3. Major Heintzelman to Colonel Lee.
Headquarters Brownsville Expedition,
Fort Brown, Texas, March 18, 1860.
Fort Brown, Texas, March 18, 1860.
Sir: I have the honor to enclose herewith copies of a letter from Captains Stoneman and Ford and my reply, dated to-day and yesterday.
I received information a few days since from General Garcia that Cortinas had made his appearance again at the Mera with about 40 men. I immediately gave notice to the troops on the line. Captain Stoneman suggested a plan to attack him, which was approved. They unfortunately came in collision with a force General Garcia had sent up to co-operate with them.
Both Captain Stoneman and Captain Ford are pretty well convinced that Cortinas was at the Mera that night, but got away. A boy and some women said that he was in the rancho. Another man says positively that Cortinas was in the Mera the morning before. It is very difficult to arrive at the truth.
I have no doubt but that the authorities of Matamoras are sincere in their efforts to arrest him, but I more than doubt the fidelity of their troops. Cortinas or some of his friends have recently been in the interior, and it is generally believed that he is in communication with the Miramon party. Should this party gain the ascendancy in Matamoras, I doubt whether the force at my disposal would be sufficient to protect this frontier.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
I received information a few days since from General Garcia that Cortinas had made his appearance again at the Mera with about 40 men. I immediately gave notice to the troops on the line. Captain Stoneman suggested a plan to attack him, which was approved. They unfortunately came in collision with a force General Garcia had sent up to co-operate with them.
Both Captain Stoneman and Captain Ford are pretty well convinced that Cortinas was at the Mera that night, but got away. A boy and some women said that he was in the rancho. Another man says positively that Cortinas was in the Mera the morning before. It is very difficult to arrive at the truth.
I have no doubt but that the authorities of Matamoras are sincere in their efforts to arrest him, but I more than doubt the fidelity of their troops. Cortinas or some of his friends have recently been in the interior, and it is generally believed that he is in communication with the Miramon party. Should this party gain the ascendancy in Matamoras, I doubt whether the force at my disposal would be sufficient to protect this frontier.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
S. P. Heintzelman,
Major 1st Infantry, Com’g Brownsville Expedition.
Major 1st Infantry, Com’g Brownsville Expedition.
Captain John Withers,
Asst. Adj. Gen. U. S. A., San Antonio, Texas.
Asst. Adj. Gen. U. S. A., San Antonio, Texas.
3 a.
Camp on Rio Grande, Mexico,
March 18, 1860.
March 18, 1860.
Dear Sir: We have the honor to make the following hasty report: We crossed the river with all the disposable force at our command last night, and half an hour before daybreak we were at the Mera; but instead of finding Cortinas with 40 men, as reported by the commanding officer of Matamoras, we found a body of troops claiming to be national guards. Upon arriving within about half a mile of the racho we heard the cry of a sentinel, which the guide, whom we procured in Mexico, assured us was from Cortinas’s camp; we intended to have hidden our horses in the chaparral and surrounded the place on foot and attacked it at daylight, but in endeavoring to do so, we surprised a picket guard which ran into camp and gave the alarm.
We had therefore no time to lose, but immediately charged into the place on three sides, the back being a dense chaparral; shots were exchanged before we found that our opponents claimed to be national guards, and we regret to say that one Mexican soldier and one woman were wounded, the latter mortally, while she was trying to close a door from which an officer was firing at the cavalry as they were passing the house; none of our command was wounded, but the operation has cost us four horses. While taking breakfast within a few hundred yards of the rancho, a command numbering 150 or more of foot and mounted men, arrived, and the commander thereof asked for a
conference.
We informed him that we were after Cortinas, and that we had been informed officially that he was at the Mera with forty men or more, and he informed us that he was on the same duty; yet he, as well as all his officers, disclaimed all knowledge of his whereabouts. From conversation with him and others we learned that he had been watching us during the past day and night, and this, together with the conduct of the troops, led us to believe that he intended to attack us, but found our united force too strong for him to venture an attack upon us.
During the interview he requested that we should remain where we were until he could send to Matamoras and get a reply, which we declined doing, and informed him that in the pursuit of our object we should act according to the circumstances which might arise from time to time. We shall remain on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande until the passage down of the steamer, or until our presence here is no longer required, unless we receive orders to the contrary.
We are, very respectfully, your obedient servants,
3 b.
We had therefore no time to lose, but immediately charged into the place on three sides, the back being a dense chaparral; shots were exchanged before we found that our opponents claimed to be national guards, and we regret to say that one Mexican soldier and one woman were wounded, the latter mortally, while she was trying to close a door from which an officer was firing at the cavalry as they were passing the house; none of our command was wounded, but the operation has cost us four horses. While taking breakfast within a few hundred yards of the rancho, a command numbering 150 or more of foot and mounted men, arrived, and the commander thereof asked for a
conference.
We informed him that we were after Cortinas, and that we had been informed officially that he was at the Mera with forty men or more, and he informed us that he was on the same duty; yet he, as well as all his officers, disclaimed all knowledge of his whereabouts. From conversation with him and others we learned that he had been watching us during the past day and night, and this, together with the conduct of the troops, led us to believe that he intended to attack us, but found our united force too strong for him to venture an attack upon us.
During the interview he requested that we should remain where we were until he could send to Matamoras and get a reply, which we declined doing, and informed him that in the pursuit of our object we should act according to the circumstances which might arise from time to time. We shall remain on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande until the passage down of the steamer, or until our presence here is no longer required, unless we receive orders to the contrary.
We are, very respectfully, your obedient servants,
George Stoneman,
Captain 2a Cavalry, Comd’g Regular Force.
John S. Ford,
Capt. Comd’g R. G. Squadron, Texas Rangers.
Captain 2a Cavalry, Comd’g Regular Force.
John S. Ford,
Capt. Comd’g R. G. Squadron, Texas Rangers.
C. W. Thomas,
Lieut. and Adjt. Brownsville Expedition, Fort Brown, Texas.
Lieut. and Adjt. Brownsville Expedition, Fort Brown, Texas.
3 b.
Headquarters Brownsville Expedition,
Fort Brown, Texas, March 19, 1860.
Fort Brown, Texas, March 19, 1860.
Captain: Your joint letter with Captain Ford of the 18th has been received. I much regret to hear that you failed to secure Cortinas. Should you have certain information of Cortinas being in the vicinity you will attack him; but if not, you will recross to the American side of the river, and make such disposition as you may deem necessary to protect the steamboat on her way down. Should she be attacked, and it become necessary for her protection, you will cross again to the Mexican side. Lieutenant Gillem, with company M, 1st artillery, and one gun, will join you immediately. After the boat is in safety you will direct him to return to this post.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
S. P. Heintzelman,
Major 1st Infantry, Commanding Brownsville Expedition.
Major 1st Infantry, Commanding Brownsville Expedition.
Captain G. Stoneman,
2d Cavalry, Comd’g Troops, Camp on Rio Grande, Mexico.
2d Cavalry, Comd’g Troops, Camp on Rio Grande, Mexico.
A dispatch in Difficulties on Southwestern Border, House Documents, Volume 126; Volume 128, United States House of Representatives, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1860
During the 12 years following the Mexican-American War there were present on the frontiers of Texas and Mexico many factors that tended to create disturbances. The topography of the country, the sparsity and general character of its population, the lack of an extradition treaty and of sufficient national authority, wild Indians of uncertain abode, the Mexican tariff system, all caused friction and gave encouragement to lawlessness which not only retarded the development of the region but often threatened to interrupt friendly relations between the two republics. [Border Troubles along the Rio Grande, 1848-1860, The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Vol. 23, No. 2 (OCTOBER, 1919)]
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
0 comments… add one