Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1912-08-14

them, however, had spread far and
wide the tiding of who they were
what they proposed to do, and where
they were going, and before they
could cross into Mexico they were
attacked by a party of ex-Confeder-
ates and renegade Mexican
rancheros. Being on American soil,
Young forbade his men to return the
fire, and bent all his efforts to get
ting them over the river; but in this
attempt they were broken up, and
became completely demoralized. A
number Of the men were drowned
while swimming the river, Young
himself vas shot and killed, a few
were captured, and those who es-
caped-about twenty in all-finally
Joined Escobedo, but in such a
plight as 20 be of little use. With
this distressing affair came to an end
pretty much all open participation
of American sympathizers with the
Liberal cause, but the moral supper
afforded by the presence Of our
forces continued, and this was fire.
qucntly supplemented with material
aid in the shape of munitions Of
war, which we literally supplied,
though constrained 10 do so by the
most secret methods.
"The term of Office Of Juarez "a
president of the Mexican republic
expired in December, 1865, but to
meet existing %exigencies he had con-
tinued himself in Office by proclama-
ion, a course rendered necessary by
the fact that no elections could be
held on account of the Imperial oc-
cupation Of most Of the country.
/! The official who, by the Mexican
consti ution, is designated for the
succession in such an emergency, is
the pre- ident of the supreme court,
and the person then eligible under
this provision was General Ortega,
but in the interest of the Imperial
lists he had absented himself from
Mexico, hence the patriotic course of
Juarez in continuing himself at the
head of affairs was a necessity of the
situation. This action Of the presi-
dent gave the Imperialists little con-
Germ at first, but with the revival Of
the Liberal cause they availed them
selves of every means to divide its
supporters, and Ortega, who had
been laying low in the United States
now came forward to claim the
presidency. Though ridiculously
late for such a step, his first act was
to issue a manifesto protesting
against the assumption of the exc
cutive authority by Juarez. The
protest had little effect, however,
and his next proceeding was to
come to New Orleans, get into COR
I re%sp0ndence with other Unaffected
Mexicans, and thus perfect his plans.
When he thought his intrigue ripe
enough for action, he sailed for
BrazOs, intending to cross the Rio
Grande and assert his claims with
arms. While he vas scheming in
New Orleans, however, | had
learned what he was up to, and in
advance Of his departure had sent
instructions to have him arrested
on American soil. Colonel Sedg-
wick, commanding at Brownsville,
was now temporary master Of Mata-
moros also, by reason of having sta
h toned some American troops there
for the projection of neutral mer-
chants, so when Ortega appeared at
BraZos, Sedgwick quietly arrested
him and held him till the city of
Matamoros was turned over to Gen
eral Escobedo, the authorized rep
resentative of Juarez; then Escobedo
took charge of Ortega, and with ease
prevented his further Vaccinations.
During the winter and spring Of
1866 we continued ~covertly supply
ing arms and ammunitions to the
Understanding as many as So
goo musket: from Baton Rouge ar
senal alone-and by midsummer
Juarez, having organized a pretty
good sized army. was in possession
of the whole line of the Rio Grande,
and. in fact. nearly the whole OF
Mexico. down to San Luis Potosi
Then thick and fast came rumorS
pointing TO the lettering condition
Of Maximilian's empire-first that
Orizaba and Vera Cruz were being
fortified; then. that the French were
to be withdrawn; and later came
the intelligence that the Empires:
Carlotta had gone home to beg as
sistance from Napoleon. and the
au' hor Of all her husbands troubles
But the situation forced Napoleon
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