1916, Columbus, New Mexico, Mexican or "Punitive" Expedition into Mexico (AAMC 92). Flown Velvet Ice Cream Company of El Paso advertising cover to Fort Riley Kan., with manuscript endorsement "Soldier's Mail, contains no military information, C. Lininger, 1 Lt. 13 Cav", "Columbus, N. Mex. Apr 5, 4 PM, 1916" duplex datestamp, "Postage Due 2 Cents" purple straightline struck on arrival, includes original letter enclosure with fascinating historical content and a first hand account of the expedition and attack on Columbus by Pancho Villa, cover with faults of little importance, including most of backflap removed

A RARE AND PREVIOUSLY UNRECORDED COVER WITH ORIGINAL HISTORICAL LETTER DESCRIBING THE EXPEDITION INTO MEXICO AGAINST PANCHO VILLA.

On March 9, 1916, Pancho Villa and his troops attacked Columbus, New Mexico. By the end, 18 civilians and soldiers from the 13th Cavalry detachment were killed with another 8 wounded. Columbus was left in a blaze, horses and mules stolen, and military arms were taken back to Mexico. On March 15 President Woodrow Wilson ordered Major General John J. Pershing to lead an expedition into Mexico to capture Pancho Villa.

The letter offered here was written on March 21 while Lininger's unit was camped along the Casas Grande River (in Chihuahua). He mentions the likes of Pershing, seeing 400 of Carranza's men, and that Villa is four to six days ahead and they are following his trail by "dead horses, discarded articles, camp fires, etc." His report of the Columbus attack is that Villa had 500 men and 300 returned, 100 died, and he believes the rest deserted, saying "the more I hear about the fight the greater becomes my respect for the American Soldier." Lininger reports that the previous day he saw five airplanes fly and land, with one wrecked and the pilot injured upon landing. These flights were used for reconnaissance purposes and to carry mail to and from the expedition. We have ascertained with reasonable certainty that this letter was flown from the field to Columbus where it was postmarked. Shortly after, on April 12, at the Battle of Parral, Lininger valiantly rescued a fellow solider, under sustained fire, who was dismounted and in danger of being captured. He was ultimately awarded the Distinguished Service Medal despite many believing he should have been awarded the Medal of Honor. He ultimately retired in 1949 with the rank of Brigadier General.

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