Papers Relating to Foreign Affairs, Accompanying the Annual Message of the President to the Second Session Thirty-eighth Congress, Part III
Mr. Seward to Mr. Dayton
Sir: I transmit a copy of a report of Major General Canby, and of the accompanying papers, relative to certain proceedings near Brownsville, in Texas, in connexion with the United States, Texan, and French forces in that quarter. The condition of affairs there does not seem to have been changed, but these papers will serve to explain it. To that end you may communicate them to M. Drouyn de l’Huys.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
William L. Dayton, Esq., &c., &c., &c.
Mr. Townsend to Mr. Seward
Sir: I am directed by the Secretary of War to transmit to you the enclosed documents in relation to the arrival in Texas of a Mexican force under Cortinas, with the request that after you have perused the same, they may be returned to this office for file.
I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State.
General Canby to General Banks
General: The correspondence of Colonel Day, in relation to the Mexican force under Cortinas, has been received. Colonel Day’s action, so far as is known here, accords with our neutral obligations, and is approved. The Mexican refugees are entitled to an asylum in our territory, when they deliver up their arms and munitions, and restore any prisoners or booty that they may have taken from the French; they will not be received into the service of the United States for service on the Rio Grande frontier, but may be enlisted for the general service. In this case they will be sent to the city, either before or after enlistment, to be organized, armed, and equipped. Their enlistment may be for one, two, and three years, but preferably for the shorter term, and their duty thereafter will be determined by the circumstances of the service.
As an armed enemy of France, this force will not be tolerated in our territory; and if this be the intention of Cortinas, the commanding officer will be instructed to regard, and, as far as his power extends, to treat this force as enemies of the United States.
You will please instruct Colonel Day, or the commander at Brazos Santiago, accordingly, and, in the contingency of any of Cortinas’s force entering our service, give the necessary instructions in relation to enlistment, transfer to this city, and the disposition to be made of private property. The public property of the Mexican government remains, of course, in the custody of the United States, until disposed of by proper authority.
Very respectfully, sir, your obedient servant,
Major General N. P. Banks, Commanding Department of the Gulf.
Official:
C. T. CHRISTENSEN, Lieutenant Colonel, Assistant Adjutant General.
Colonel Day to Major Drake
Major: I have the honor to transmit herewith a copy of a letter received by me from the commander of the French forces at Bagdad, also my reply to the same, in order that they may be considered at the same time with my report concerning the matter alluded to in each.
I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Major Geo. B. Drake, Assistant Adjutant General, Department of the Gulf.
Official:
GEO. B. DRAKE, A. A. G.
[Indorsement No. 1.]
Respectfully forwarded to Adjutant General of the army, through headquarters military division of west Mississippi, for information.
[Indorsement No. 2.]
Respectfully forwarded to the Adjutant General, with copy of my letter to Major General Banks, in reference to this matter.
General Veron to Colonel Day
Colonel: Yesterday, the 6th of September, the hostile forces of General Cortinas displayed themselves before our lines and made a feint to attack the place which we hold. General Cortinas, who knows the march of our several columns made against him, managed to move without our knowledge, and with your powerful aid succeeded in passing his troops to your side of the river with arms and baggage.
The first squadron of cavalry afforded you immediate aid to fight the confederates.
This morning, the passing of all these forces being effected, you gave them provisions, all that they wanted. According to the facts, and according to the law of nations, which none can distrust, I am bound to consider the forces of General Cortinas as troops belonging to the United States government, which government now holds the responsibility for their future conduct. In any enterprise I might undertake I must be certain not to encounter them on my road, either now or later.
If perchance, colonel, you have some objections to propose to the view I have of the matter, be so good, colonel, as to make them known as soon as possible. With this intention I send you Captain Visconti, my aide-de-camp. The United States and France have been too long friendly allies for any uneasy or hostile feeling to be produced between them.
Please to accept, colonel, the assurance of my most distinguished consideration.
Bagdad, Mexico, September 7, 1864.
Official:
GEO. B. DRAKE, A. A. G.
Colonel Day to General Veron
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication, dated September 7, 1864, from the hands of Captain Visconti. In reply, I would respectfully state that you are laboring under an error with regard to the forces of General Cortinas receiving provisions from me on the morning of the 6th of September, Understanding that the enemy had a large drove of cattle at our front, I sent a small force of mounted men with instructions to capture and drive them into camp, if possible, for the sustenance of my command. I would further state that I have not as yet been officially informed that General Cortinas is within my lines, and that I will at once send an officer with a sufficient escort to him, and if he is within my lines I will demand that he shall surrender all arms and munitions of war to the United States.
I take this occasion to assure the commander of the French forces at Bagdad that I shall not for a moment countenance the occupation of United States soil by any armed force except our own, and especially by a force hostile to the French government, which has so long been on friendly terms with the United States. Desiring that this harmony may long continue to exist,
I have the honor to subscribe myself your most obedient servant,
Commander of the French Forces, Bagdad, Mexico.
Official:
GEO. B. DRAKE, A. A. G.
Colonel Day to Major Drake
Major: I have the honor to report that an armed body of Mexiean troops have landed on the American shore of the Rio Grande river, about fifteen miles from these headquarters.
These troops are commanded by General Cortinas, governor of Tamaulipas, whom I have seen in person, and from him learn that it is his desire to receive protection from the United States authorities.
An order has been sent to him demanding an immediate surrender of his ordnance and ordnance stores to my command, after which I shall give him the protection that he desires. A copy of the order is herewith transmitted for your information.
This letter will be delivered by Major George A. Day, provost marshal of the district, who will give you any information you may desire, as he is in full possession of the facts in this case.
I respectfully request that instructions be furnished me for this class of refugees.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Major Geo. B. Drake, Assistant Adjutant General, Department of the Gulf.
Official:
GEO. B. DRAKE, A. A. G.
Colonel Day to General Cortiças
General: It has come to my knowledge that you have landed on the territory of the United States with an armed force. I have no doubt but that you have done so on account of the concentration of the forces of the enemies of the Mexican republic on Matamoras.
If that is the case, you are welcome, also your people that are with you; your arms, ammunition, and warlike stores must at once be surrendered to the United States forces.
When you have complied with the above requirements you can rely on being protected by the United States government. Any proposition you may desire to make will be cheerfully forwarded by me to my commanding officer at New Orleans.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
General Cortinas, Commanding Mexican Forces.
Official:
GEO. B. DRAKE, A. A. G.
Colonel Bay to Major Drake
Major: I have the honor to transmit herewith the following report of a slight engagement which took place at “Palmetto ranche,” on the Rio Grande river, about sixteen miles from these headquarters. Learning from my scouts that the rebels had collected a large number of cattle which they intended to sell to the French troops at Bagdad, and that said cattle were in a bend in the river just above the “White rancke,” I determined, after mature deliberation, to try and capture them, and at the same time drive back the rebels from their position, as they had been annoying us in various ways, very much during the past few Says. Accordingly, on the morning of the 6th, I ordered a squadron of the 1st Texas cavalry and one piece of artillery (12-pounder howitzer) to proceed up the country and accomplish the object above named. Major E. J. Noyes commanded the expedition; Captain P. J. Temple the cavalry; Lieutenant A. Hills, 1st Missouri artillery, the artillery.
After crossing the Boca Chica Pass skirmishers were thrown out to the right and left, and as they advanced the rebels slowly retired, until reaching the “Palmetto ranche,” a stand was made and brisk firing ensued. The main body arrived soon after, and a fair prospect of a heavy engagement was apparent) as the rebels were having re-enforcements from above, but our artillery opened a very effective fire with shell, which had the effect to disperse the enemy, and the last seen of him he was flying in confusion in the direction of Brownsville.
Word being sent me by the major commanding of his position, I advanced three miles with a detachment of the 91st Illinois infantry volunteers to re-enforce him in case of necessity; it was not needed, however, and the whole force returned to camp on the morning of the 7th.
[Page 162]The expedition was successful in its results, for a lot of cattle were captured and brought in, and the rebels forced to leave this section of the country.
Hoping this report will prove satisfactory, I remain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Major Geo. B. Drake, Assistant Adjutant General, Department of the Gulf.
Official:
GEO. B. DRAKE, A. A. G.
Colonel Day to Major Drake
Major: I have the honor to submit the following report of the action taken by me relative to the fact that an armed body of Mexican troops had crossed the Rio Grande, above our lines, of which I advised you in a recent report.
In the evening of the 8th of September I ordered Major E. J. Noyes, commanding detachment first Texas cavalry, to move with his command up the Rio Grande, the point where the troops had crossed the river, and instructed him to demand of them the surrender of all arms and warlike stores, and to offer them the protection of the United States as refugees; I also instructed him that if he found it necessary, in order to defend himself against the rebels, to allow the refugees to temporarily resume their arms. Major Noyes proceeded agreeably to the above instructions, and the Mexicans willingly surrendered upon the demand being made. They were not commanded by Governor Cortinas, as I was at first informed, and hence reported to you, but Colonel Miguel Echazarretta, Cortinas not having moved his headquarters to this side of the river. Shortly after the surrender had been effected, our forces were attacked by the rebels with nearly double their number, and, according to my instructions, the refugees were allowed to resume their arms and fought bravely with our men. After a short engagement, in which one piece of Mexican artillery was used, the rebels were repulsed with great loss. They rallied and again attacked, and were again repulsed; so a third time; after which Major Noyes, being short of ammunition, fell back two miles and took a stronger position. Fearing that the rebels would receive re-enforcements from Brownsville, and would succeed in getting possession of the artillery which the refugees had surrendered to us, I advanced on the 11th, with two hundred of the 91st Illinois and two pieces of artillery, as far as White’s ranche, and ordered Major Noyes to fall back with his command to that place. The rebels followed with a force of about six hundred, but I soon routed them with my artillery. On the morning of the 12th I returned to camp, bringing with me all refugees who had crossed the river, their arms and warlike stores. Affixed to this report is a statement (which I respectfully submit as a part of the same) with regard to the number of refugees and the number and character of their arms. No casualties attended us in any of the above encounters except one United States soldier captured and several refugees. We took no prisoners, but the killed and wounded of the enemy must have been great. The refugees have been very quiet and orderly since their arrival in camp, and I understand that many of them evince a desire to enlist in the United States army.
Hoping that, this will meet with your approval,
I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Major Geo. B. Drake, Assistant Adjutant General, Department of the Gulf.
Statement of the number of Mexican, refugees at Brazos Santiago, Texas; the number and character of their arms, amount of artillery, number of horses, &c.
| Number of officers | 13 |
| Number of men | 290 |
| Muskets, calibre .69 | 27 |
| Enfield rifles, calibre .58 | 195 |
| Whitney muskets, calibre .58 | 24 |
| Cavalry horses, with equipments | 22 |
| Mules | 10 |
| Six-pound rifled brass guns | 3 |
| Bounds of cartridges, different calibre | 1,200 |
| Rounds of assorted ammunition | 76 |
Brazos Santiago, Texas, September 14, 1864.
I certify that the above statement is correct.
Official:
GEORGE B. DRAKE, A. A. G.
[Untitled]
Respectfully forwarded to the Adjutant General of the army. The action of Colonel Day is approved.