The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1875-07-08
COrtina-A Biographical sketch OF the
RiO Grande Cut-Ihroat-BIs Intense
Hatred of Americans.

AdysriRe, Ksatackg.
Cortina-A Biographical sketch OF the
RiO Grande Cut-Ihroat-IIs Intense
Hatred OF Americans.
He is a native of the Sierra Madre Noun
tains, over fifty years old, five feet, seven
inches high, swarthy, broad-shouldered and
with piercing black eyes. Previous to our
Mexican war he lived with his mother on
rancho near Brownsville, and was locally
celebrated for his horsemanship, his skill
with the lariat and pistol and the assiduity
with which he devoted himself to gambling
and cock-fghtirg. When the Mexican war
began he became courier, spy and bush
whacker in the Mexican service, and soon
made a reputation which clung TO him after
the war, and caused him TO be feared and
Stunned even in time of peace. lie way
laid and murdered Col. Trueman Cross,
United States Quartermaster General. This
was the first bloodshed IN Gen. Taylor's
army of observation. Lieut.. Porter and
three other men soon after fell by Cortina's
hand. His intense hatred of Americans has
never tagged for moment since. In 1859
he witnessed the shooting of Mexican in
Brownsville by the city marshal, named
Spears, Cortina advanced upon Spears
spoke to him, and then deliberately shot
him in the face. Escaping to AIatamoros,
he soon after reappeared at daybreak with
thirty mounted and armed Mexicans in front
of the Brownsville Jail. The jallor brave
Connecticut volunteer, who had remained
in Texas after the war, refused to give up
the keys, and killed a Mexican who at
tempted to take them from him. The next
moment he was pierced with bullets and
hacked to pieces with Mexican sabres.
4 III Al.
Mexicans and Americans, in the jail, en-
rolled them in his band, and retreatcd at
the mead of nearly one hundred cut-throats,
after numbering another citizen, named
Neill, against whom he had a grudge.
This was the beginning of a remarkable
career, in which, as bandit chief and
scourge of the Texan frontier, he has ever
since remained the ruling spirit in the Mexi-
can State of Tamaulipas. Taking position
at his mothers rancho, and issuing pro-
nounciamento promising to retal1e the land
fad ovsf e560 gffnS nttH, nteR SG &trh
and others who fiocked to his standard, he
occupied and desolated the frontier of
Texas for five months in spite of all the
forces sent against him by Mexican and
American authorities. With 1000 men, ar
tlllery and munitions of war, he kept
Brownsville in state of siege, conpricted
Mexican residents, seized United States
mails, drove immense herds of stock to Mexi-
CO, murdered citizens in every direction,
and fought numerous bloody battles and
skirmishes with inferior bodies of Texan
rangers. At last small body of United
States infantry, artillery and cavalry, under
Major Heintzleman, and Capts. Stoneman
and ricketts,, came to the assistance of the
rangers, and drove Cortina from strong
position near the old Palo Alto battle
grounds, after sharp fight. Cortina, now
feeling strong enough to revolutionize Tam
aulIpas, make himself king of the border
and return to Texas with larger army,
marched up the river 10 RIO Grande City,
expecting to plumber and recruit as he went,
and finally to march upon Matamoros and
make himself master OF Tamaulipas by de-
claring for the church party. He was sur
prised by thq Americans at RIO Grande
City, on the Mexican side. His forces were
scattered, with the loss of sixty slain on the
spot, and many more killed in the pursuit
| on Mexican soil. With fragment of his
command, he recrossed the river, and again
commenced his plunderng operations, but
was again overtaken and routed with heavy
loss by the rangers.
| This pursuit of Cortina and the battle on
the other side of the river caused great ex-
citement in Mexico, where his exploits had
been exaggerated and hailed as patriotic.
Gen. Twiggs, however, diusted the diff
Guilty with the Mexican authorities and
| CoItina, defeated of the end he aimed at,
retired to a rancho, where he lived IN great
style and profusion upon his stolen wealth.
During the French invasion he played pa
/ triotic, rallied his old banditti, seized the
/ gubernatorial chair of TamauIipas, and shot
all who questioned bis authority. The
al. l.s 4 Ia kr.Na II
clare for them il they would leave him un-
disturbed in his little dcspotism. They re-
fused and he began murderous aud plum
dering guerrilla warfare ON his own hook,
and kept it up until they forced him to take
refuge inside the lines OF the United States
forces then waging war against the Con-
| federatee.
/ Since the war he has constantly retained
/ the attachment of the lower and criminal
class Of border Mexicans, ana byh aggres-
sive and domineeriDg acts has futimidAted
the educated and law-abiding citizens OF
Tamaulipas. His followers have kept up
their old occupation Of cattle stealing from
TEXAS IN spite OF the Mexican government.
In defiance OF its authority and ITS troops,
who are marching against him, be Is arm
ing TO revenge the punlshment-0f his
raiders, and 10 repeat his Texan campaign
of 1853. With nearly the whole Mexican
population Of Tamaulipas At his back, be IL
capable OF immense mischief, and il be
j eludes Gen. Fuero, or whips him, there will
be warm work IN Texas. The sooner the
better, because the exercises will conclude
with warm work on the Mexican side of
the line and sudden death 10 Cortina. As
this latter is the nine qua non Of peace on
the border, ring up the curtain and Jet the
play &c on. or all possible complications
between the two North American republics,
CortinA living is the most dangerous.
sas CITY Times.