The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-07-22
FRACAsEs ON THE FRONTIER

CORTINA AND HIS COMPANIONS.
MEXICAN RAIDS ON THE TEXAS BohDEh-
CoRTrNA-A DESPERATE FIGHT-ARREsT OF
CopTTxA-FtrRTHER TROUBLE EXPECTED.
4 correspondent writes to the Chicago
Times from Corpus Christi: have just ar
rived here from a trip along the entire Next
can frontier. where the recent difficulties
nave prevailed. The entire border is in a
state of turmoil, and has been for years,
indeed almost since tie Mexican war. rob-
hing aud numbering going on unchecked,
until the residents on the American SIDE
have begun 10 despair of peace, or any re-
dress on the part OF our govern
ment Texas has been and al
ways viii be great stock
Ueculisrly adaped TO cattle raising, and this
section. extending from Brownsville on our
frontier TO Ringgold barracks and Rio
Grande City, in Starr county, SUI miles
farther on, has long been particularly noted
in this respect While the Americans under |
these favora bie auspices have been raising /
cattle. the Mexicans, under the protection |
of their corrupt officials, nave stolen them,
thus running all profits that might result
from honest Enterprise, and dong much TO- |
wards depopnleting the country. For years
this has been going on, but latterly, grow |
inc from tad to worse, has begun to attract !
the attention OF our entire people, ana our
government may yet move In the matter:
Outrages hare been so long continued and
40 numerous that it is hard to name any
definite time as their commencement, out
the last succes siOn Of raids commenced some
six or eight months ago by an invasion OF
some 200 armed Mexicans, who succeeded
in stealing and driving off some 500 head OF
cattle besides numbering several citizens.
Corting who tor long time has been tell
inc the great middle and lower classes Of
Mexico chat Texas rigntfully belonged to
~--TF cd Qn Fe1
raid ard was naturally overioyed at its sue
cess. This raid, it is since claimed, was
mart OF a project he has long had on foot.
B5rn on the border. with
HIS EARLY LIFE
passed in frontier warfare, Cortina was
naturally familiar with the feelings of his
neople. and when the war with Macmillan
and the French was going on, he made q
number Of friends among the lower orders,
at the same time amassiDg an immense for
tune by stealing cattle. The war over, a
large number OF vagaoonds VINO hao served
in the army Joined him in the province or
state of Tamaulipa where he made himself
so powerful that the home government, with
JuareZ at it's head, dare not touch him, and
he did pretty much as he pleased When
Lerdo became president he also conciliated
Cortina and The robber chief-for he was
netting more-ruled his state and
carried matters on the border with a
high hand. Naturally his pride
grew with This power and latJerly it was
whispered among certain classeshat Cor
tina ought 20 be president, when he could
take back Texas and drive away the curse of
of Americans. Your average border Mexican
has no higher idea or ambition than TO be g
successful robber and when this became
rumored around, be became firmly allied to
the project, and the recent raids were the re-
suit For long time these continued I'M
checked and the frontier was almost DESC
t,.,f NJ los
companies of rangers, and have been defend
ing themselves. In the first raid, as already
mentioned, some 800 head of cattle were car
ried off into Mexico. The success Of this in
spired others, and atintervals or three or four
DAYS ever since, armed bodies of Mexicans
have crossed the river at various points and
stolen in the aggregate thousands of heads
of cattle, killing and numbering the drivers
and settlers wherever they were eneount-
cred, and always escaping into Mexico
where they were protected by their officers
Determined TO give them q signal check, al
during the early part OF May company o
men under Capt McNelly were secretly
preparing, and about the middle of tn
month encamped near place called Lo
Rucias some so miles above Brownsville, OIL
the Rio Grsnde. Here they remained unit
Sunday, the 18th, when word was brough
into camp TO get ready, with two days
rations, and start Immediately on.
SCOUT
III bUS ulACCt4On VI DIOWuSNhlOs LILO LudIC
was Immediately taken up, with Lieut.. Rot
inson in command. After a dreary rid
through the chspparal, they arrived with
eighteen miles of Brownsville, where the
met Sheriff Brown, of that place, and a Me1
lean guide. Hating here, scouts were ser
out, and Monday morning the command wa
Joined Dy Capt. McNelly, who reported that
large body of Mexicans, who had crosse
the river on the Friday previous, were in til
neighborhood, retreating and driving befor
them large herd of cattle. Starting imm'
diately the tal was shortly struck, and ate
sharp gallop of three or four miles, Ii
raiders were sighted. An old Texan We
was given, and the rangers charge
furiously, the Mexicans leaving the Gait
and retreating at full speed. Finding the
outnumbered the rangers two to one the
crossed salt lagoon that lay in their pa
sage and formed line of battle. Our boy
however charged across the lagoon, in tn
place about 500 yards wide and half Il
deep, McNelly ordered his men not to fire
sho. until told. Crossing in an irregul
line under heavy fire from the Mexican
their GOODNESS astOnished the enemy, wi
again broke and across
prairie some miles in extent. An irreg
lar fight then ensued, the MexIcans nigh
ing desperately under the command of OF
of Cortins's own lieutenants named Caml
Lsrma, who was shot from his horse In Il