The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1896-02-29
COL. DAVISASASOLDIER
A DISTINCTION WON BY HIM IN
MEXICO.
He Was in Command of the Only United
States Troops Which Crossed Into
Mexico to Drive Out the
French, Who Were Up
holding Macmillan.

Sol L. b DaNle, CdSuler Oh tne second
National Bank of Elkton, served with dis
tinction throughout the Civil war as
Union officer, and in his war record
also enjoys the distinction of having COM
manded the only United States troops that
went into Mexico to drive out the French
forces, that were then upholding Emperor
Macmillan.
In = recent interview, Colonel Davis thus
spoke of his invasion OF Mexico "In the
fall of 1860 ! commanded the post of
Clarksville at the mouth OF the Rio Grande
river, in the State OF Texas, being part of
the army under General Sheridan, stationed
along the Mexican border pending negotia-
tons for the evacuation of Mexico by the
French.
The troops occupied that line from
June, 1865. until January, 1866, with no
indication on the part of the Mexican,
Macmillan, that the demands of the
| United States would be complied with
| The maintenance of this force about &c, 600
men, was grert expense to the govern
ment and the object to be attained seems
as far as far off as at the beginning of the
negotiations. All were heartily tired of
this inactivity and anxious to strike blow
for the liberation of Mexico and the vindi-
cation of the Monroe doctrine.
"With the knowledge of this feeling on
the part of all the officers from General
Sheridan down, | resolved to take the
initial step toward bringing matters to
decisive focus. | had no official orders for
what did, but it was done with the full
knowledge of General Weitzel, the corps
commander.
son the night of January A. 1866,
| crossed the Rio Grand river in an English
schooner, with 125 men, composed of vol
unteers from my own troops and some
ex-Confederates of Kirby Smiths command.
| surprised and captured the forts at Bag
dad, with Austrian infantry and four
pieces of artillery, and confined the pris-
oners in the warehouses in the town. At
daybreak on the morning of the 9TH the
French gunboat Antonio arrived from up
the river and opened fire upon us, but |
engaged her with my captured cannon
disabled her and drove her off.
'Three French men-of- war were off shore
i'll the gulf and daylight showed that they
had steam up and ports open ready for
action After the Antonio retreated these
three ships all opened on me with she'll
but their gunnery was bad and they did
me no harm.
Seeing this they attempted to land a
force in small boats, but we drove them
back and held the town. Next day, the
9th General Escabedo the liberal officer
OF the republican party OF Mexico, arrived
and turned the town over to him, recrossed
the river and reported to General Weitzel.
Within month from that time our gov
eminent received notice that the French
troops would be withdrawn, and l claim
that it was the direct invasion that brought
this prompt result.
'In this engagement federal and Confed-
crate troops fought side by side, they met
force double their own number, composed
of the flower OF European soldiers, and not
only defeated them, but captured and dis
armed them.
1.-The audncity of the enterprise and the
prompt evacuation of Mexico by the French
afterwards shows that the slow process of
dip omatic negotiation is not suited to all
cases, and if our government would at once
begin to establish u military camp along
the Canadian border it would work quicker
on John Bull than any commission Mr.
Cleveland could appoint