The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1847-05-26
From the ". o. Picayune, May ID, ls47.
-Guerrlia war on the Rio Grande.


An attentive correspondent at Camareo o
has enclosed 10 us the following order, Is
sued by Canales. 1t was found upon the
in company with one Of Canales' captains
and in conf JUNCTION with him, as was sup
posed, taking measures 10 carry it into ocfect
Lieut. Bee, of Captain Lamar's company Of
rangers, happened to come upon them, ar
rested them both and brought them TO Ca
margo.
From this order 1t is manifest that the
guerrilla warIore is 10 be enforced all along
the valley Of the Rio Grande. 1t is morli-
flying TO reflect that a few disorderIy men,
such as fled from the field of battle at Buen;,
Vista and hid themselves in the qnarrles
before Monterey, have, by their murderous
conduct. given color 10 the charges with
which Canalcs commences and lards his
order; nevertheless, it is almost certain that
the system would have been put in practice
upon the Rio Grande, as it has been in the
central States, had not these outrages hap
pcned.
We have had full measure Of the glorics
Of war, but, should the guerrilla plan con-
linue any length OF time, its bu,cheries will
be appalling. The perpetrators OF acts Of
violence have, heretofore. sought to palliate
their guilt by pleading the assassination OF
their comrades as an excuse for retaliation.
There has been too much Of this already.
Bnt what will be the scenes Of havoc and
blood when "war without pity" is the
recognized nauge OF battle on both sides!
HE order of Canales is perenptory.-
1t commands his followers 10 spare neither
age nor condition. Every American found
within the territory of Mexico, whether
armed or unarmed, must be put TO the sword.
This is more savage even than the guerrilla
proc clama,ion of Salas. Canales is a gradu-
ate of sanguinary school. A robber chief
by profession and cut-throat by nature,
he is Just the man to goat over the barbara
ties of such war. That he will find excu-
ses to plundcl his own countrymen we have
no doubt, and we regret to think he will be
the last to suffer from the mode of warfare
he has adopted
The defence of the Rio Grande should
be, under the circumstances, an object Of
primary consideration. That more troops
is needed there is apparent, without taking
into consideration the necessities OF other
divisions Of the invasion:
Camp in San Augus,in, April 4, l647.
this day send to the Adjutant Inspector
of.the National Guards the following in
Structions:
learn, with the greatest Indignation, that
the Americans have committed a most hor-
rible massacre at the rancho Of the Guada-
lupe. They made prisoners, in their own
houses and by the side of their families, TWEEN
ty-fve peaceable men and Immediately shot
them. To repel this class of warfare,
which is not war, but atrocty in all its fury,
there is no other course left US than retaIia-
ton and in order to pursue this method
rendered imperitive by the fatal circum-
stances above mentioned, you will immedi-
ately declare martial law, with the under
standing that eight days after ,he.publica-
ton Of the same every individual who has
not taken up arms (being capable Of doing)
shall be considered traitor and instantly
shot.
Martial law being in force, you are bound
to give no quarters to any American whom
you may meet or who may present himself
10 you, even though he be without arms
You are also directed to publish this to all
the towns in this State, forcibIy impressing
t"oih Will tlle se"eIe punishment, tnal SLali
be inflicted for the least omission of this or
der
We have arrived at that state in which
our country requires the greatest sacrifices
her sons should glory in nothing but to be-
come soldiers, and as brave Mexcans to
meet the crisis. Therefore, if the army OF
invasion continues, and our people remain
in the towns which they have molested.
they deserve not one ray of sympathy; nor
should any one ever cease to make war
upon them. You will send copy of this
to each of your subordinates, and they are
authorized to proceed against the chiefs of
their squadrons or against their coloneis or
any other, even against me, for. any infrac-
ton Of this order---the only mode .of, saliva.
ton left. The enemy wages war against
us and even against those peaceable citizens
who, sactuated by proper impulses, desire to
remainqquiet:in their houses. Even these
they kill, without quarter and this is the
creates, favor they may expect from them.
The ~ S,xss,a eft AZ