New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-02-03
THE BORDER.
Report of the Secretary Of War o.
Mexican Border Troubles.

Report of the Secretary of War o. tn,
Mexican Border Troubles.
WASHINGTON, February 1.-The Secretary
of War transmitted to the House of Rep
reeentatives for the information of thu
special committee on Mexican border
troubles, in response to a letter from thai
committee, tor copies of reports and cores
pOndence IN 1874, 1875 and 1885, relative t.
the troubles on the Rio Grande frontier.
In reply to the inquiry Of the committee
whether the department can dispose of q
sufficient force to give complete protection
to the Rio Giande border from the mouth
of the river to Laredo, and at such points
between Laredo and Fort DennisOn as NAV
need protection, without detriment to the
general service, the force necessary in the
opinion of the commissioner being two
full regiments Of the best class mounted
troops with infantry to garrison the main
stat'"rs. the General OF the army reports as
follows:
I1ouDt the possibility of preventing all
raids across the Mexican border, from
Brownsville to Eagle Pass, 3 50 miles, but
they may be in great measure prevented
by increasing the strength Of the comp anes
on the frontier. Congress, by simply au-
thorizing the President at his discretion to
increase each of the companies serving
there to 100 enlisted men, would meet the
other course possible.
One such regiment of infantry, say the
Eleventh or Twentieth, with one regiment
of cavalry, the Eighth and part of the
Tenth, thus increased, would suffice, am
convinced that q single company of 100
men is more efficient than two of the pres.
ent small companies.
The only cavalry regiment that could be
sent to the Rio Grande this winter would
mi
railroad, and that would leave this road ex-
posed to raids from the Sioux, who are al
ways mistrusted.
The documents are voluminOue, having
much information concerning depredatiOns,
from army officers and others. The follow
ing are extracts.
Major A. P. Morrow, in a report dated
December l6, 1875, says he had reliable ir-
formation that $50 Apaches and KickapoOs
were then encamped on the spot where Gen
eral Mackenzie struck them in Nav, 1873
They were nearly destitute, having recently
been driven from the plains by Colonel
Skater. In his opinion these are the In.
diaas who are driving the cattle from San
Felipe. There seemed to Major Morrow no
possibility of stopping their raids except
by following them across the river.
Lieutenant Goodman, under date of De
cember IS, writes that OF the twenty-third
he proceeded to the Rio Grande river, a
point where it was reported that some 500
head of cattle had been crossed. The cat
tie it was said by the citizens of the place,
had been stolen from their herd either by
Mexicans or Indians. More than 200 head
had been driven over. The depredatiOns
are all committed SO near the Ilver that it
is almost impossible to recover stolen prop
erty without following them across. 1t was
reported by a citizen that he saw two Next
cans drive 100 head of cattle over the river.
The general impression is that the MexicaDs
and Indians have RENDEZVOUS in the noun
tains and work together.
Captain L. ii. Carpenter states that while
at Del Norte he learned from reliable
American residents on the Mexican side
that band of Wescarle Apaches Effected
an agreement with the Mexican government
some time ego amounting to truce. under
which they have been trading continually
in the Mexican towns OF Preside del Norte,
residing for the most OF The time, however,
in the Sierra Blanca, near tho town Of San
Carloe, Mexico. Captain Carpenter is sat
lated from what he has learned from vari-
ana sources that these Indians have been