Under the direction of Ricardo Flores Magón, a group of rebels captured the border town of Mexicali, Baja California, with little resistance.

Ricardo Flores Magón and his brother Enrique had a long history of anti-government and pro-socialist incidents before beginning the revolt of 1911.

Flores Magón, who was the leader of the Partido Liberal Mexicano (PLM) in Los Angeles, chose early 1911 as the time to begin an insurrection.

Other reasons for the choosing of Mexicali was due to its strategic location; far from Mexico City and large bodies of federal troops.

After the capture of Mexicali, the Magonista force quickly grew from eighteen to almost 500 men, of which approximately 100 were Americans, including the wobblies Frank Little and Joe Hill.