Swords in the Mexican Revolution 1910-1921

[Jim McDougall]

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)