Not just that Wilson was playing favorites. Villa had the Mexican Army pinned into a 180 perimeter at Agua Prieta, with their backs up against the US border. Douglas Arizona was behind them.
Villa’s victory was certain. Wilson let the Mexican Army cross into Texas at Eagle Pass and board trains. They were transported by rail across Texas, New Mexico and into Douglas Arizona. The station was less than a mile from the border. The Mexican Army marched down the street in Douglas and crossed the border over into Mexico and into the perimeter. They brought ammo, artillery and machine guns.
The reinforced Mexican army gave Villa a bad defeat and he lost a lot of men.
Villa decided that if both sides of the border were in play for the Mexican Army, he would not worry much about the border either.
So he hit Columbus in a night raid. The US Army base in town fought back well and hard.
That was the first US Army combat use of the 1911 45 automatic.
Another thing about Villa. He was one of the very few that never tried to gain political power after the fight. He always fought, then went back home. Interesting guy of his time.
And he was rewarded by having his head cut off and it has been missing long since.
Just after Mar 9th, 1916, A US Army major named Frank Tompkins received permission from his CO to mount up a troop of 32Four US cavalry to pursue 400 battered Villistas across the Mexican border after the Columbus raid, where about 70 of Villa’s men had been killed by US Army troops and civilians. When they encountered Villa’s rear guard, established to cover their retreat, they halted and began picking of Villa riders with their 1903 Springfields from up to 1500 yards away.
Tompkins sent a note to his CO to continue in hot pursuit after the Villistas. He received it and chased them FIFTEEN MILES into Mexico, reinforced by another 27 riders. Tompkins wondered why they didn’t stand and fight, outnumbering his force greatly, but he decided to take full advantage of their hesitancy. They killed between 75-100 of Villa’s men, and Tompkins and one of his men received minor bullet wounds.
Tompkins CO, Col. Slocum, recommended Tompkins for the Medal of Honor, but the award was downgraded to a Distinguished Service Cross, which still ain’t exactly chopped liver.