File No. 812.0144/53
The Mexican Ambassador ( Bonillas) to the Secretary of State
Excellency: I have the honor to inform your excellency that the Secretary of Foreign Relations of my Government has given me instructions, dated January 19 last, to deliver to your excellency the following note:
Mr. Secretary of State: I regret to have to inform your excellency that on December 29 last Major S. Wells, by order of Col. R. F. Day of the 3d Regiment of Infantry, in command of the American forces of the Eagle Pass district, crossed into Mexican territory with a force of Cavalry, as far as the San José ranch, where the American soldiers, after a scuffle with the inhabitants of the place, murdered Pedro Contreras whom the said forces had taken prisoner when he was unarmed and offered no resistance. The Consul of Mexico at Eagle Pass reports to the Department that the said Col. R. F. Day told him that the American War Department had instructed him to cross with troops into Mexican territory whenever he deemed it expedient, in pursuit of cattle thieves, limiting his stay to a certain number of hours and the number of men who might cross the border.
The Government of Mexico enters a formal and energetic protest against the violation of national territory implied in the above-mentioned facts and permits itself to express to the Government of the United States through your excellency the profound discontent created among the people and in the Government of Mexico by the facts above related and by the frequent violations of territory previously committed by American forces to the knowledge and with the connivance of the Government of the United States.
The Government of Mexico hopes that that of the United States will give due satisfaction for the violation of territory and other outrages committed by the regular American forces and that those guilty of such unwarranted conduct shall not escape punishment.
Finally I permit myself to advise your excellency that the Government of Mexico in the lawful defense of its most sacred unquestionable rights has issued orders to attack such American forces as may tread the territory of the Republic.
I avail myself [etc.]
By order of my Government I have the honor to make the foregoing known to your excellency’s Government renewing to you the assurances [etc.]