Patton, Mechanization, and the San Miguelito Fight

[jacobtowne]

Note: If this is in the wrong forum, move it. I couldn't find one devoted specifically to biography of WWII leaders.

Patton, Mechanization, and the San Miguelito Fight

The San Miguelito Fight


American WWII field commander George S. Patton’s first exposure to battle occurred while he served as an aide to General John J. Pershing during the U.S. punitive expedition against Pancho Villa. Patton was assigned to conduct motorized patrols in Mexico’s Chihuahua region.


Based on information about the location of Julio Cardenas, one of Villa’s most trusted subordinates and commander of his personal bodyguard, Lt. Patton, accompanied by soldiers from the 6th Infantry Regiment and two scouts, conducted a surprise raid on a ranch house at San Miguelitonear Rubio in May, 1916. They travelled to the action in three Dodge open touring automobiles.

Cardenas and two of his compatriots saw the patrol coming, mounted their horses and tried to escape, but they could not get past the Americans because the cars approached from three different directions, while the fourth way was blocked by a couple of Americans.

In the gunfight that followed, Patton shot the horse from under one of the Mexicans; then killed the rider as he drew his revolver and started firing. Patton also wounded Cardenas, but this Villista continued to trade bullets with the patrol until one of the scouts killed him. The third man was killed during a heavy fusillade.

Patton’s men tied the bodies to the hoods of the cars, while Patton put Cardenas’ silver-studded saddle and sword into his vehicle. The spectacle of the three cars with the bodies tied on the hoods caused a great commotion along the road, but Patton and his party sped through the countryside to their headquarters at Colonia Dublan without incident.

Patton arrived at Dublan with the three corpses about 4 p.m. War correspondents crowded around to get a first hand account of his adventure. The stories they filed made Patton a national hero for several weeks. His photograph appeared in newspapers around the United States. Pershing was pleased that someone had enlivened the hunt for Villa and actually removed a key member of his band. He even permitted Patton to keep Cardenas’ sword and silver saddle as trophies of his first fight.

Pershing was impressed by Patton’s determination, and Patton was promoted to captain, to command Pershing’s Headquarters Troop upon their return from Mexico. Because motor vehicles were used at San Miguelito, Patton referred to it as the Army's first mechanized action.

Julian Hatcher

Columbus, New Mexico was garrisoned by a cavalry troop and a machine gun platoon with four Benet-Mercié guns when Pancho Villa launched his raid in April, 1916. Because of complaints of machine guns jamming and the subsequent negative comments made about the Army, Chief of Ordnance Brig. Gen. William Crozier ordered a young ordnance officer to the Border to train troops in the use of these guns. Julian Hatcher recounted his experiences in Hatcher's Notebook, which he published in 1947 after retiring as a major general.


“The Ordnance Department, lacking enough [machine] guns to arm the newly organized companies for all the border regiments, made an emergency purchase of 350 Lewis machine guns…These were for the .303 British ammunition…We of course had to buy ammunition as well as guns, and Ford trucks were also bought to act as machine gun cars. Up to this time all machine guns had been packed on mules, so this was quite an innovation for that day."


JT

Photos


1. Camping on the Border. 1916

2. Entertainment

3. Patton during the Mexican Expedition.

4. Justice, revolutionary style

5. Pancho Villa, center, and tough hombres