[Inclosure.]
Gen. Wheaton to
the Adjutant-General.
[Telegram.]
San
Antonio, Tex., January 23,
1893.
I have the honor to report an important success by our troops on the
Rio Grande border. Francisco Benavides, the bandit chief who led the
murderous attack on the Mexican outpost opposite San Ignacio, on the
10th ultimo, was captured yesterday by a detachment of Third
Cavalry, commanded by Lieut. J. T. Dickman, Third [Page 441] Cavalry, is, with two other
important bandit leaders, now a prisoner in camp of Capt. Chase’s
squadron at Baluarte Ranch, Zapata County, Tex. following received
from Capt. Geo. F. Chase, Third Cavalry, commanding reserve
squadron, Troops D and K, Third Cavalry, in the field, from Fort Sam
Houston, dated Baluarte Ranch, January 22:
“Lieut. Dickman, while scouting from this camp with detachments of D
and K troops, Lieuts. Walker and Conrad, captured Francisco
Benavides and Prudencio Gonzales, leaders in the San Ignacio raid.
They are now prisoners in my camp.”
And following, dated January 23:
“Dickman has returned to camp. He had a sharp fight with a party of
bandits yesterday afternoon. It resulted in wounding and capturing
Echeverria, a captain, and one of the most desperate of the bandits,
a deserter from the Mexican army, who emptied every cartridge in his
Winchester before he was captured. Sergt. Kramp, with three men of D
troop, captured the bandit chiefs Benavides and Gonzales. They saw
the bandits first and laid for them in the brush. The officers and
men of the squadron have worked night and day through cold and
storm, conducting themselves with bravery, patience, and judgment
worthy of commendation during the execution of the plans for the
capture of the bandit leaders. Chase, captain commanding.”
Frank Wheaton,
Brigadier-General
Commanding.
[Inclosure 2.]
General Wheaton
to the Adjutant-General.
[Telegram.]
San
Antonio, Tex., January 25,
1893.
I report that bandit leaders Francisco Benavides. Cecilio Echeverria,
and Prudencio Gonzales, captured by our troops on the 21st, are now
in the hands of the U. S. deputy marshals, having been turned over
to them in pursuance of my orders by the commander of my reserve
squadron now in the field. The last-named prisoner, Gonzales, has
just reached San Antonio under charge of Lieut. Dickman, Third
Cavalry, his captor, and is here in jail. Bandits Echeverria and
Benavides are under a strong guard of regular troops, being taken to
Rio Grande City, near Fort Ringgold, by the two deputy marshals in
charge of them, likely to arrive to-day. They left camp of our
troops on the Baluarte on 23d. Señor Plutarco Ornelos, consul for
Mexico, has this day made requisite official affidavits before U. S.
Commissioner L. F. Price, extradition commissioner for the western
judicial district of the United States, for the extradition of these
several prisoners to Mexico to answer there for crimes they are
believed to have committed, in the interest of good order and quiet
on the Rio Grande border, so long disturbed by these renegades and
their sympathizers. I earnestly hope that the application of Consul
Ornelos may be favored by the Government. Consul Ornelos has to-day
communicated his action before the U. S. extradition commissioner
here to Minister Romero in Washington.
Frank Wheaton,
Brigadier-General,
Commanding.
