New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-05
CAVALRY RUSH
TO AID RANGERS
Conflict Starts When Car
ranzistaS Fire Across
River at RanChman.
INVASION is FEARED
Bodies of Slain Men in the Brush
When Shooting Ends-One
American Wounded.


least ten known Mexican dead and
probably as many more bodies lying
in the dense brush, a battle that
ragged along two miles of the Rio
Grande between Mexican outlaws
and eighty United States cavalry
men, aided by a force Of Texas
Rangers and armed citizens, ended
late this afternoon. One American
trooper was wounded. AS a result
of the fight the Texas border situa-
tion tonight developed the most
serious crisis of the present long
series Of disturbances.
Massing of Mexicans on the
river bank at the scene of to-day's
battle was reported here tonight,
although it was not known whether
there were any Carranza soldiers
among the arrivals.
All United States soldiers were
ordered to arms at Fort Brown to-
night. An organized invasion at
some point on the lower border was
feared.
Headquarters of the lower border
patrol will be shifted tomorrow
from Brownsville TO Harlingen,
, twenty-six miles north of here.
Colonel Robert L. Bullard, Of the
26th Infantry, will be in command.
The Goth Infantry will be concen-
tlated at Harlingen and will be re-
placed at Fort Brown by the 4th
Infantry, due to arrive Sunday from
Texas City. The territory immedi-
ately around Brownsville will be
guarded by the 4th Infantry, two
squardons of the Sd Cavalry and
two batteries Of artillery, one a
howitzer and one a rifle battery.
The battle started when the Mex
leans appeared at the river near
old Hidalgo and fired on an Amer
ican ranchman named Drew. The
Mexicans followed this by firing a
volley at a party of Texas Rangers
near the same place.
Immediately after Captain j. c.
Mccoy, in command Of the troops
stationed at Mission, reported the in
cidents, all available cavalry was
ordered from Mission to the river
and was reinforced by rangers,
peace officers and armed civilians.
At 4 o'clock the Mexicans with
drew from the south bank Of the Rio
Grande and hid in the brush, appar-
emily awaiting another opportunity
to attack the Americans.
Battle Line Two Miles Long.
The battle was waged practically the
entire day, the two forces firing at
each other across the Rio Grande. The
participants were stretched out in the
brush Oh a battle line two miles long.
The injured American was John Sal
vini. private in Troop d, Sd Cavalry,
who sustained a serious wound in the
left hip. He was taken to Mission. Tex.
Captain Mccoy returned 70 Mission
tonight. He reported that ten dead
Mexicans could be seen from the Texas
side. and that probably as many more
Mexicans had been killed in the brush
BY shots fred from the Texas side.
Earlier Unofficial reports to-day placed
the Mexican dead at twenty-five TO
thirty.
The number Of Mexieans engaged
was placed at forty. When the hght
ended the Americans were in posses
sion OF three crossings between Mexico
and Texas. in the vicinity OF Mission
Hidalgo is six,y-four miles west OF
Brownsville.
Invasion Of Texas Feared.
Up to a late hour there had been
no effort 20 invade Texas, although
this fear was uppermost in the minds
Of thoueands who live along the border.
II was not known positively that the
Nexicans who engaged in the fighting
were Carranza soldiers. but reports in
dicated that the original forty who
fred at the ranehmen and the Rangers
had been strongly reinforced by Mex'
can soldiers, evidently from the Car
rama garrsons in the little towns
along the river.
Arrangements for reinforcing the
slender garrison of cavalry at Mis-
sion were reported under eonsidera-
ton tonight at Fort Sam Houston.
headquarters of the Southern Depart
ment. Il was not believed AZ Browns
vile that the disturbance to-day was
the opening battle Of al attempted in
yasion Of the border.
Conservative citizens. while they ad.