Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 2, 1878
No 330.
Mr. Foster
to Mr. Evarts.
Mexico, October 27, 1877. (Received November 17.)
Sir: Referring to my No. 615, of the 16th instant, on the subject of the crossing of Lieutenant Bullis and Lieutenant-Colonel Shaffer into Mexico last month, I now transmit a translation of the official report of the Mexican officer in command at Piedras Negras of the affair, the reply of the Minister of War giving instructions for future action in similar cases, and the communication of the Minister of Foreign Affairs as to his action occasioned by the event.
I am,&c.,
Instructions of minister of war and action of minister, of foreign affairs.
department of war and marine, constitutional army, line of the north—second general-in-chief.
Under date of the 4th instant, the citizen general, Anacleto R. Falcon, says to me the following from Piedras Negras:
“national army.—general of brigade.
“In copies No. 1 and 2, I transmit to you the communications which Colonel Rodriguez has sent me from Zaragoza concerning the passage of a force of the United [Page 532] States invading our territory. By the same notes you will he informed of the result of those expeditions; consequently, I hope that you will give me exact instructions in order that I may act properly in a similar case if it should he repeated.”
Which I have the honor to communicate to you, inclosing copies of the communications to which reference is made above, to the end, that in view of them, your superior authority may dictate the measures which it judges opportune.
Liberty in the constitution.
The Citizen Minister of War and Marine, Mexico.
A true copy.
On account of the sickness of the citizen chief clerk.
First Official.
No. 1.
cavalry corps—colonel.
At this moment, four o’clock in the afternoon, I have received notice by a herder that a party of negroes crossed, a quarter of a league from the ranch of the Patiños, at eleven o’clock in the morning, in pursuit without doubt of certain Indians, since they arrived at the camp which the latter lately occupied, and opened a case of ammunition. As I am informed, they are not all negroes, since there are some Indians from the Gato. I start out opportunely with a force for the purpose of investigating the truth of the facts, and to give battle if it should be necessary.
Liberty in the constitution.
The Citizen General
Chief of the Line, Piedras Negras.
No. 2.
first cavalry
corps—colonel.
At five o’clock in the afternoon of the 29th of September last the Citizen Municipal President of this city informed me verbally that a party of American soldiers had invaded our territory, apparently with the object of pursuing the Lipan Indians, who by chance are encamped at a league and a half from the ranch of the Patiños, in the direction of the desert, and distant four leagues from this city. I immediately made arrangements to march, with a body of 100 cavalry from the corps of my command, accompanied by the citizens Vicente Garza, Espiridion Meza, Vicente Hernandez, and two other citizens, who voluntarily offered to assist me in the expedition and serve me as guides in case of necessity. Upon leaving this city, I took the direction of the congregacion del Remolino, and between the two places I received a communication from the auxiliary judge of the congregacion, informing me that the Americans had passed in the neighborhood of that town, after assaulting the camp of the Lipans, burning their temporary habitations, and carrying off five old Indian women captured in the assault, and a considerable number of horses, which, according to information which I have now received, do hot alone belong to the Indians, but also to various citizens having their ranches near the place where the former were encamped. At half past twelve o’clock in the night I arrived at Remolino, where I was also joined by six volunteers, and I immediately dispatched an advance column composed of twenty men of my corps and ten men of that vicinity who were acquainted with the country, under the command of Capt. C. Aurelio Campos, in order that, taking the trail of the American force, they might follow it until they were able to recognize and observe its movements, while the rest of my force fed their horses and followed the movement afterward.
At seven o’clock in the morning of the following day the said Captain Campos sent me word that he had succeeded in overtaking the American force at the head of San Diego River, directing its march now in the direction of the Rio Bravo, after having incorporated with another force which had been camped there, and 200 men more, who crossed at Palo-Blancar above the villa of Jimenez in order to protect the retreat of the force which had come to attack the Lipans; and, upon seeing the Mexican force, they came out of the camp which they occupied, took possession of an embankment, and formed a line of battle, which might have been composed of 500 cavalry, both [Page 533] forces remaining face to face; and the American soldiers, after executing various changes of front, which were executed at the same time by the Mexican advance guard, which remained at a short distance, began to retire, and on seeing the rest of the force which I brought, commenced their movement rapidly in the direction of the pass known as Thirty-one, the force of Campos following at a short distance from their rearguard and my corps for about five leagues beyond the said head of San Diego River, from which place I decided to return, as it was now impossible to overtake them in consequence of the great fatigue of my cavalry, it having made a march of over thirty leagues; and, as I was informed by those who knew the ground, that from there in advance there was no water for more than fifteen leagues, for which reason I decided to move in the direction of San Vicente, where I remained twelve hours for the purpose of observing the movements which the American force might make, or to prevent their return to the passes by which they had crossed into our territory, and having received notice by my explorers that they had taken the direction of the said pass of Thirty-one, I decided to return in order to give food to the force and rest to the horses, convinced that the American force would pass over to its territory that same day, which I have the honor to make known to you for your information, and in the fulfillment of my duty.
Constitution and liberty.
The Citizen General
Piedras Negras.
True copies.
On account of the sickness of the citizen chief clerk,
First Official.
department of war and marine—section 1.
The Citizen President of the Republic being informed of your communication of the 9th instant, in which you transcribe the communication sent you by the Citizen General Falcon in regard to the passage of United States forces into the national territory, he orders me to say to you in reply that if a similar case should be repeated you subject yourself strictly to the instructions which have been given to you by the general-in-chief of the division of the North, in conformity with the orders which the department under my charge gave to said chief on the 18th of June of the present year.
Liberty and constitution.
A true copy.
On account of the sickness of the citizen chief clerk,
First Official.
department of war and marine—section 1.
I have the honor to place in your hands a copy of the communication, which under date of the 9th instant the Citizen General Francisco Naranjo has addressed to this department, as well as copies of the documents which accompany it, in order that in view of them you may decide upon what is proper.
Liberty in the constitution.
The Citizen Secretary of the Department of
Foreign Affairs,
Present.
mexican republic, department of foreign affairs—section of america.
Your communications of the 19th and 20th instant, relating to the invasion of the national territory by a party of American soldiers, have been received, which act took place on the 29th of September last, according to the reports rendered by the mayor of Piedras Negras and Colonel Rodriguez.
[Page 534]Information is already given to the Mexican legation in Washington of the said communications of your department, instructing it to protest before that government against this aggressive act toward the republic, and communicating to it the other instructions proper for the defense of the rights of the same.
Liberty in the constitution.
The Citizen Secretary of War and Marine.
True copies.
Chief Clerk.