In March 1916, a Mexican bandit raided, burned, and looted the small border town of Columbus, New Mexico for reasons not clearly understood. In retaliation, the United States Army went into Mexico to apprehend him and bring him to justice. The expedition was a failure. The bandits made fools of the Army, the entire episode was one giant fiasco, and while it was an embarrassment to the United States, it was a point of pride for Mexico.