According to author Francisco Arturo Rosales, Villa's intentions at the time were to retaliate against the United States for their aid to Carrancista forces at Agua Prieta and to destabilize the region enough to where President Venustiano Carranza could no longer control it.

On the next day, five "armed Mexicans" attacked a small camp of Troop F soldiers along the Santa Cruz River near Nogales, Arizona.

[3] After the remainder of the evactuation was delayed, Villista snipers began shooting at American soldiers of the 12th Infantry who were guarding the border in Nogales, Arizona.

In response to the sniping, the American commander of the 12th Infantry, Colonel William H. Sage, ordered his men to form a skirmish line and prepare for battle.

Some American units crossed the border during the fighting but when General Alvaro Obregon and his army arrived at about 12:40, Colonel Sage ordered his men to cease fire and return to camp.

For thirty minutes the Buffalo Soldiers engaged the Mexicans, killing two, but eventually another cease fire was ordered and the commanders from both sides exchanged apologies.

Villista forces stopped a train near Santa Isabel, Chihuahua, removed around 17 American passengers by gunpoint and then shot them all.

After that Wilson ordered General Pershing to launch the Mexican Expedition, an attempt to capture or kill Pancho Villa.