At the break-up of the Diaz government, May 25, 1911, fear and disorder
succeeded peaceful conditions that had been known in the mountain
settlements. Sections of Chihuahua were dominated by Villa, Salazar,
Lopez, Gomez and other revolutionary leaders. A volume might be written
upon the experiences of the colonists on the eastern side of the
mountains. There would appear to have been little prejudice against them
and little actual antagonism, but they had amassed a wealth that was
needed by the revolutionary forces, and there were recurring demands
upon them for horses, wagons, supplies, ammunition and finally for all
weapons. Patience and diplomacy were needed in the largest degree in the
conferences with the Mexican military leaders. Soon it was evident,
however, that nothing remained but flight to the United States. July 29,
1912, most of the settlers were hurried aboard a train, almost without
time in which to change their clothing. The stores and public buildings
were closed. The colonists were huddled, with small personal property,
into boxcars or cattle cars and hauled from Colonia Dublan to El Paso.
There, there was immediate assistance by the City of El Paso and the
United States government, soon reinforced by friends and relatives in
Arizona and Utah. At one time 1500 Mormon refugees were encamped in El
Paso.
A. W. Ivins tells:
"As soon as the colonists were gone, a campaign of looting and
destruction was commenced by the Mexican revolutionist and local Mexicans
near the colonies. The stores were broken into and looted of hundreds of
thousands of dollars worth of merchandise. Private homes were treated in
the same manner. Livestock was appropriated, until almost every available
thing was carried away or destroyed. There was little wanton destruction
of property except at Colonia Diaz, where the better part of the
residences and public buildings was burned. The homes and farm buildings
were not destroyed."
Some of the colonists returned as soon as a degree of safety was assured,
to check up the property remaining and to plan for the eventual return of
their people. But again there had to be an exodus, this late in December,
1915. At that time it is told that Villa was only a few miles away,
preparing to march upon the Mormon settlements, with all orders given to
that end. But in the morning the plans were changed, apparently by
celestial intervention, and he marched his men in another direction, into
the Galiana Valley.
On one of the flights, after all but the most vigorous of the men had
departed, there came peremptory demand for surrender of all arms and
ammunition. Some guns were surrendered, but the best had been deposited
at a mountain rendezvous. To that point the men hurried and, well-armed
and well-mounted, made their way by mountain trails to the border,
avoiding conflict with Mexican bands that sought to bar the way.