Yankton daily press and Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1875, 1875-07-19
The Mexican Raid. on the Tcxa.
, Border.

D Border.
CoRrus CuRisrl, Texas, July 81
have just arrived here frbm a trip
along the entire Mexican frontier,
where the recent difficulties have pre-
vailed. The entire border is in a
state of turmoil, and has been for
years, indeed almost since the Mexi-
can war, robbing and numbering GO
ing on unchecked, until the residents
on the American side have begun to
despair of peace or any redress on the
part of our government.
Texas has been and always will be
a great stock country, its vast plains
and prairies being peculiarly adapted
to cattle raising, and this section, cx-
tending from Brownsville on our
frontier to Ringgold barracks and Rio
Grande City, III Starr county, some
800 miles farther on, has long been
particularly noted in this respect.
While the Americans under these
favorable auspices have been raising
cattle, the Mexicans under the protcc.
tion Of their corrupt officials have
stolen them, thus running any profits
that might result from honest enter.
prise, and doing much ltoward dcpop-
ulating the country. For years this.
has bccn going on, but lattcrly, grow
ing from bad to worse, has begun to
attract the attention of our entire pco-
pie, and our government may yet
move in the matter.
Outragcs have been SO long con-
timed aud SO numerous that it is hard
to name any definite time as their
commencement, but the last success.
tion Of raids commenced some six or
eight months ago by an invasion of
some 200 armed Mexicans, who sue.
cceded- stealing and driving
some 500 head of cattle, besides mur.
dering several citizens. Cortina, who
for long time has been telling the
great middle and lower classes OF
Mexico that Texas right!ully belonged
to them, himself instituted and direct.
ed this raid, and was naturally over:
\ joycd at its success. This raid, it is
since claimed, was part Of project
he has long had on foot Born on
the border, with his early life passed
in frontier warfare, Cortina was natur-
ally familiar with the feelings of his
people, and when the war with Maxi.
milan and the French was going on,
h. made a. number OF friends among
the lower orders, at the same time
amassing All immense fortune by steal.
ing cattle.
The war over, large number OF
vagabonds who had served in the
army joined him in the province OF
state Of Tamaulipas, where he made
himself SO powerful that the home
government. with Juarez at its, head
dared not touch him, and lie did pret.
ty mucii~as he pleas. When Lerdc
became president he also conciiatcG
!: Cortina, and the robbcr cllicf-for lie
was nothing more-rulcd his state
and carried matters on the borde,
with high hand.
Naturally, his pride grew with bis
power, and latterly it was whispered
among certain classes that Cortin;
ought to be president, when he could
take back Texas and drive away tht
cursed Americans. Your averag,
border Mexican has no higher idea o
ambition than to be successful rob
ber, and when this became rumorc,
around, he became firmly allied to tn,
project and the recent raids were tn,
result. For long time these contin
ued unchecked, and the frontier wa
! -tstmost desolated;;l.but at5last=our=peo
pie have raised companies of rangers
and have been defending themselves
In the first raid, as already men
toned, some 500 head Of cattle wer
!; carried off into Mexico. The success
of this inspired others, and at inter
walls Of three or four days ever since
: armed bodies of Mcxicans have cross
3 ed the river ut various points an
' stolen in the aggregate thousands {
heads Of cattle, killing and murderin
tho drovers and settlers wherever the
y were encountered, and always escaf
J, ing into Mexico, where. they wel
= protected by their officials. Dete
mined to give thcm.a signal check, a
dunng the early part Of Nav con
panySof men under Capt. Mcneil
a were secretly preparing. and abo,
5 the middle Of the mouth encampe
near q place called Los Rucias, son
80 miles above Brownsville, on til
n Rio Grande. Here they remaine
!, until Sunday, the 18th, when wo.
was brought into camp to get read
with two day., ,rations, apd-sttnrt it
mediately on scout-in the direttie
Of Brownsville. The march was il
! mediately taken up, with Lieut.<R
'r inson in command. After drea,
l. ride through the chapparel, they d