Swords in the Mexican Revolution 1910-1921
 

We have often encountered the swords of Mexico here as Spanish colonial examples which evolved into those of the Republic of Mexico after its independence from Spain in 1821.
While the espada ancha (machete) was in constant use more in utility than combatively, full size swords remained in use both ceremonially and as sidearms well into the 20th century.

We know that the 'rurales' forces wore dragoon sabers and other as formed by Porfirio Diaz in the 1860s, and these men remained active well into the time of the Mexican Revolution of 1910 in the ever turbulent climate of Mexican politics of these times. While heavily armed with guns of many forms, forces always had edged weapons at hand, though seldom mentioned in accounts of actions.

That being the case, after the dramatic raid on Columbus , New Mexico in 1914 by Pancho Villa in unclear circumstances, a punitive force was ordered into Mexico led by Gen. Pershing to hunt down Villa. Then Lt. George Patton was with this force.

Patton, an avid swordsman, had developed in 1913, the pattern 1913 cavalry sword, a huge, heavy type for thrusting and mounted to the saddle.
I wondered if in view of the military climate of the time, if perhaps any of these new swords might have been carried on this expedition into Mexico.

In years of research, I found no evidence that these, or other swords were taken into Mexico by U.S. forces, until I found one reference (not cited) which stated, 'the U.S. soldiers riding into Mexico, because of heated metal burning horses flesh and frustrated by banging against horses, threw their NAPOLEONIC sabers into the desert'.
This apocryphal reference again piqued my curiosity.

The 'Napoleonic' description suggests the M1906 sabers which were like the three bar Civil War hilts of 1840 and 1860.

So my question is, is there any evidence of swords of any kind in use by US forces in actions against the Mexican forces of Pancho Villa in this time?
Here I will note that the rurales were not aligned with Villa in these times, but mentioned only in context of sword use in the time.

Pics of Rurales troops
Villa (courtesy Lee Jones)
Gen.Pershings sword a M1902 officers
The M1906 US cavalry saber
Pershings forces in Mexico (courtesy of Lee Jones)

Mexican arms and armour
 

Hi Jim. Interesting question about an episode I know nothing about, so it begs the next question: are there arms and armour societies in Mexico?
You probably can't pop over and scope it out right now, but perhaps someone will know.
After all, Cathey and Hubby have one in Australia. Are they in existence world-wide? Does anyone know?
ps
Great photos.

Keith, thank you so much for responding here!
Actually I pretty much figured I was gonna be solo here, but it is an area in history that I have been fascinated with virtually most of my life. I grew up in southern Calif. and have spent much of the rest of my life in Texas, so the subject area of Mexican history has been inherently there.

I have never heard of an arms society in Mexico, though there are a couple of museums. There was recently a book published on Mexican swords, but it is the first I have seen in English.

I have been member of Swedish Arms Society in Stockholm for over 20 years...interestingly where I published a paper on Mexican espada anchas recently. This was perhaps a strong indicator of the overall lack of interest in Spanish colonial and Mexican arms.

There is an arms society of course in England; Denmark, and there were in Germany, Switzerland, Italy but I am not certain of their status.

Lee Jones helped me with finding these photos that were acquired by his father years ago in Texas.

My hope is to expand this topic to include some of the types of swords in use by Mexican forces in both Federalist and Constitutional forces in the Revolution. While the subject of guns used is well covered, there is little on the kinds of swords whose use carried forth into these turbulent years.

Still compiling and researching :)

Thank you again Keith !!!
Jim

The Patton M1913 cavalry sword
 

Patton, as a young lieutenant, was as noted, an expert swordsman and cavalryman, just prior to his participation in the Pershing punitive expedition into Mexico in 1914 pursuing Pancho Villa.

It is curious about the actual distribution of these swords and even more concerning the actual use of them. It seems that a number were actually issued to US forces in the entry into WWI in 1917, however as far as known, they were never used.
That being the case, I wonder how many of these were produced in 1913, and again, if any were indeed in use with any men who were with Patton in 1914?

As previously mentioned, an apocryphal note claims that the cavalrymen riding into Mexico with Pershing, frustrated with their 'Napoleonic sabers' tossed them into the desert. This does not seem at all to describe these huge,bowl hilt swords.

While admittedly moot, it is is simply one matter of curiosity regarding the complex, obscure, and esoteric details of these times concerning Mexico and its ever volatile political dynamics, and US reactions accordingly.

Further I hope to look into many of the swords used by the various factions participating in the Revolution, which is regarded as having begin in 1910 and unofficially raged until 1921.

Guys,

We're drifting into some fairly recent militaria topics, which have been marginally admitted as topics here. I understand the North American and Spanish interest in this topic, but let's not get carried away with mass-produced 20th C military weapons.

Regards, Ian

Thank you for the reminder on that Ian, and well noted. It has long been understood that these militaria topics are not well placed in the contexts here, and it is indeed a fine line in this subject.

While one of the aspects of this turbulent period of Mexican history that has intrigued me was as noted, whether Pershing's forces (including Patton) might have used swords in their expedition chasing Villa.

My thinking was that in Mexico, the sword had remained nominally used in various manner, whether military or with revolutionary forces, including the ever prevalent charros. These horsemen had 'saddle swords' derived from the well known espada anchas from colonial times to the often larger versions used well into the early 20th c.
Would then lieutenant Patton, ever the cavalry swordsman have urged these troops to respond in kind, and carried swords intended for battle?

These often crude and often refurbished swords of the 19th century transcended into the early 20th with many areas and factions with Mexicans of these times, and the various types and examples present intriguing context as a topic seldom (if ever) addressed in study of this period.

The attention to the notably mass produced arms 'possibly' used by US forces here is strictly incidental, in reference to possible in kind response to the edged weapons in use nominally by Mexican forces.

I hope we can keep the discussion in these parameters.