File No. 812.00/20395
The Secretary of War presents his compliments to the Honorable the
Secretary of State, and has the honor to inclose, herewith, for his
information, copy of a letter from the commanding general, Southern
Department, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, dated January 10, 1917, quoting a
report made by the Department intelligence officer, relative to the
present status and activities in the plan of San Diego.
[Inclosure]
The Chief of Staff, Southern
Department, to the Adjutant General
of the Army
Headquarters, Southern Department,
Fort Sam Houston, Texas,
January 10, 1917.
plan of san diego
The following report is made by the Department intelligence officer,
having been obtained by his secret service branch:
An agent of ours spent from December 8 to 31 in Mexico
investigating, among other things, the present status and
activity under the plan of San Diego. He reports in
substance as follows:
I learned nothing concerning this movement until December 11 in
Monterrey where I found that de la Rosa is no longer confined in the
general barracks where he remained for so long a time. I then went
to Villaldama, and while there, on the 12th, I learned that Garza
and Ramos had been there and had gone on to Lampazos on mining
business. On the 14th I managed to join Basilio Ramos on the train
and traveled with him to Monterrey. He told me that the
revolutionary movement, in his opinion, is about to end as everyone
is disappointed, and the men could no longer be held together
because the leaders were without funds. At Monterrey I learned that
Ramos was going to Saltillo and decided that I would have some
business there too, and so left Monterrey on the 15th with Ramos. On
the 16th Ramos stated that he had a commission from Garza to see the
Governor of the State, Gustavo Espinosa Mireles, who had promised to
help the revolution with funds. After his interview Ramos stated
that he could get nothing at all from the Governor. We then returned
on the 17th to Monterrey, where Ramos stated that, being unable to
do anything else, he was going to Laredo to see his family.
On the 22d I returned to Monterrey from my other investigations
around Victoria, upon which I have already reported, and on the
following day, the 23d, I went to see Joaquin Sado, former secretary
to de la Rosa, and he told me that General Ricaut had de la Rosa in
the barracks near the station because there had been some trouble
between the general and de la Rosa, and that the latter had made the
offer to the First Chief to drop the revolutionary plan entirely and
turn everything over to the Carrancistas if they would release him
from confinement. So far as I have been able to learn; no attention
has been paid by Carranza to this offer.
On the 28th I learned that Fierros had been in Mexico City for some
time; that he had written that he would return shortly with funds
with which to start active operations again. I also learned,
however, that none of the followers believed this. On the 29th I
talked to some of Garza’s officers, and some of the other leaders in
the movement, and they were all much disappointed.
My conclusion is that, for some months at least, nothing need be
feared from this movement as it is dying from lack of funds. My
opinion is that those who found it to their interest to keep the
matter going some months ago, now find
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that conditions have changed, and they knowing
that their positions in office are not assured, are not handing out
funds for movements like this, but are retaining them for their
future personal use.
On the 30th, in Matamoras, I spoke to several of Pizano’s men and
they told me that the revolution had completely fallen through; that
for a long time they had been held together merely by promises, and
as in course of time they became certain that there would be no more
funds the majority of them had gone their several ways and resumed
their former occupations.
I feel absolutely certain that this movement, for the time being, has
ceased to exist, and that it cannot be revived unless funds be
furnished, and there seems to be no intention on the part of anyone
to furnish such funds.
Malvern Hill Barnum,
Colonel, General Staff
