Pancho Villa legacy continues in Sisters

Fascinating story by Jim Cornelius in the March 9 edition of The Nugget about Pancho Villa's raid on Columbus, New Mexico 100 years ago.

It brought fond memories back to me about my grandfather, Col. Alexander W. Chilton, and his tales of chasing Pancho Villa across the U.S. border into Mexico in hot pursuit. So what persuaded Villa to stage his raid across the border into New Mexico? There had been shifting alliances between Villa and the American government, and during the 1916 raid into the United States Villa was supposedly on the outs with the American government.

According to my grandfather, the raid north across the border was part of an agreement between Villa and the U.S. military.

The raid was to give the American government an excuse to chase Villa in hot pursuit into Mexico.

"Hot pursuit" was an accepted action in those days, and the American government wanted to see how far into Mexico American troops could advance before the Federales would resist.

Eventually the American troops did come to blows with troops of Mexico's Carranza government, and the U.S. Cavalry never "quite caught up" with Pancho Villa.

Interestingly, my grandfather told me that as he and his troops, under the command of U.S. Army General John J. Pershing, came in close proximity of Villa, a scout would be sent out ahead to warn him.

The raid by Villa on Columbus, New Mexico was a bloody conflict, and Villa lost many of his men. Was Villa paid off by the American government to stage his raid across the border and then double-crossed? That explanation seems plausible to me.

My grandfather later became head of the English Department at West Point, and Dwight D. Eisenhower and William Westmoreland were some of his students. After retiring from the military Col. Chilton came to teach English at what is now called New Mexico State University. In a 2008 article in the Quay County Sun by Lynn Moncus, she describes the experience of attending his classes while she was a student:

"His knowledge of Victorian poetry was boundless, and he could recite hundreds of those poems from memory. I used to forget to take notes in class because I would be watching him recite without a book in sight and listening to his resounding voice as he punctuated the works."

Col. Chilton lived to the age of 99. When he passed away three decades ago he had become the oldest living graduate of West Point for a period of two months. That achievement appeared to be a major goal rather than hanging on to reach his 100th birthday.

Col. Chilton left an extensive audio library of cassette tapes behind. My father had them for a while with the goal of transcribing the tapes. To my knowledge the tapes have never been transcribed. Five years ago I sent the tapes on to a family in Las Cruces, New Mexico, a family that now lives in my grandfather's old home, the "Chilton House." The home has now been extensively remodeled and expanded.

Those tapes can probably shed light on some to the intriguing mysteries and controversies that still remain regarding Pancho Villa.