Silver City


   The name has endured the test of time and for that reason I have kept it. The battle that took place between the US and Mexican Cavalry, in early September of 1900, would become a media sensation for a lot of reasons and some have suggested that the name of this clash has a lot to do with why. Given the circumstances of the battle, and who was involved, I doubt the validity of this and firmly believe the battle would have become front page news, no matter what it was called. Still, the simple fact remains that the battle did not take place at Silver City, New Mexico. How it wound up with that name is anyone’s guess. Many have suggested that reporters, most notably Richard Harding Davis, named it this because Bayard or Hurley simply did not conjure up the images that were desirable. This is possible and I certainly would not put it past the media of the time but, it could be something as simple as their dispatch’s were filed from Silver City, after the fight.
The reality of the situation was that the series of running clashes that cumulated into a three hour long, stand up fight, took place on a series of ridges just south of the city of Bayard on the 1st of September, 1900. It was nowhere near as intense or as long as the fight that Pershing had on his hands and, it is arguable, that there was far less at stake. It was still an important battle. It’s importance would ring far beyond the dusty slopes and even the overall campaign. The results of the battle would echo across the planet. Most of this was all due to one man, Theodore Roosevelt.
Colonel Roosevelt, with an ad hoc and under strength brigade of cavalry, was detached from General Funston’s command in early August. Theoretically, Brigadier Wood was in charge of the operation but, in all practical matters, Roosevelt had complete autonomy in the field. Roosevelt’s mission was a simple one. He was to oppose the Mexican cavalry and minimize the damage they were doing too central New Mexico while he was to make every effort to keep them out of the western part of the state.
After the attack on Deming, in mid August, it was quite clear that the local garrisons and militia’s would not be able to hold back Weygand and his lancers. It was at this time that Roosevelt chose to deploy his forces forward and leave behind only token protection for the Prescott and Tombstone area. The first skirmishes happened within days, as it is clear that Weygand had not only detected this move but, seemed to expect as much. Weygand had his own plan to deal with Roosevelt and, judging from the man’s writings, he was eager to do so. The fighting around Cananea had left Weygand with a sour taste in his mouth and he was most definitely looking for a rematch. This might have a lot to do with explaining why he had extended his forces so far west.
Weygand’s most serious problem was his supply lines. While he carried enough ammunition with him and his raiding had provided his troopers with enough food and fodder, water was still a serious problem. Weygand had been heavily depending on the Confederate water trucks but the further west he went, the more ineffective they became since they were further from their own base of supplies. This was added to the fact that the main Mexican Army had now stalled out and were requiring the trucks in ever increasing numbers. These facts limited the time that Weygand could force a decision and he was acutely aware of this.
Roosevelt had been following the basic US plan as laid out by Pershing. He was avoiding a major engagement and he had his command spread thin as a result. As August came to an end, it suddenly became clear to Roosevelt that Weygand was now becoming aggressive to the point of recklessness. At this time, Roosevelt made a command decision that was quite contrary to the overall spirit of operations. He was going to risk a real battle because the situation had changed. There was no time to contact Pershing or even Funston. Roosevelt was the man on the scene and he was taking a big gamble with his career and with the entire state.
The US Cavalry, mostly irregulars and draftees, began changing their campaign tactics. Roosevelt was metaphorically waiving a red flag in Weygand’s face, tempting him to fight. Roosevelt also deliberately slowed his men’s movements and allowed the Mexican Lancers to eventually catch up with them on that first day of September. At least it looked to Weygand as if the Roosevelt was slowing down. The reality was something entirely different.
Most of Roosevelt’s men had spent their entire life on horseback. The majority of them had also spent their entire life in New Mexico. Roosevelt had the home field advantage and this translated into a more in depth knowledge of watering holes that were not well known or on any map. It allowed the American cavalry to take short cuts and traverse terrain that the Mexicans thought completely impossible in the hot sun of the late summer. While Roosevelt’s small force was slowing down, other detachments under his command were doing the exact opposite. Roosevelt only concentrated enough troops to hold off a direct Mexican assault or, so he hoped. The rest of his troops were quickly headed for area’s that were being vacated by the Mexican Lancers who were also now trying to concentrate for a battle. By the first of September, Weygand had reeled in most of his command while most of Roosevelt’s troopers were sweeping east towards the Mesilla valley.
Weygand’s first moves on the battle field that would come to be called The Battle of Silver City, were mostly recon missions so that the Mexican Lancers could count Roosevelt’s guns. Weygand was much encouraged by the initial probes. He had the terrain working against him, Roosevelt had picked his ground well but, Weygand was clearly of the opinion that he had caught Roosevelt before he could bring his entire brigade together. Weygand had a lot of reason to believe this since he was well aware of how spread out the Americans were.
What Weygand was not aware of was that Roosevelt had intentionally limited the size of his force. He did not want Weygand to hesitate or wait for his own reserves to come up. Roosevelt was, in effect, dangling a carrot in front of the Mexicans. Weygand more than obliged his enemy. Not only was he worried about more American reinforcements arriving but, his own men were critically short of water. The lancers quickly launched an all out attack on American lines.
The resulting attacks were a close run thing but, Roosevelt’s men were dug in, had good fields of fire, and had been reinforced by two batteries of field guns from the Colorado militia. This artillery had held it’s fire until the main assaults. As nasty a surprise as they were, Weygand had his own artillery and counter battery fire quickly negated the American surprise.
Ultimately this brief fight would not be decided on this battlefield. The Mexicans took their lumps but, they were on the verge of breaking the American line when word arrived that their rear area’s were being overrun and that communications with the main army had been cut. This effected the all too critical water situation and Weygand was forced to break off his engagement and withdraw. He was not very pleased but, had not given up either. Weygand was sure he would get another chance. Roosevelt was not playing his game.
At this time Roosevelt now switched right back to his hit and run tactics only, now, his forces were not retreating after brief fights. They were sweeping ever more eastward and this included the force he personally commanded at Silver City. Still using his secret weapon, detailed knowledge of the terrain, his forces began conducting ambushes on the retreating lancers. After the first few fights, Weygand gave up trying to set up for a full scale battle and the Mexicans quickly learned not to pursue the Americans, as they redeployed, since another ambush often awaited the pursuit force. The Americans would give the Mexicans no rest, leave no source of water uncontested, and most important of all would savage the Mexican supply lines. Several Confederate trucks would also fall into American hands.
The orderly retreat of the weary and thirsty Mexican cavalry would degenerate into a route. Weygand’s overly aggressive pursuit of Roosevelt would now become his undoing as he found himself surrounded by what seemed to be an angry hornets nest that he had stirred up. The retreat would turn into a head long rush to the alleged safety of the Mesilla Valley and, unfortunately for the allied forces stalled out in front of Pershing, this was also their base of supplies. Now, even Mariom would have to admit that a withdrawal was in order The Mexican and Confederate armies would have march back down the Rio Grande and, while they never left enemy territory, they found what they had occupied was little more than an empty desert valley of no worth to anyone. Any thoughts of resuming the offensive were now over.