New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-01-27
WASHINGTON.
ATALK WITH APT. McNALLY.


TExhs-RETAIIATION THE ONLY CURE
,-o,, ann. ,,c,-, Al CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRrBUNEI
WAsHvGroS, Jan 26.-Capt. McNa'iy ""o - -,
command Of the Texas state troops ho"
rnorI dutv ON the Rio Grande frontier, arrived IN
Washington few days ago, having been summons"
a. ,oa.;f i, tbe investigation now making Ivy the
cnooiol vexican Border Committee. The captain is
80 Intelligent gentleman and an accomplished
la;ar wno served in the Confederate army during
tbe whole war; and the greater part OF the tihe aV
the front where there plenty OF hghtlng 10 no.
His descriptions and explanations OF the mexican
raids into Texas are very interesting ana eha"ie
,hoss who hear him to understand better than has
beretotore been possible the difficulties III the way
of preyenting these hostile incursions. In CONVEX
sation with Capt. McNally a day or two ago. ne de-
scribed TO me at considerable length the character ol
the country along the Texas bank of the mo Granue
River and of the people who live there the haoi'7
~ the Mexican outlaws, the manner in which these
raids arc made and suggested the remedies which TIC
Thought might be effective in preventing future III
cursions. ,;L
"Wbat kind of a country" | asked, " is that when
horders the Rio Grandef Is it open prairle, or Is
t,er, n wide bottom along the river banks, COW
cred with thick growth OF wood and under
growth" .,.
a strip of country about 90 miles wide on each
side of therver" he replied dis covered with what
Is called in Mexico 'chaparral' 1t is a thcket Oh
tropical or semi-trOpica shrubs, which, on account
Of its density and the immense horns with when IL
is thickly covered is literally inpenetraoie except
where trails have been cut through 1t. hardiy
know how can convey to you dehillte loea Oh l's
character but You may judge something oil the
difficulties If campaigning i'll such country "heh
Tell Won that although two trails may extend almost
HI !, o.I,a M u1orp
apart still it is often necessary to travel as far as
seven or eight miles in order to find point where 1t
is possible to pass from to another. 1t is like
tbicEei of enormous thistes 10 feet high, with the
thors hard and woody and large as your finger.
Ii is almost impossible to get ones way through IT,
The best corps OF sappers aad miners that ever saw
would hardly advance 100 yards day through TINS
chaparral Along the river banks there has been
constructed road, but the river Is so crooked that
this trail does not follow all of its bends so that
while at times it touches the brink OF the river at
Others it will be from half mile to mile away.
THIS road itself as it extends through the chaparTai
is far from being straight 80 that 1T is rarely possible
when riding along it to see any OBJECT more IMAM
few hundred yards ahead.
Extending at right angles from the general
course of the river through the chappara" he con-
tinued are trails ten or twelve miles apart, and
sometimes at shorter intervals. These extend out
into the open prairie and the only means of COM
munication between the grazing lands and the river
The Mexican raiders rarely cross the Rio Grande III
force. They meet at some point on the Mexican SIDE
and agree to reassenble several days later at
ranch OF river on the American side, each one driv-
ing in the cattle which i'll the mean time he
may have stolen. Having arranged their plans.
they cross the river Ill squads of two, or three,
or five in each. at different points, and
IL. p1,,... Il iron a
$50 miles into the interior of Texas. Each squad
selects from the herds in the section assigned to 1t
the best cattle, and at the appointed time proceeds
10 the rendezvou agreed upon. The cattle are then
all placed in one :, and, everything being ready,
they start for the Tiyer rapidly as possible Cen
orally the raiders reach the river, or are very near to
it, before anything is learned OF their movementsb by
those in command of troops; and then, owing TO the
character of the country which / have described,
and the rapidly with which the Mexicans move, II
is very seldom that they can be overaken. With
my men have often arrived on the bank of the rver
after a long chase and seen the MeXicans encampcd
Oh the other side with the cattle in their possession
They are very saucy, and sometimes challenge us in
very insulting to come over and get the stock,
knowing very well that cannot do IT,"
"YOu remarked that these cattle thieves penetrate
from 100 to $50 miles into Texas" l said; is II
not dangerous for them to venture far away from
the riveri"
There is very little danger" he replied. "Thcse
depredatons have been going so long that nearly
all the cattle in Texas which formerly grazed on
belt " country from so to 100 miles WIDE and
bounded by the river, have been stolen and the
ranches destroyed. That belt of country, 800 400
miles long, IS almost destitute Of population. The
settlers have almost no means OF communication
with each other, and even if it was"known that
band of Mexicans about 10 make raid, it would
generally be impossible TO get together sufficient
force Of Texans TO make any determined resistance.
Besides this, the Texan Tancheros do not dare 10
make any resistance, or even to give information
when they have been robbed.
From my description of the character of the cOun-
try you will see how difficult il is 10 intercept
band OF Mexicans, even when information of one of
these incursions has been obtained On one occa-
sion ! informed the commandant Of the United
States troops that raid III force TO be made at
about certain date aud that the cattle would be
driven across the river at given point. He sta
toned two companies Of cavalry in the chaparral at
q short distance apart, and deployed men on either
side, in order 10 intercept the party il passed.
But the Mexicans passed between the two compa-
MES without being discovered until they had nearly
reached the river. Then tho soldiers followed Them
and arrived Just in time to them drive the cattle
cut on the other side. A few shots were exchanged
and the Mexicans obliged to abandon fcw of the
cattle that mired in the mud, but escaped with
the most of item.
"Are these Mexicans good hghtersp asked.
Eyes Sir" was his reply, they will stand killing
well as any people ever If any expect IT,
to gain much glory in fighting superior numbers of
these Mexican raiders, ho will be- very much mis-
taken Ii is fact that the Mexcans of the interior