Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1912-06-29
EXTRACTS FROM z. c.
PIERCE'S LOWER RIO
GRANDE VALLEY HISTORY.

II revenue cutter Woodbury.,
capt. Foster commanding, accom-
panied the expedition. All supplies
mot taken by the marching men
went to Brazos de Santiago in this
Iway.
About the time Of setting out Gen.
Taylor issued, in the English and
Spanish languages, his famous peace
orders, part of which were, 'The
army Of occupation Of Texas being
about to take position upon the left
bank Of the Rio Grande under orders
of the executive Of the United
States, the general in chief desires
to express the hope that the nov
ment will be advantageous to all
concerned, and with the object of
attaining this laudable end he has
ordered all under his command to
observe, with the most scrupulous
respect, the rights of all the inhabi-
tants who may be found in peaceful
prosecution Of their respective oc-
equations, as well on the left as on
the right side Of the Rio Grande.
Whatsoever may be needed for the
use Of the army will be bought by
the proper purveyor and paid for at
the highest price. The general in
chief has the satisfaction to say that
he confides in the patriotism and
discipline of the army under his
command, but that he feels sure that
the orders will be obeyed with the
utmost exactness."
The army marched almost exactly
through what is now Kingsville, on
the line of the St. Louis, Brownsville
and Mexico Railway, and o nthe sec
ond day arrived at Santa Rosa
ranch, the property of Pedro Villa
real, now part of the great kennedy
Pasture company property. On the
evening of the fourth day the troops
arrived at what is known as the
Arroyo Colorado passing over this at
a point a few miles east of the pres
ent railroad bridge ove that stream
The main column marched toward
what is now Fort Brown, while Gen
Taylor and Colonel Twiggs' dragons
deyiated and marched eastward to
Point Isabel, his intended base of
supplies.
On the march from Corpus the
troops suffered for water till they
ARRIVED at the Arroyo Colorado.
Fifteen miles from the Arroyo
on the morning of March "a, Gen
eral Worth parted from Taylor and
started to Fort Brown.
En- route 10 Point Isabel, a civil
deputation from Matamoros, deliv-
cred to General Taylor a formal pro-
test from the project of the northern
district of Tamaulipas, protesting
against Taylor's occupation of the
country. Even while the interpre-
ter was reading the protest to Tay-
Tor, it was discovered that the Mex
lean buildings at Point Isabel were
in flames. General Taylor consid-
cred the burning of these buildings
as a decided evidence of hostility,
and refused to negotiate with the
deputation, dismissing them with
the words that he would answer
it when opposite Matamoros. In his
report to Washington, he stated that
he considered the project in making
the protest, as but the tool Of the
military authorities at Matamoros.
But three or four house at Point
Isabel were destroyed by fire, Tay-
lor's cavalry arriving in time to
quench il. He attributed the fire
to the post captain who committed
the act under the orders of General
Meiia.
The water expedition, consisting
of the steamers, the two briggs of wal
Porpoise and Lawrence. and the cut
ter Woodbury.. arrived at Brazos de-
Santiago but two hours before Tay-
lor marched into Point Isabel.
AS 0 as he had arranged for
his supplies, General Taylor began
his march to Matamoros, not regard
ing that part of the projects pro-
test which was as follows:
so long as it General Taylor's
army Of occupation) remains within
the derritory of Tamaulipas, the in
habitants must consider that what
soever protestations of peace may be
made. hostilties have been openly
commenced by your excellency, the
lamentable consequences OF which
will rest before the world exclusive
ly on the heads ot the invaders.
General Taylor arrived opposite
Matamoros, Mexico. March %, 1876,