File No. 812.00/6498B.
The Secretary of State to the American Ambassador.
Washington, March 3, 1913.
The following report of firing across the border on March 2 near Douglas has just been received:
While patrolling two miles west of Douglas, Lieutenant W. C. F. Nicholson, with three men was fired on by forty or fifty Mexicans from a point across, the boundary. The lieutenant with his men rode toward them merely to investigate which side of the boundary the Mexicans fired from. He made no hostile demonstration but before he had an opportunity to speak to them they fired about fifty shots at him from about ten yards. Sixteen other patrols came up to support Nicholson, having heard the shots. Nicholson thereupon returned the fire, held his position, and was later reinforced by Troops. E and F, Ninth Cavalry, Captain Armstrong; these troops also fired on the Mexicans, who retreated, firing, and were finally dispersed in disorder. At least a thousand shots were interchanged. At least six Mexicans killed. No American casualties.
I arrived during the engagement, with Inspector of Immigration Heath, Deputy Marshal Hopkins and my Secretary, and can vouch for the information.
Morrison,
United States Attorney.
You may say to the Government that the information received by the Department seems to show that the aggressors were the Mexican troops and the action of the United States troops was the perfectly justifiable action of repelling what is known in international law as foreign invasion of national territory.
For any discreet use that may seem necessary, you are informed that although Colonel Guilfoyle had ordered patrols if fired upon to return fire and pursue regardless of international boundary, the following instructions have been sent him by General Bliss in command of the army headquarters at San Antonio, Texas.
In case of intentional firing from Mexican side upon persons on the American side your proposed action in using rifle fire when necessary to stop such shooting is approved. If the firing from Mexican side consists of random shots accidentally reaching our side you will use every proper means to induce citizens to temporarily withdraw from zone of fire but you will not in any event send or allow any armed American troops, to cross the border without specific instructions to that effect from these headquarters or the War Department. Keep these headquarters fully advised of the situation and report any important action taken by you.
With reference to the Department’s past telegrams on the subject of the situation at Cananea and elsewhere in northern Sonora, you should impress upon the administration at Mexico City the paramount necessity of taking steps adequate to control the situation in that section. The Department is apprehensive that if feeling should run unusually high, as a result of the apparently quite unwarranted and deplorable action of the Mexican troops near Douglas, the safety of Americans and American interests in northern Sonora will be seriously jeopardized and that a situation may be created which will be most difficult for this Government to deal with and which [Page 755] may permanently injure the administration at Mexico City and materially retard, if not quite frustrate for the present, the efforts to control and pacify the northwestern region of Mexico.