Mr. Adee to Señor
Romero.
Department of State,
Washington, June 26,
1893.
Sir: Adverting to your note of the 28th of
April last, and to the subsequent correspondence upon the subject, I
have the honor to inclose herewith copy of a telegram of the 21st
instant from the commanding officer at San Antonio, Tex., to the
Adjutant-General of the Army, referred by the Secretary of War to this
Department on the 23d instant.
It will be observed that the two soldiers who fired upon the sentry box
of the custom-house at Camargo are in confinement at Fort Ringgold
awaiting trial by court-martial, the result of which will be promptly
communicated to you.
Accept, etc.
Alyey A. Adee,
Acting Secretary.
[Inclosure.]
Gen. Wheaton to
Gen. Ruggles.
[Telegram.]
San
Antonio, Tex., June 21, 1893.
To Adjutant-General Army,
Washington, D. C.:
Papers received to-day referring letter from Secretary of State
inclosing Minister Romero’s letter relating to firing by our troops
at Fort Ringgold, Tex., on customhouse sentry box, Camargo, Mexico.
The two miscreants have been discovered and are now in confinement.
State they meant no harm. Maj. Keyes reported on the. 4th instant
that he had found the two men and with the Mexican consul had
investigated the case and visited the Mexican customs office,
explaining that their unwarranted carelessness was unintentional. I
at once, on the 5th instant, ordered charges to be preferred against
these two men of Troop C, Third Cavalry, holding them in arrest
after their troop left for another department, and ordered a general
court-martial to Fort Ringgold to try them, detailing the
judge-advocate of this department, Capt. Kern, to conduct the
prosecution. Will transmit proceedings of court
[Page 453]
martial immediately upon their
receipt. The commander at Fort Ringgold, Maj. Keyes, and myself
deplore this unfortunate occurrence, probably the act of two
recruits, hilarious and under undue excitement over their
preparations for a change of station.
Frank Wheaton,
Brigadier-General
Commanding.
