121st Volunteer Infantry

From 1898 to 1904, the 121st Volunteer Infantry was a branch of the United States Army under direct jurisdiction of the US Marshals and supervised by the Texas Rangers and led by Captain Joseph Smedley. The 121st was composed primarily of convicted felons from around Texas, who were given the option to serve their country to escape execution by hanging. The 121st Volunteer Infantry was based out of Fort MacIntosh near Laredo, Texas, and was part of President McKinley's so-called "Black Army".

1901 Incident
On Thursday, June 27th, 1901, a group of outlaws serving their sentence as part of the 121st was involved in a brief border conflict with members of the Mexican Army. Around noon, members of the 121st stationed at a watchtower on the Mexican-American Border, including Juan Padilla, Cayde Sanchez, and Bobbi-Ann Wheatpicker, discharged firearms while hunting in the demilitarized zone surrounding the Rio Grande. Thinking they were invaded, a group of Mexican soldiers led by Teniente Capitan Joaquin Gabriel Almeida, rode across the river to return fire, where they were met by the Americans. After a tense standoff, the misunderstanding was explained, and the Mexicans returned to the river. Those responsible were given a dishonorable discharge from the United States Army and exiled from Laredo.