File No. 812.00/17382
The Secretary of State to Special Agents Silliman and Belt
Washington, March 9, 1916, 4 p.m.
Official reports just received from El Paso state that General Villa with several hundred men early this morning attacked American garrison at Columbus, New Mexico, setting fire to principal buildings in town and killing a number of soldiers and civilians. Other official reports from El Paso state that Villa’s forces were well known to be in the Casas Grandes district several days ago, but that the forces of the de facto Government were said to be insufficient to pursue them; also that, about that time, the Mexican Consul at El Paso requested General Carranza to furnish additional troops for the State of Chihuahua.
Convey foregoing to General Carranza for his information and advise him that this Government is suspending judgment until further facts can be learned, but you may say to him that this appears to be the most serious situation which has confronted this Government during the entire period of Mexican unrest and that it is expected that he will do everything in his power to pursue, capture, and exterminate this lawless element which is now proceeding westward from Columbus.