A Young “Villista” is Swept Out of His Childhood

Remembering Juan Perales

 Photo shown is not of Juan Perales but a typical young Villista of the era…Credit:  Robert Runyon Collection…Center for American History UT-Austin

By Rene Torres

No soldier was too young to become a “Villista”—as was the case for a 12-year-old Mexican boy name Juan Perales.  While other kids of his age were playing the games of the day—Juan was swept out of his childhood to face the waste and destruction of a revolution.

Juan’s story began in Brownsville on Easter Sunday, April 5, 1915.   A pioneer resident of the city, while discussing the history of the area with his friends, told the story of Juan Perales.

While an arm of Pancho Villa’s army was zeroing in on Matamoros, pounding at its door—among his followers was Juan Perales.   Juan was not leading the charge with a melody, but with a loaded rifle.

 He had become a “Villista” four months prior to the Easter Holidays.

As dead bodies were being removed from the battle site—among them was a very young and tired soldier.

 On Easter Sunday morning, Juan was one of the lucky ones taken on a stretcher with only a leg wound received near Matamoros.

The wounded boy was carried to the Besteiro Hospital in Brownsville.  The young fighter, a native of Cerrito, San Luis, Potosi, started weeping aloud as his wounds were being dressed by the physicians. 

At this point, nurse Hortence Nixon promised Juan a bunny rabbit if he would stop crying.  With tears of a child— he went through the painful ordeal like an old war warrior.

After all the bandages were in place, the nurse brought him a candy bunny rabbit with a basket full of Easter eggs.  Juan, although mute in emotion, took his gift with much appreciation.

The gifts of candy were sent to the Besteiro Hospital, which was temporarily set-up across where the City Central Fire Station is today by the nuns of the Incarnate Word Academy.

The “Rabbit Soldier”, as he was known, was very popular with the hospital staff.  While his wounds were healing, for an unknown reason Juan refused to eat and lost the will to live.

His parents nor Pancho Villa were by his side when days after Easter Sunday, the kid soldier took a turn for the worse and died.  He demonstrated he could survive from a bullet wound— but what killed him was a deeper wound, depression.

As nurses gathered his belongings—among them was a marble found in one of his pockets, perhaps something he cherished as he went through his fighting days.

Juan’s biggest battle was fought while in a hospital bed.  But there, without firing a shot, won the hearts of all that came to know him. He was only a child facing boyhood when he died, but was given a hero’s funeral.  

 According to Pierre Corneille, a French dramatist, “Every moment of life is a step towards death.” In Juan’s case, his life journey from the “Womb to the Tomb,” sadly ended prematurely. 

                                                                                                                                                                                     

 His body is at rest at the old Brownsville City Cemetery.  

Que Viva Juan Perales!

[Rio Grande Valley historian Rene Torres has published stories in local periodicals.  If you have a photo and brief story you would like to see published here please send to brownsvilletrain@yahoo.com   Let me know if you want story edited.  Thank you.]