The lineage of the current day th Field Artillery Regiment traces back to 6 November On 9 March , Mexican revolutionary General Francisco "Pancho" Villa led a force of five hundred men and attacked the town of Columbus, New Mexico , killing several American soldiers and civilians. Pershing , on orders from President Woodrow Wilson , assembled an expeditionary force of several thousand men to pursue Pancho Villa who had since retreated back into Mexico.
On 15 June , one such cross border raid into San Ygnacio, Texas resulted in the deaths of four American soldiers. Batteries A and B of the 1st Battalion, Field Artillery were mustered into federal service on 19 June , for the first time. The rest of the units of the 1st Battalion, Field Artillery were disbanded. Service on the border was uneventful, consisting mainly of guard duty, drill instructions, and marches. Brigadier General Pershing's troops were unsuccessful in catching Pancho Villa and the focus of the expeditionary force changed from actively seeking out Pancho Villa to a defensive position of protecting the troops from the forces supporting Mexican President Venustiano Carranza.
The commission met at New London , Connecticut on 6 September The talks that resulted from these meetings eased the tensions sufficiently and the expeditionary force prepared for withdrawal and re-crossed the international border back into the United States on 5 February McCormick was appointed as the first commander of the th Field Artillery on 22 September and systematic training began a week later on 29 September. After a short stay in a rest camp, the th Field Artillery proceeded to Le Havre, France with the 5th Infantry Division to complete their transatlantic journey.
In order to save the horses, all the soldiers except the drivers walked and carried a full pack for which they had no previous training.
On the evening of 29 July , the th Field Artillery arrived in the Picardy region of France , west of Chateau-Thierry, as part of the 32nd Infantry Division which relieved the American 3rd Infantry Division on the front line which stretched from Roncheres to Fere-en-Tardenois. At on 30 July , the th Field Artillery commenced a full barrage of fire directed at the Bois de Grimpettes Grimpettes Woods just south of the village of Cierges.
