Johnson's Ranch Raid

In the spring of 1929, civil war was raging across Mexico with fighting in the central-west of the country between government forces of Emilio Portes Gil and the Cristero revolutionaries and fighting in the north between the federal government and the rebel forces of General José Gonzalo Escobar. Following the rebel defeat in the Battle of Jiménez on April 3, Escobar was in retreat and his men were deserting in large numbers. No longer having a war to fight, many of these deserters turned to banditry, and like in the decades before, saw the ranches on the American side of the international border as easy targets.^[1]

Elmo and Ada Johnson made a living raising livestock and operating a trading post that was open to people from both sides of the river. When they established the Johnson's Ranch in 1927, the Big Bend region was still one of the most remote areas of the United States. Apart from a few Mexican homes on the southern side of the Rio Grande, the Johnson family lived in almost complete isolation; the closest population center was in Alpine, Texas, 150 miles to the north. This made it the perfect target for Mexican bandits, who could easily cross the river and take whatever they wanted back to Mexico long before the United States Army or the Border Patrol could respond. There were no Mexican authorities in the area either, with the closest being four customs and immigration officials in Santa Elena, opposite of Castolon, but they seldom patrolled the area around the Johnson's Ranch.^[1][2]

On April 11, 1929, a band of Mexican deserters from Jiménez, estimated to be about thirty to forty in number, arrived on the banks of the Rio Grande. Having crossed 160 miles of the sparsely populated Chihuahuan Desert to arrive at their destination, the Mexicans made camp in the mesquite bosque adjacent to the river, near a massive cottonwood tree that was a sort of landmark in the area. Some of the men had been wounded in the fighting at Jiménez and were in need of medical attention, so their first task was to bring in two local curanderos (doctors without formal training, who specialized in the use of locally grown medicinal herbs) for medical assistance. Their next focus was on food, and for that they looked to the Johnson's Ranch trading post on the other side of the river.^[1][2]

Sometime during the afternoon of April 11, three Mexicans forded the river and arrived at the trading post, where they met with Elmo Johnson, begging him for food. Johnson obliged, giving the men beans and corn and telling them he would give them a goat to butcher when his herder returned later that afternoon. It remains uncertain if the Mexicans returned for the goat, but the Johnsons waited all night, keeping an eye on the Mexican camp across the river. They eventually gave up, had a late supper and went to bed later than usual. At about 11:00 that evening, Johnson awoke to the sound of horse hooves trotting close by, followed by a knock on his door. Johnson was suspicious because he did not usually do business after dark, but bandits didn't usually knock at the door either. Opening the door he was confronted by two Mexicans asking to buy tobacco in Spanish. Not wanting any trouble, Johnson agreed to sell the men some tobacco and he told them to meet him at the other end of the building, where the commissary was located.^[1]

Walking across the large covered patio, Johnson lit a kerosene lamp and proceeded to unlock the commissary door. The Mexicans made their purchase; tobacco and rolling papers, which were paid for in Mexican coin. They stood in silence as they smoked. By this time, Johnson could tell his visitors were getting uneasy, and just as he turned around to pick up his rifle they took off into the darkness. Johnson followed them to the door and heard two shots fired nearby. It was then he realized that his worst fear was coming true. A group of Mexican horsemen were driving his herd of cattle and goats to the river. Johnson raised his rifle and fired at the fleeing Mexicans, but it is uncertain if he hit anything or not. The Mexicans quickly escaped into the darkness, leaving their bounty of stolen livestock along the river's edge.^[1]

The first thing Johnson did after the Mexicans were gone was to inform the Border Patrolmen George Dennis and Shelly Barnes, who drove to Castolon to report the raid to Chief Patrol Inspector Earl Falis in Marfa. Falis then informed the commander of the 1st Cavalry Regiment at nearby Camp Marfa, who dispatched a 1st Lieutenant Hugh F. T. Hoffman and his Troop "F" to march to Castolon, establish a base camp there and proceed with patrolling the lower Big Bend area for bandits. Because time was of the essence, Hoffman ordered 2nd Lieutenant Harry W. Johnson (who was of no relation to the Elmo and Ada Johnson) to take his platoon from "F" Troop and a section of machine guns and proceed to Castolon in trucks to protect the nearby trading posts, while the remainder of the troop marched the 116 miles to Castolon on horseback. On the following day, Lieutenant Johnson left the machine gun section in Castolon for protection and proceeded to the Johnson's Ranch. The ranch was all quiet, so Johnson left a few men behind as guards and moved on to patrol Glenn Springs and Boquillas, which were also found to be all quiet. The next few days were spent patrolling the vast openness of the West Texas desert, but no enemies were spotted and the cavalrymen soon returned to Camp Marfa.^[1]