Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1892-01-27

ZOpata county; Rio Grande City, cOun
ty seat of Starr county; Roma in STAR
county, and Edinburgh in Hidalg6
county. These are small towns. Their
there are the ranches OF Hopeno, Pan
emo, Salineno, Nuero, La Grulla, Hav
ana and Santa Maria Ranches. These
are all on this side; on the Mexican side
are the towns of Guerrero, Neir, Of his
torical "black bean" fame; Camargo
noted as place where men go from
this side of the river and never return,
and Reyoncsa, the great Fiestas," OF
Fair town of the border. All along this
country from Laredo to Brownsville
north and east for 100 to 200 miles is a
wild unsettled country covered with
this thick brush of Chaparral, prickly
pear and cactus, where one can ride for
miles and miles without seeing a house
or meeting or seeing a human being.
This is the place where the
| WAR IS GOING ON.
This is the country where Catarino E.
Cara and his thousand or moro of bold
revolutionists are holding at bay the
500 or more of Uncle Sans pick caval-
Try. Where one fight, or battle has al
ready been fought and number of
skirmishes taken place-where one
| Corporal of the q. s. army was killed,
and Lieutenant and Corporal wound
ed, the latter dying since from his
wound, and where number Of revolu-
tionists were killed, wounded, and tax
en- prisoner.
| THE FIRST BATTLE, DEC. 21ST, '91.
The following is taken from a long
report of Captain John G.. Bourke, 3rd
| Cavalry, dated Fort Ringgold, Decem-
22nd, 81. Dep'ty U. s. Marshal Ba-
nardo reported large body OF Cara 8
men rendezvoused near La Grulla
| rancho, 80 miles below Rio Grande
City in Starr county with intentions of
crossing over into Mexico and attack
ing Camargo-Captain Bourke, at once
moved out from Fort Ringgold, with
Lieut.. Charles Hayes and 10 men to
prevent it. At o'clock they started
and at 1890 the next morning struck
Garza's sforces-captured a picket and
learned GarZa's forces were go men
| Captain Bourke dismounted part Of
his men and advanced carefully on the
revolutionists, with orders to make no
reply to a challenge. Soon "Quien
Viva" by the enemy's pickets was re-
peated. That started the battle. No
answer being made, the force under
Bourke was fired upon by the picket
1
to fire,kneeling, followed by three vol
| leys, which drove back the pickets of
the enemy on the main body who car
ried private Lloyd of Bourke's COM
mand with them. Here the picket be-
fore captured, escaped to the enemy,
during this first part Of the battle.
Captain Bourke drove the enemy to-
| wards Retenal Springs, where the
enemy made stand and opened fire
on Captain Bourke's brave little band
at once, which was returned by
Bourke's men with vigor.
The enemy then advanced, driving
| in Bourke's f1ankers, and killing Cor
poraI Charles s. Edstrom and wound
ing Lieut.. Charles Hays; as his fanks
| were driven in, this reduced the whole
force to fifteen men. Captain Bourke
ordered an advance. Out-numbered,
as they well knew, they must fight or
die, and soon the unerring volleys
drove back the enemy and recaptured
Private Lloyd, Lieut.. Hays and the
body of Corporal Edstrom. The en-
emy, however, carried off Lieut.. Hays,
horse and equipments. 1t is not
known positively the damage done
Garza's men, but reports give 10 or 12
killed and wounded, which is corrob-
seeing Is or 20 Of their horses running
wild without riders after the battle,
which were too wild for his men to
catch. Garza's men commanded by
Captains Ramon and Flores retired in
to the Chaparral, and Bourke returned
to Ft. Ringgold.
OTHER WAR NEWS AND SKIRMISHES.
The Mexican government have mass
ed about 5000 troops on the Mexican
side of the Rio Grande river, from
soldiers reported killed by Garza's men
in a skirmish at the Torillo Rancho on
the Salado river, in Mexico, last Sun
day.
Dec Reported from Carrigo
where Captain Hardie, U. s. troop, is
st stationed, that Cara crossed 900 men
into Mexico and met the Mexican
troops at La Torillo rancho 70 miles
from the river and defeated the latter,
and that more than 40 men were killed
on both sides. Gov. Hogg has ordered,
through the proper channels, state
Rangers to the front.
Dec 25.-Gen. Stanley has ordered
troops "a" and L" stationed at Ft. Sam
Houston (San Antonio) to proceed at
once by rail to Ft. Mcintosh (Laredo)
equipped for field service, troop 'I'' to
| remain there for pursuit, troop "A''
will march to F't. Ringgold (Rio Grande
| City for duty at that post. In addi-
tion to these 2 troops there are at pres
ent $50 U. s. soldiers at Laredo, $50 at
Ft Ringgoid, and 30 at Ft. Brown
(Brownsville.)
Dec. 26.-Captain Brooks, with his
company of State rangers, reached
Laredo and marched down the river.
| Captain Hardie is pressing close upon
a company of 100 of Garza's men near
Carrie.
Dec. 27.-A detachment of troops ar
rived in Laredo with four prisoners,
captured yesterday in a skirmish with
| Garza's men at a rancho called VarzO.
One of Garza's men, who was on picket
duty, was killed.
Dec. 28-Company 81" Third Caval-
~ left Ft. Mcintosh for the lower Rio
Grande. Captain Francis H. Hardie
| searches the Saleno rancho for Cara
sympathizers. Second Lieut.. George
Langhorne left Ft. Ringgold at mid
| night with 20 men after band OF Gar
"a S men at Havana rancho. A detach,
ment of cavalry is now scouting at
Palito Blanco rancho in Starr county
| Dec. 29.-The war cloud stretching
It's SnaQOW over aDOuG oUO IuHoS VI
Texas frontier, Cara and his follow
!ers keeping themselves out of reach o.
the U. s. troops that are scouting il
Webb, Starr, Zapata, Hidalgo ane
Duval counties, where it is said Garza''
men have their rendezvous-Troop
ed" and ''K" Third Cavalry sent tx
the front-Troop "a" left Dec. % fo1
Ft. Ringgold and arrived there. TrooI
"G" is about 25 miles above Roma
lSeeond Lieut.. Langhorne scouting il
} Duval and Starr counties.
/ Dec. 3O-Capt. VIM. B. Wheeler il
command at Fort Ringgold, Captain
Bourke on scout in Duval and Star
counties, near where Garza's forces o
$50 are stationed-Capt. Hardie with 3
men will join Bourke, Capt. j. E
Brooks is with him and has 13 men
First Lieut.. VIM. D. Beach with "a mel
is ordered to move in that direction
Troop SC" at Carrie of 40men ordere'
,, forward, and Second Lieut.. Langhorn
with 26 men also ordered to join tn
. above forces and report to Capt. Beach
A fight expected-145 u. s. soldier