Allen, Hubert A.

During the Mexican Revolution in 1915 the United States activated national guard units to protect American lives and American property along the border. In June of 1916 Iowa responded sent 4,500 national guardsmen to the outskirts of the danger zone in Northern Mexico. The First Iowa Brigade, under command of Gen. Hubert A. Allen, consisted of three regiments of infantry, one battalion of artillery, one squadron of cavalry, one company of engineers, sanitary detachments, a field hospital and an ambulance company. Nearly a month was spent at Camp Dodge in drilling and conditioning the men, and mustering the organizations into Federal service. In mid-summer began the movement toward the border. The Iowa troops went into camp amid the brush and cacti near Brownsville, Texas, on the Mexican border. Eight deaths occurred among the men of the brigade, all of which were the result of accidents.