The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1877-12-23
gen. sherman ON War with mexico,

A reporter Of the ST. Louis G,o5e,DsEi-
oerat gives the following report OF an (os'
tcnsiblc) interview with Gen. w. I. Sher-
man, the subject matter being the pros
poets OF war with Mexico,
Would there be a war With Mexico:
do not know,
Do you think there will be;
In answer TO this question the general
said, with manifest feeling OF strong con-
yiction, 'therc Is no necessity for war ;
there is no reason why the two countries
should fight ; il seems 20 me the dlldculN
ties might be speedily adjusted without a
resort 10 gfms.'
On the subject of the recent outbreak
at san ElIZarIo, he said that, IN his indg'
ment, the trouble was in no sense ma
tional; il was purely local matter, IN
which the citiZGns-Ot Mexico W no really
not concerned. The Mexican "Iuerncd
in the affair were not citizens % ne Re-
public OF Mexico, but OF New Mexico, a
territory OF the United States. They were
really citizens OF the United States, and
allied 10 Mexico by reason OF race and
language. The trouble in Ell Paso couns
~ was about an old salt mine or mines.
The product OF these mines had been free
TO the inhabitants tor years, and the co.'s
lision was the result OF demand on the
part of the spectators TO pay for the
salt. When the dispatch IRON Governor
Hubbard TO, the president was received,
it was referred TO the secretary Of war,
and by him referred 10 General sherman,
who ordered General Sheridan 70
SEND ALL THE TROOPS
he could, who. in accordance herewith,
sent forward all available troops 20 the
scene of the difficulty. Troops W re
| moved to I'll Paso with all possible speed
from Forts Bayard, stanton, Davis and
Sante Fe for the protection of imperi!ed
citizens, but the trouble was considered
at no time by the military authorities rs
national. 1t was purely a trouble cons
fined to FL Paso, Texas. A proof Of this
was the fact that no Mexican crossed the
Rio Grande, and that the Mexican aus
thorities gave orders that no Mexican
citizens should cross to the eastern side
Of the river.
In the event of war Gen. Sherman said
there would not be any delay in concen>
trating n sufficiently strong protective
force on the Rio Grande. lie did notan-
ticipate an invasion and was decided in
his convictions that Mexico desired no
war with the United States. Should the
Greasers have the hardihood to throw an
invading army across the Rio Grande, q
force OF from 5000 to l0,0C0 American
regulars could be collected along the
river within few days. This force was
all that would be necessary for defensive
purposes. "But il war should come"
said the general, 1--WE would be forced to
take the offensive. and then we would
have to raise q volunteer army. We
could get all the men we wanted, and
more too, in n few minutes. Once on the
war-path, we would sweep the Mexican
territory, capture their national strong
holds, and march an Oyerpowering force
to the city OF Mexico. The capture Of
their capital would, of course, parable
them beyond further effort, ana we wOu,C
be in position 10 dictate terms
Gen. Sherman remarked that to accom-
plish this it would perhaps take NOR
men than were employed by Gen. Scot
in 1916. Scott first had $4,000 soldiers
afterward increased to 10000, but tn
MeXicans are better fighters than the
were then. are better armed, and hay,
stronger forts.