Lieutenant Fink to Colonel Seawell.
Headquarters, Fort Davis, Texas,
February 4, 1860.
Sir: I have the honor to report the arrival at this post to-day, from Chihuahua, of two American citizens, Messrs. McManus and Hickman. Those gentlemen have informed me that they, together with all other American citizens, as well as other foreigners, who were residents of Chihuahua, had been obliged to leave that city in consequence of a threatened attack upon it by a party of Miramon’s troops. These troops, not many in number, it is said, were assisted by a numerous band of robbers, who did respect neither life nor property of the inhabitants, especially of foreigners. As an example, they state that the town of Panal, a short time since, was taken by them after a gallant defence on the part of the inhabitants, a large number of whom having been taken prisoners were murdered in cold blood.
The governor at Chihuahua, I am informed, has solicited assistance from the military authorities of the United States at Fort Bliss.
Messrs. McManus and Hickman also called upon me to give, if possible, assistance to the inhabitants of Chihuahua in men and arms, which request, as a matter of course, I found myself forced to decline.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Theodore Fink,
1st Lieutenant 8th Infantry, Commanding Post.
The Assistant Adjutant General,
Headquarters Department of Texas, San Antonio, Texas.
A report 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)]