Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1913-08-27

that section of the United States by this
Department.
In reply | have 10 say that the very
limited force of the United States army
which the commander in chief has auth
Orized this Department to use in main
tanning order and the policies Of the gov
ernment along the great extent of the
frontier of Northern Mexico have been
SO distributed as to meet ends which to
this department and the general officers
in charge and responsible for the main
tenance of the policies of our government
seems best under the circumstances. The
war department is fully aware of the
situation along the border and is doing
its hest with the force ut its disposal
to meet the necessities of the case
These necessities appear to it and to
the commanding general of the Southern
Department to require that the only re-
serve Of troops il and the commanding
general has AT its disposal and which
number only about 300 field artillery
and 800 cavalry, be retained at Fort Sam
Houston 80 a. 10 be available for the
promptcSt possible dispatch 10 which
ever Of the many points Of the long from
tier may at any moment most need re
, enforcement and from which constant
and Just as urgent requests as yours
are coming to the Department. Ii fully
appreciates that should this very small
reserve be taken from its central posit
ion. from whi'h it may be dispatched
to any seriously threatened point. and
distributed along the border at those
places where local conditions might AT
this time seem to indicate that q strength
ening the line was advisable or nee
! essary. it would lose its power 10 effect
/ lively ami promptly reinforce the small
garriSons which are now occupying the
salient points on the frontier. An exam
ination of the railroad map of Texas
would indicate that should this depart
ment take force from its very limited
reserves at Sam Houston and station IL
al Brownsville that force if needed else
where would have to return 10 San An
tonic before it could be gotten on a dir
ect route.
The best information from all sources
at the disposal of the War Department
indicates thai there are now at Matamo-
ros about 10O0 insurgents or rebels. in
differently organized. equipped and pre-,
pared for military operation; taht the
total force at the disposal Of General
Rlanco is about 1.S00. all equally un-
organized and i'll equipped and that these
forces are So widely scattered as TO pre-
vent their concentration at MatamorOs
in the time which would be required to
move reinforcements from Sam Houston
10 Brownsville.
As relates 10 the general situation
along the border and in an international
sense. as set forth by Mr.. Hallam. ] can
only say that this Department IL fully
aware Of the possibilities and is keeping
the States Department and the Command
er i'm Chief fully informed. When i is
. authorized to strengthen the forces on
the frontier it will do so promptly and
TO the extent Of its ability, and can as
sure Won that should such strengthen
, ing Of the force be authorized the in
terest of Brownsville vii! be ;ivaL full
! consideration and that nth nh au-
thority is received, the Department feels
, that it must follow The sugG -stion Of
, the Commanding General of the South
ern Department and permit him to dis
pose of his troops as he thinks best.
Very Respectfully.
HENRY BRECKENRIDGE
) Acting Secretary of War.