The New York herald., 1876-03-13
General Gideon ]. Pillow on the
Texas Border Raids.
THE DEVASTATION OF THE FRONTIER.
A Change in the Boundary Line the Only
Effective Remedy.
THE OPERATIONS OF CORFINA AND HIS BAND


have read the editorial article in the HERALD OF
the % inst the suggestions OF General sheridan and
tho statements and opinions OF witnesses before the
Congressional committee with interest, and in view OF
the Importance Of the subject under consideration
trust will be pardoncd for offering what regard tho
only solution OF those Texas border troubles.
First--we' have the most ndisputable proofs that
these robber raids have laid waste and depopua,ed
bell OF about sixty miles the Texas side of the Rio
Grande and that this wasted region extends nearly 500
miles up and down that river. .frs 80
Second-That these robocr raids have continued
for over ten years. they have increased in the
strength OF tho robber forco aud nt the frequency OF
the raids and are penetrating deeper and deeper into
Texas as the supply OF cattle exhausted and as the
population have been murdered or have been driven
from their homes in poverty and desttution
Yhfrd-That this system OF brigandagc and OF robber
war mas been going on and kept up, notwithstanding
the loud complaints Of the people Of Texas and the 70
monstrances OF government with that OF Mexico.
The only known excuse explanation given by the
Mexican government is that II cannot control Its popu-
ation.
Now can such state OF things be allowed to cou-
tnuef No duty be clearer than that our govern
ment must protect It's territory aud people from this
predatory Mexican army II has already shown great
forbearanco TO the weakness OF tho Mexican govern
ment Can II tolerate longer these ourages on its peo
pie Can longer accept the that the Mexican
government cannot control its own people?
These predatory nvasions Of our territory and the
murder and robbery OF our people are now and have
been the past years good causes for war; and
would have been treated as such by any other gov
ernment
II would require mounted force of 10000 men on
frontier guard it from these robber raids The
expense to this government OF force constantly
~ tat To
place force equal to the duty OF following these Or
ganized bands of robbers into Mexican territory and
there chastiso them and thus put end to these in
vasions would accomplish the desired results, for
the rcasons:-
Ffrst-lf our cavalry cannot overtake and cut up
these bands OF robbers side of the river (which
Is admitted fact how could they do so on the Mex
lean sde2 These bands oil robbers are familiar with
the interior OF their own country When hard pushed
they would disband and scatter through the chaparra
mountains Of the Interior where pursuit by body OF
troops would become impossible II our forces
scatter land weaken the bodyr they would be
liable, upon concentration OF the enemy IN their 'front.'
these bands into Mexican territory would rouse the
whole population of these border States, and would
surely bring on war. No government in Mexico could
stand before the people which would consent 10 these
nvasions oLs territory There not less than 80 900
900 Of these Mexican robbers tho two States OF
Tamaulipas and New Leon. They all expert horse
men, Their horses fleet the deer, and possess
great activity aud endurance. They are thoroughly
trained to the dash OF the robbers and will penetrate
chaparral IRON which tho American horse and his
rider would reco The Mexican poems are all clothed
IN dressed leather and could pass unharmed through
chappara thcket which would strip bare and tear The
fesn OF tho Amer lean soldier
Ny conviction is that all such expedlcnts but
temporary. paliativcs. They will not put end 10
these troubles. They will but satisfy these organized
bands of robbers OF the immunity with which they can
poAe this army OF robbers, constitute Dne-tenths OF
the population OF these border States, They cultivate
small crops OF corn barley and wheat, and they have
threeourths OF the year which they can devote 10
plundering the American territory and supplying
themselves with beef
The Rio Grande River is nearly dried up for nine
months IN the year. and Is wholly unsued for ma
tional boundary line.
There is but one remedy for these troubles that will
give permanent peace the border. That remedy is
government take possession of the States of
Tamaulipas and New Leon, making the Panuco River
and the sierra Madre Mountains the boundary between
the two governments This being done II should organ
ize these states into territorial governments, arrest
and try all the robbers they catch by military
commission for murder robbery, &c. That will give
peace to the country and will add to IL territory
equal in Its ability of productveneSs and its climate TO
the Island Of Cuba
The state Of Tamaulipas is n Gulf State, with about
500 miles OF coast front, extending from the Rio
Grande 10 Tampco the south and To tho Sierra
Madre Mountains tho west and Is equal to por
ton OF the earth Tor the production OF sugar and tho
tropical fruits New Leon is interior State consist
ing of mountains and valleys. resembling much West
Virginia Eastern Ohio The Panuco River is broad
and Deep and sixty miles its mouth it would
float a man owar The water the bar at its
mouth is IRON eleven TO thirteen feet deep
Thus river cuts through the mouniain-the ono
branch being the Montczuma and coming out of the
valley OF Mexico and the other is the San Louis de
Potosi, and comes out Of the State Of that name.
From the mouth OF this river to the cut through the
mountain IL would constitute hno national boundary
From the point of intersection OF the river ana noun
mountain and norhwardly 1t is on its eastern face
great chain OF brown basaltic rock, from 5000 10
TO- 900 feet high with perpendicular eastern face and
utterly bare Of vegetation OF any sort on the summit
and side.
From the Panuoo River 10 Satio, distance of about
600 miles, there but small aud narrow passes
ouly capable OF allowing single mule TO pass aud
these passes arc high up on the mountain The first or
these passes going north Is known the Santa Bar
bara pass; tho second Is al Victoria Fortify these
passes and single company Of artillery could protect
Them against any force which could come against
Al saliino, IN front OF which Is the battle acd OF
Buena VISTA the great road from the capital Of Mcxco
passes to the north
This pass fortified regiment could hold It against
any ordinary force.
Victoria situated at the base OF the mountain and
nearly equally distant from Tampco aud Monterey,
is the capital OF Tamaupas, or was in lS4T Monterey
is the capital OF New Loon.
From Sa!tlo the line should form the main cham OF
mountain northwest until lntcrsccts present
boundary line twould cut the states OF Cohahua and
Chihuahua
This was the boundary that President Polk was most
anxious TO have established when had conquered
all Mexico and which he would have established but
for embarrassmcnts need not here advert
To establish this great natural boundary as our
tionaI ono is the only permanent settlement Of the
Texas border troubles which IS possible.
The writer marched this country during the
Mexican war aud has personal knowledge of what he
has Wrlttcn-
Mexico has given US constant cause OF war for the
past ten years. | do favor declaring against
her. But II she Is saying she control
the population OF her two northern border States Il
becomes necessity FOR our government TO take pos.
session OF the territory TO this great natural boundary
ourselves govern and control this turbulent ele.
nent which she cannot control
This would be Indemnity for the past aud security
for the future"
II Mexico chose to consider this act OF ours cause
OF as II would bel let her accept IL and have IL
20 her hearts content II she wanted few million Of
dollars reconcile her tho loss OF territory give
her S5 900, 900 or even SIC. 600 O0O
This done we should have more border troubles
The Panuco River IS mpassahle NJ all times except in
fcrryboats and for 6O0 miles no living animal could
pass over the mountains except AZ the two narrow
passes already Indicated above Yours. respectfully
GIDEON J. PILLOW.
A SKETCH OF THE OPERATIONS on TIM BORDER
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