Francisco "Pancho" Villa

Photo taken of Villa during the Mexican Revolution

Francisco “Pancho” Villa

This legendary Mexican figure originated from the most humble of beginnings. The future Pancho Villa was born José Doroteo Arango Arámbula to sharecropper parents Agustin Arango and Micaela Arámbula on June 5, 1878. He was brought into the world at the ranch where his parents lived and worked: the Rancho de la Coyotoda in the state of Durango, Mexico - owned by the Lopez Negrete family. It is here that he spent most of his early life. Not much is known about the life of Doroteo Arango until the death of his father in 1893. After his death, young Arango became the head of his family at only fifteen years of age. Left to support his mother and four younger siblings, he soon began working as a sharecropper on the Hacienda de Gogojito.  It was only one short year later his life changed forever and the legends surrounding Villa’s life began. 

Villa's birthplace: Durango, Mexico

As he was returning home from work one day he found his mother arguing with the powerful Don Agustin Lopez Negrete; the current owner of the ranch that he and his family resided on.  It was on this day, September 22, 1894, which Villa states in his autobiography, “The tragedy of my life begins…” (Katz 3) Upon approaching the argument he found out that Negrete was harassing Doroteo’s fifteen year old sister. He became extremely angry and, in his rage, shot Lopez Negrete in the foot. In fear of being arrested, he fled into the mountains of Chihuahua. With the local law enforcement in hot pursuit and a reward on his name, it was not long before he was captured. After being caught and escaping several times within his first year of hiding, he decided to change his name to Francisco Villa to avoid detection. During his six years spent on the run in the mountains, he joined a group of fugitives and came to adopt their ruffian lifestyle.

The newly named Villa soon became a successful outlaw and, within a week of joining the fugitives, made 3,000 pesos: ten times more than the annual salary of an agricultural worker at the time. Nearly every cent that Villa stole was given to the less fortunate- including his own family. After several years of banditry, he grew tired of being on the run and decided to try and make an honest living. He labored in many occupations, but was repeatedly forced to flee after others discovered his identity. Due to the constant pursuit of the authorities, Villa resumed his life of cattle thievery.His petty cow theft soon extended to more serious crimes, such as bank robbery and stealing from the wealthy.

Villa was believed to be a Mexican “Robin Hood” by some and a bloodthirsty thief by others. Although the citizens were not quite sure what to think of the outlaw, his reputation spread throughout the country and in late 1910, Villa was approached by Don Abraham Gonzalez. In his memoir, Villa refers to Gonzalez as a “martyr to democracy” (Guzmán 21), and credits him as the man who convinced him to join forces with political activist Francisco I. Madero to incite a much-needed revolution against the Mexican dictator, President Porfirio Diaz. Upon talking to Gonzalez, Villa states in his memoir,

Francisco I. Madero at his Anti-Reelection Campaign, 1910

        “There I learned one night how my long struggle with the exploiters, the persecutors, the seducers, could be of benefit to others who were persecuted and humiliated as I had been. There I felt the anxiety and hate built up in my soul during years of struggle and suffering change into the belief that the evil could be ended… I heard the name of Francisco I. Madero for the first time. I learned to love and revere him for his unshakable faith, for the Plan of San Luis, because he, a rich man, was devoted to the struggle for the poor and oppressed.” (Guzmán 21)

Villa was inspired by the revolution of Madero, and he soon joined forces with him. This is the point where his military career grew rapidly: the Maderista period (1910-1911). (PBS) Villa, along with his fellow general, Pascual Orozco, attacked Ciudad Juárez, Mexico against Madero’s orders. This aggressive move unexpectedly worked in favor of the rebels. The victory quickly catapulted Madero into power. Even though Madero pushed him to the sidelines soon after this, Villa never lost his admiration for the man who was brave enough to take the first steps that led to revolution. When Madero was overthrown by a military coup initiated by Victoriano Huerta, Villa developed a remarkable army, the División del Norte. 

Photo of Villa and his Dorados of the Division del Norte. Villa is circled.

It was during this period that the United States supported Villa and provided him with weapons. In return, Villa also remained sensitive to the States interests in Mexico. The fact that he worked so close to the United States meant that he was always in the spotlight in both the United States and Mexico. In 1913, Villa signed a contract with a Hollywood’s film company to capture his battles on film. Sometimes battles were re-scheduled or even re-staged for Hollywood’s convenience.

During this time frame, Villa was awarded the position of Provisional Governor of his current home state of Chihuahua. He soon brought the politics and economy of the state under his control.  Also among his achievements during this era, the battle of Zacatecas stands out in particular. Villa’s triumph at Zacatecas, one of the bloodiest campaigns of the revolution, helped defeat Huerta once and for all.

After the defeat of the dictator Huerta, Venustiano Carranza took his place as the new president. As he gained power, he attempted to eliminate Villa for good. Carranza’s general, Álvaro Obregón, pursued Villa and his men relentlessly, defeating them in several battles in 1915. The battle of Celaya was particularly traumatic for Villa as it was extremely brutal and unexpected. This battle introduced new technology imported from the recent World War I: machine guns, barbed wire, and the use of trench warfare. The new technological advances against Villa’s “old-fashioned” cavalry resulted in the massacre of many of the Dorados.

Pancho Villa takes over the front page. 1916.

Due to these defeats, the United States withdrew their support of Villa in favor of recognizing Carranza as president in 1916. He perceived this as a great betrayal by the United States. Infuriated, Villa attacked the border town of Columbus, New Mexico. Although “Villista” casualties far outweighed those of the Americans, the U.S. government was enraged by Villa’s actions and sent many troops, led by General John J. “Blackjack” Pershing, into Mexico to hunt Villa down and kill him. The search continued well into 1917 but Pershing’s troops were unable to locate him. 

Villa’s elusive lifestyle lasted for six years until 1923. That year he made an agreement with then-President Álvaro Obregón in order for him to retire. He attempted to recreate the quiet farming life he had known as a child on a hacienda in Canutillo, Chihuahua. Following their agreement, President Obregón grew afraid chances that Villa might regain his former vigor and try to incite another revolution. The President did not want to take any chances, so he established a conspiracy to assassinate him. On July 20, 1923, as Villa made his way back to his ranch from a nearby town, seven riflemen bombarded his car with bullets. The outlaw revolutionary was no more. 

Statue of Villa in Chihuahua, Mexico.

Bronze casting of Villa's death mask. Chihuahua, Mexico.

Pancho Villa remains as controversial nearly a century after his death as he was in life. He was considered a hero of the revolution, yet he was infamous for his barbaric methods of dispatching those who crossed his path. He was uneducated, even illiterate, but none can deny his military genius. Although Villa did not fit anyone’s typical idea of a hero, he led a life full of legend and inspiration.

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Works Cited: 

• "Francisco Villa." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2013 <http://www.pbs.org/itvs/storm-that-swept-mexico/the-revolution/faces-revolution/francisco-villa/>.
• "Pancho Villa." 2013. The Biography Channel website. Dec 01 2013, 05:57 http://www.biography.com/people/pancho-villa-9518733
• Katz, Friedrich. The Life and Times of Pancho Villa. Stanford, CA: Stanford UP, 1998. Print.
• Quintana, Alejandro. Pancho Villa: A Biography. Santa Barbara, CA: Greenwood, 2012. Print.
• Guzmán, Martín Luis. Memoirs of Pancho Villa. Trans. Virginia H. Taylor. Austin: University of Texas, 1965. Print.
• Consular, Gaceta. "The Mexican Revolution 1910." : Mexico History. Mexconnect, 4 Feb. 2007. Web. 30 Nov. 2013. <http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/2824-the-mexican-revolution-1910>.