No. 279.
Mr. Fish to Mr. Nelson.
Department of
State,
Washington,
January 22, 1873.
No. 314.]
Sir: I transmit for your information a copy of a
communication of the 17th instant, addressed to this Department by the
Secretary of War, relative to a recent raid into Texas by cattle-thieves
from Mexico. You will take occasion to mention the subject to the minister
for foreign affairs, and to point out the expediency on the part of the
Mexican authorities of endeavoring to check such depredations. If this
should not soon be done, the exasperation of the immediate sufferers will
inevitably extend to the rest of their countrymen, and retaliation will be
demanded in a tone which it may be difficult to resist.
I am, &c.,
[Inclosure.]
Mr. Belknap to Mr.
Fish.
War
Department,
Washington, January 17,
1873.
Sir: I have had prepared, and transmit
herewith, for your information, a copy of a recent report from the
Department of Texas, of depredations upon stock in Texas by Mexican
cattle-thieves.
Very respectfully, &c.,
WM. W. BELKNAP,
Secretary of War.
Headquarters Ringgold Barracks,
Texas,
December 10,
1872.
Acting Assistant
Adjutant-General, Department of
Texas:
Sir: I have the honor to report that, on the
6th instant, information was brought me by Mr. Victor Morel, post-guide,
that a party of Mexican cattle-thieves had stolen a large number of
cattle from the stock-range and ranches in this vicinity, and would
endeavor to cross them into Mexico. Thinking he could capture them, I
furnished Mr. Morel with a detachment from B Company, Ninth U. S.
Cavalry, Lance-Sergt. George Bruce, Corporal Jacob Hicks, and four
privates. Leaving the post at about 7.30 o’clock p.m., on the 6th, the
detachment proceeded in a westerly direction toward the Guadalupe
ranche, in the vicinity of which it was expected to come upon the
thieves, with the stolen herd. Marching until about 2 o’clock a.m. on
the 7th, our party went into camp until daylight, when they resumed
their march. At about 7 a.m., near the Rio Grande, they came upon the
party, who had left the road, and with the stolen herd were moving
across the country in the direction of the river. They had halted, and,
with their horses saddled, were cooking breakfast. They numbered eleven
men. Immediately on coming in sight of the party, Mr. Morel, with his
escort, charged upon the thieves, who, springing upon their horses,
“broke” for the chaparral, after exchanging a few shots. The horse of
the leader of the gang, with saddle, bridle, blankets, and ammunition,
was captured. This horse is the property of Julio Hinojose, a citizen of
Comargo, Mexico, known to have been the leader of the party of thieves.
Pursuit was made through the chaparral, by our party, but being in a
dense thicket, the Mexicans, being naturally superior bushmen, succeeded
in escaping. Our party then turned their attention to the herd.
Fifty-nine head of cattle were recaptured. The whole herd might possibly
number one hundred and fifty head.
During the time the firing was being done, quite a number stampeded and
were lost in the heavy bottoms and thickets.
The party then returned to this post, bringing the fifty-nine head of
stock and the horse and equipments of the leader. They arrived here on
the eve of the 7th, having in the
[Page 646]
twenty-four hours marched over sixty miles of very
rough country, with very little or no grass and no water. The captured
stock was turned over to the civil authorities of Rio Grande City; copy
of receipt inclosed. It is probable that the remainder of this herd were
eventually crossed or found their way to Mexico. I inclose a copy of a
letter sent yesterday to the authorities at Comargo. The success of this
expedition is largely due to the intelligence, discretion, and coolness
of Mr. Morel. Too much credit, also, cannot be given the detachment of
soldiers, particularly Lance-Sergeant Bruce and Corporal Wicks. They
seconded Mr. Morel in every way, and during the fire were prudent and
cool. Had they been as skilled as are these Mexican thieves in
bushwhacking, the whole party of thieves would have been captured.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
ANDREW SHERIDAN,
Captain 24th Infantry, commanding
post.
Rio
Grande City, December 7,
1872.
Received of Victor Morel, for Captain A. Sheridan, fifty-nine (59)
bures, captured from cattle-thieves.
J. E. MARTIN,
Sheriff Starr Co.
Headquarters Ringgold Barracks,
Texas,
December 9,
1872.
The Ayuntamienta, Comargo, Mexico:
I have the honor to call your attention to the following facts: Within
the last three days a large herd of cattle, stolen from ranches and from
the stock-range in this vicinity, has been crossed into the republic of
Mexico by thieves from your side of the river. A party sent from here
succeeded in recapturing sixty head of cattle, but were not able to get
any of the thieves. One horse, said to be the property of Julio
Hinojosa, a citizen of Comargo, Mexico, was captured, with saddle and
bridle, and is now in possession of the authorities on this side the
river.
One hundred and fifty head of cattle, I am informed from reliable
authority, were crossed some fifteen miles below here, and are now in
Mexico.
I submit these facts for the consideration of the authorities in Mexico,
with a view that something may be done to bring these thieves to
justice, and that the cattle may, if possible, be returned, as we
propose and are doing all in our power to prevent these
depredations.
I ask that our exertions may be seconded in some way by the authorities
of Mexico.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
ANDREW SHERIDAN,
Captain 24th Infantry, U. S. A.,
commanding post.
[Indorsements.]
Headquarters Department of Texas,
San Antonio, December 24, 1872.
Respectfully forwarded to the headquarters Military Division of the
Missouri, for the information of the Lieutenant-General commanding.
C. C. AUGUR,
Brigadier-General, U. S. Army.
Headquarters Military Division of the
Missouri,
Chicago, January 3,
1873.
The especial attention of the Government has been so frequently called to
the depredations of Mexicans on the frontier of Texas, that the
undersigned simply submits these additional facts.
P. H. SHERIDAN,
Lieutenant-General commanding.
Headquarters of the Army,
Washington, December 7,
1873.
Respectfully submitted to the Secretary of War.
War
Department, Adjutant-General’s Office,
Washington, January 15, 1873.
Official copies:
E. D. TOWNSEND,
Adjutant-General.
