File No. 811.0144/104
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Mexico (Fletcher)
Sir: The Department quotes below a letter dated November 5, 1918, from the War Department, reading as follows:
The Secretary of War presents his compliments to the Honorable, the Secretary of State, and has the honor to convey the information that a report has been received that on October 21, 1918, Carranzista troops crossed the international boundary line near Indio in the Big Bend district, Texas, and upon the approach of a United States patrol, retired to the Mexican side of the border and opened fire on the patrol; that upon the same day near Ruidosa in the same district, Carranzista troops fired from the Mexican side of the border upon a United States patrol; that in neither case was there any cause for the Carranzista troops firing upon the patrols.
This information is conveyed to the Honorable the Secretary of State for such action as may be deemed necessary.
You are instructed to bring the occurrences mentioned in the War Department’s letter to the attention of the Mexican Government, and to request that steps be taken to prevent firing by Mexican forces upon American soldiers stationed in the Big Bend district, and that orders be issued to the appropriate Mexican military authorities to put a stop to invasions of American territory by Mexican troops.
I am [etc.]