The battle of Columbus
In the first months of 1916, people in Columbus were nervous about the possibility of a Pancho Villa attack. They had noticed strangers in town which gave reason for concern, but there had been so many rumors over the previous year or more, most dismissed the idea.
On March 8th, Susie’s husband and Columbus Courier Newspaper publisher, G.E. Parks, was away 8 miles out of town sleeping on their homestead property. Villa and his soldiers were moving steadily northward from their hiding place in Sierra Prieta, Chihuahua. They cut the fence at an unguarded section of the border, and on foot, continued north across the desolate stretch of desert. It is believed that Villa watched the raid from the west, atop Cootes’ Hill as his Villistas rode into the town sometime after 4:00 am. Though reports are inconsistent, it’s believed that almost 200 Villa soldiers were killed in the battle as well as 8 American soldiers and 10 civilians.
The event was devastating and prompted orders from President Wilson for General John Pershing to lead the “Punitive Expedition” and capture Villa dead or alive.
Left: This clock in railroad station was stopped at 4:11am by a bullet in the early morning hours of March 9, 1916
Above: The Courier Office as it was during the raid. Courtesy of “Genealogy Village” Camp Cody Website