Chasing Villa: The Last Campaign of the U.S. Cavalry [Paperback]

Frank Tompkins (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1996

On March 9, 1916 the border town of Columbus, New Mexico was attacked by forces under the command of the Mexican revolutionary, Pancho Villa. Eighteen Americans were killed and a number of buildings were burned to the ground before the U.S. Cavalry, inflicting heavy losses, drove Villa and his mounted band back into Mexico. Frank Tompkins, a Major in the U.S. Cavalry at the time, led the counter-attack against Villa’s mounted men on March 9th, and was with General John "Black Jack" Pershing during the subsequent year-long "Punitive Expedition" that sought to capture the elusive Villa in Mexico. The Columbus Raid and Punitive Expedition proved to be the last major campaign of the U.S. Cavalry. At the same time it presaged the more modern military techniques that would soon be employed by American forces in World War I. First published in 1934 and long out of print, "Chasing Villa" is a sound and literate record of milestone events in Western history, military history, the Mexican revolution, and the last of the horse cavalry.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Despite the plethora of volumes on the Columbus Raid ... pride of place and authenticity unquestionably goes to "Chasing Villa"... -- Louis R. Sadler

"I thank you very much for allowing me to read your manuscript. It is intensely interesting..." -- General John J. Pershing, General of the Armies.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: High Lonesome Books (November 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0944383394
• ISBN-13: 978-0944383391
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,394,916 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Still the definitive history of this campaign., May 7, 1998

By 

El Cutachero (MD USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chasing Villa: The Last Campaign of the U.S. Cavalry (Paperback)

I have to welcome with great glee this reprint. Now I will no longer have to wear out my original.
This book is the best available on the Punitive Expedition in Mexico during 1916-1917. It was written by the hero of Columbus, Maj. Frank Tompkins, U.S.Cavalry, in the 1930s.
Included as one of the appendices, is the report of Capt. Benjamin Foulois, U.S. Signal Corps, who commanded the 1st Aero Squadron. (At this time, aviation was considered an adjunct function for scouting, patrolling, and communications and was still part of the Signal Corps. Foulois went on to a distinguished career as one of the founders of the U.S. Air Service.)
Tompkins, a major at the time of the raid, went on to higher command in France. During the Columbus Raid, he organized the immediate pursuit of Villa's forces and chased them well into Mexico, turning back only because his men had exhausted their ammunition and were without complete field equipment, having hastily fallen in with only their saddles and weapons while under attack.
I have done extensive research in the National Archives on this period and have analyzed the raid itself in detail. I recognized many of the passages in the book were lifted directly from documents in the files of the Southern Department, the immediate higher headquarters, and those of the Punitive Expedition.
Whether Tompkins deliberately omitted his sources or the publisher did, or it just was that the historical writing conventions of the time did not place the emphasis on sourcing that we do now (footnoting to excess at times) makes no difference in the validity or usefulness of the book. After all he did give complete sourcing for the appendices which were copied verbatim.
Where he expresses opinions they are clearly recognizable. As Tompkins had almost twenty years to think about and work up his book plus having the advantages of complete access to official documents, and of having been there, and knowing all the other officers who were then serving, no one today could do what he did. Thus the work qualifies for a triple--personal narrative, reporting, and well-considered history.
A really useful memorial to a gallant group of professionals whose like we shall hardly see again.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great book for novice and expert alike, July 21, 2000

By 

samuel m g cox (melbourne, victoria Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chasing Villa: The Last Campaign of the U.S. Cavalry (Paperback)

This is great history from the pen of someone who helped make it.A definite must for cavalry research,especially those interested in last campaigning.The author lets us become dusty troopers,hungry,cold and exhausted.The 1912 experimental saddle gets a pretty poor review by the author ,and it is interesting to see his comments on local population.My personal interest is ww2 cav but this book beats any other

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for fans of the Mexican Revolution, December 27, 2009

By 

Juan Mosey "John Mosey" (El Paso) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Chasing Villa: The Last Campaign of the U.S. Cavalry (Paperback)

No public library in the state carried it so I bought it. A major (who later became a kernul) at the time, Frank Tompkins was right there in Columbus, New Mexico, the night it was invaded by the forces of Pancho Villa. Book starts of a little tedious with memos and history of the Revolution. Don't let that put you off, though. Book picks up shortly and gets more interesting as it goes. For anyone interested in this subject, this book is invaluable.