Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1916-05-15
PROPOSED TO FORM BATTALION TO
OFFER SERVICES TO STATE OR
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT If
DESIRED-3 COMPANIES.
MORE THAN $50 ATTEND MASS MEET.
ING At SAN BeNITO SUNDAY p.
M.-mEETING SANCTIONED BY
U. S. ARMY OFFICERS.

Led by Antonio Ramirez, 90 0-year-O old
veteran of the Texas repubica. and also
veteran Of the Southern Confederacy, and
who in 1886 supplied provisions t. General
Zachary Taylor'~ army, more than three
hundred and fifty MexicanS in mass meet !
ing at San Benito Sunday afternoon,
voiced their loyalty to the United States by
agreeing Ia form battalion To fight for
the United States IN the event Of war
The aged patriot who j. credited with
being responsible for the movement urged
ON ut San Beniio Sunday afternoon by a
committee of Mexicans from various com
muniiies IN southern Cameron county.
after being assisted. almost lifted, 10 the
ro-trum, said:
"Therc j. no neutrality. Now j. the time
Tor YOU TO decide whether YOU are Mexi-
cans or Americans
The meeting was sanctioned bv the
United States military authorities In com
mand on this border, and il was addressed
by Colonel r. l.. Bullard and Major Lin
coin r. k,lbournc Of the Twenty
United States Infantry. Sam Robertson,
president OF the San Benito q Rio Grande
Valley railroad, who assisted m bringing
the meeting about: Auionlo Epsarza. FrdeI
Salnzar, Ismacl MontaIva. Nc.tor Alcain.
Antonio Ramirez and Others. Colonel Bnl
lard endorsed the movement brought about
by the Mexicans of the community, aud
Major kilbournc gave them q concise ex
planaiion of the methods 10 he followed
ORC nj 1xnf linn H.. ~
with in the event they were taken into the
army. Other army officers present were
Major Joseph Frazier and CAPTAIN Frank
Watson
Telegram from Adiutant General
Henry iiutchings sand that il would not be
possible at TIN, time Ia accept the pro
posed organization IN the Texas National
Guard. and IL was the consensus Of opinion
that organization of the proposed bat
taiion of about two hundred men will pro
cced. holding themselvcs ready to respond
to any call by the government of the United
States or the state of Texas Major Xii
bourne, who l. in command at San Benito
informed the meeting that he would lend
the proposed organization every coopera-
ton. to the extent of detailing officers and
non commissioned officers 10 drill them
and 70 ln~tructc IN the rudiments 1T mill
tary organization and conduct
The movement found it, inception in the
mind of Antonio Ramirez of Las Yescas.
who for perhaps eightv-four wears has
been living ten miles east Of what j. now
San BenIto. The aged man. who was u
citizen Of Texas during H. nine years ex-
istencc a. republic. not only aided
General Taylor army when it occupied
this section prior to his invasion of Mex
Ico. but also was cavalrvman under
General Bee IN the First Texas Cavalry An
the Confederacy. After the war he be-
came a member Of Captain McNallys fa-
nous Texas rangers. and was with the
ranger captain during the notorious Cor
tina raids into tins section, and with him
when McNally made hiS way INTO Mexico
IL exterminaic or capture the bandits.
Ramirez owns to this day and prizes highly
a letter from General Taylor 10 his father
thanking the elder Ramirez for the serv-
ices extended by his son, then about 20
years old.
Fidcl Salazar Of Rio Hondo. was chair
man of the meeting and hi committeeman
included the following: Antonio Ramirez.
Las Yescas, Alfredo CARA. Las Yescas.
Francisco Perales, Las AnaqutaS, Hippo
hto Gonzalez. RI Mamon: Cruz Perales.
Paso Real : Santos Hernandez, FL Castillo
Rito Lugo, FL Castillo, Francisco Trevino,
Las Rucias; Jose E>parza, Ranchito; Ra-
mon H>parza. Ranchito: Pedro Zepcda.
Ranchito; Cayetano Garcia. Ranchito
Rosalio Gutierrez, Rid liondo: Juan Gu
tierrez. Rio llondo: Mariiano Rodriguez
Rio Hondo: Carlos E>parza, San Benito
Jose vIlarrcal san Benito: Jose Pena,
San Benito: Ygnacio Rodriguez, San Be
nito: Nicolas Cantu. San Benito: NestoI
Alcaia. Es;aeion Aicala.
Sam Robertson. who opened the meeting