the first decade of the 20th century that would produce characters like him and other would-be military leaders.”

The following photos, save the last one (color), were taken by Gordon’s grandfather, Herschell G. Frye, Sr., while in service with the California National Guard “on the border”, 1916.

What a real cavalryman looked like in 1916 or so, with his M1911 pistol in it's M1912 mounted pattern holster, and the mounted pattern Mills Belt.

As you might notice, there are two different types of pistol ammunition pouches on the front of the belt, one for magazines (on the soldier's left side) and one for loose ammunition (on the soldier's right side). Originally the belt was set up for loose ammo on both sides, but the left hand side's tabs have been removed, and replaced with a magazine pouch, model of 1912 carrying two 7-round magazines.

Major Del Berg with me at Camp Parks in California (ca. late 90s)

Technically we're portraying the 11th Cavalry ca. 1942, but it's not like the Cavalry changed a whole lot during the inter-war period. We're holding our M1911 pistols at the "ready" (I'm not paying proper attention. My horse, Twister, was being a bit of a handful at the time, as I recall. Not that this was unusual for him...but he did know his drill!)

Technically a bit late for 1916, as I believe it is ca. 1930 or so, but it shows the proper packing of the M1904 McClellan saddle.

This is, as the notation suggests, a photo of the "near side" of the horse, the other side being the "off side". You may notice that, just behind the horses front legs is hanging down the scabbard for the M1913 "Patton" sabre. While useful to counterbalance the weight of the M1903 Springfield rifle on the near side, they were deliberately left in barracks by the cavalry troopers who chased after Pancho Villa due to the excess weight, and the assumed lack of need for a sabre when chasing what were essentially a bunch of cowboys through the desert.

My Grandfather's encampment, part of the 7th California National Guard Infantry…

…on the road to Nogales, I believe. Note the horses and wagons in the foreground.  The US Army was still largely horse-drawn in 1916.

Goofing off. Some things never change.

Field-grade officer (note he's set up for riding a horse, with his saddle, saddle-bags, boots and spurs, and in an Infantry unit only the field-grade officers rode horses) shaving with his straight-razor in what passes for a tent. Photo by my grandfather.

Practicing an assault uphill. If you take careful note, their gear is a mish-mash of equipment from the past 20 years prior.

7th California NG Infy on the march, with the mounted field-grade officers in front.

The lead horse above is obviously a private-purchase officer's mount, as the Army really, really didn't like to buy horses with four white "stockings".

Photo by Jim Hatzell (I believe), South Dakota at the "Artist's Ride" back in the late '90s. From left: Alan Brooks with guidon, myself with field glasses, and Bill Wade.

If you wondered what early 20th century US Cavalry looked like in color, here we have a recreation of a patrol either in Mexico or along the border, ca. 1916.

Show notes:

• Lost Nazi library containing thousands of occult books discovered (deadbeatspanel.com)

• V-2 rocket (wikipedia.org)

• And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself (TV Movie 2003) (imdb.com)

• Old Gringo (1989) (imdb.com)

• Viva Zapata! (1952)  (imdb.com)

• Chasing Pancho Villa, Gordon England (audible.com)

• Columbus, NM (wikipedia.org)

• Emiliano Zapata (wikipedia.org)

• Francisco I. Madero (wikipedia.org)

• Ambrose Bierce  (the real "Old Gringo")

• Elfego Baca  (wikipedia.org)

• Soldiers of the Queen - Foreign Military Attaches, Cape Town, South Africa, 1900 (soldiersofthequeen.com)

• The Last Campaign of the U.S. Cavalry: Frank Tompkins (amazon.com)

• John J. "Black Jack" Pershing (wikipedia.org)

• Pancho Villa Expedition(a.k.a. "Punitive Expedition")

• Zimmermann Telegram (wikipedia.org)

• The Tin Lizzie Troop  by Glendon Swarthout (amazon.com)