Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1892-01-15
TEXAS BORDER WARFARE.
The Campaign Against Garza's
Band OF Bandits.
Official Report of the First Fight
With the Mexicans.

ment headed by the bandit Cara caused
great excitement among the Mexican and
American populace on either side OF the Rio
Grande, and the efforts Of the United States
troops to suppress it were watched with keen
interest. 1t was the general opinion that the
Mexican outlaws had no less than 1900 active
followers, scattered at various points along
the Texas border.
The revolutionists were all magnifcently
armed with repeating rifles of the latest pat
tern and side arms They were paid 81 per
day and given good supplies.
The ranchmen who came in contact with
Cara all state that he was abunCantly sup
piled with money, and compelled thein to
either furnish cattle for beef and receive pay
for the animals or take the alternative of
having them taken by force.
The report that revOiutionists several hun
dred strong were operating in the State Of
Tamaulipas, Mexico, was received with con-
siderable credence by the majority of the
people. The neighborhood of Matamoras is
known to be perfect hotbed of revolution
airy spirits, and it is the general opinion that
Cara received large reinforcements from
there.
A great many of the people in the interior
of Mexico are secretly in sympathy with
any movements that may be set on foot to
overthrow the present Diaz administration.
The supposition that some strong secret
power was backing the revolutionary move
ment gained ground, and correspondent
heard citizen state that in his opinion some
of the funds for carrying on the warfare
came from the City of Mexico.
The bandits break into small squads and
plumber innocent citizens. They have per-
feet organization, good system of signals,
know the country thoroughly, and, being
without uniform, can change themselves in
to ranchmen and goat herders in five min
utes.
H. J. Mcneil, of San Antonio, Texas, re-
ceived a telegram from his father, Captain
J. S. Mcneil of the Texas Rangers, which
stated he had just had an encounter with
the Cara men. His command numbered
only few men. They were scouting through
chaparral in Starr County, Texas, when
they met detachment Of about thirty Of
the Cara revolutionists The rangers at
once opened fire on the Mexicans and num-
Der of the latter were severely injured.
Nearly one thousand shots were exchanged,
but none Of the rangers were wounded.
Colonel Coran, of the Mexican forces in
Nueva Laredo, received telegram from
down the river, on the Mexican side. which
stated that a fight had occurred on the
American side and that two soldiers of the
United States had been killed. The loss to
the revolutionists was not given.
1t seems that Cara made no attempt to
cross into Mexico, but collect all his forces
together on the Amer, can side in the hope OF
defeating the United States troops
Captain John G. Bourke, of the Third
United States Cavalry, has made his official
report to the War Departmental Washing
ton of his fight a few days ago with Garza's
band near La Guilla, Texas. 1t recounts
heroic deeds of our soldiers on the frontier.
On the afternoon of the battle Captain
Bourke, with a detachment Of men
f Gs9a q n9 pnv E Of the eh sght ahfh
Infantry, started across country. for the
rendezvous of the outlaws. Spying after
dark the camp fire they left their horses in
charge of two recruits and crept quietly
toward it.
''Ouien va alli:" rang out from sentry.
There was no answer from our soldiers who,
advancing in skirmish order, held their
carbines fat ready" ''Quien va alli?" came
again, and then two shots from the two
pickets.
"Mv men," SAYS Bourke, ''replied with
volIey. kneeling, and the bandits broke for
the hills, their herd bell ringing to round up
their horses. We could do nothing further
in the darkness"
The troops then fell back ten miles to the
Rio Grande and camped. They were at
tackled in the night, and during a sharp en-
gagement prisoner escaped from Deputy
Marshal Perez, who was put under arrest.
Continuing, Captain Bourke says: 1--WE
struck straight back, hoping to catch up
with some stragglers. threw out two re-
connoitring parties to circle through the
brush. Corporal Charles III, Edstrom, Of
Troop G, who commanded one. ran upon the
enemy in force and was almost surrounded.
He kept the attacking party at bay until our
main body came up. We charged across a
soft, open muddy fiat, exposed to the enemy's
fire from rifles and carbines. But our men
were not to be restrained.
''In the face of three or four to one they
made a gallant rush for the outlaw band,
headed by Sergeaats Ihling and Glib and !
Corporal Honeyman. The infantry with
their long guns did capital work, and in an
other minute the bandits were Scampering
for the brush.
''Hampered with prisoners and wounded
we could not pursue. We lost one man
killed. He was Corporal Charles Edstrom, a
most excellent soldier, who was shot twice
through the head and once through the leg.
Second Lieutenant Charles Hayes, Eigh-
teenth Infantry was slightly wounded in the
side by glancing bullet; Private David
Lloyd, Troop G. Third Cavalry, was grazed
by bullet. Our men and officers were ali
dressed in complete uniform and were plainly
cen by the outlaws, among whom L was
told were three of the train wreckers Of the
Texas Mexican Railroad last spring. They
recognized US and called out in English and
Spanish, Kill the gringos"
"rhe fighting was pretty close and Cor
poral Edstrom, after he fell, was again shot,
his assailant being SO close that his face was
powder burnt.
after the fight we returned to the post,
there being no way of finding the trail in
that heavy thicket. We captured ten or
twelve horses belonging to the bandits, but !
they stampeded through the cactus on the |
wayback.
THE capture and destruction Of these OUT |
laws will be an easy matter the moment |
they are nothing can be done worth |
mentioning.
The Rio Grande valley is practically |
unanimous in support of Cara, whose |