Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-05-07

commands finally separated. agree
ing 10 meet several miles down the
river. The party Of Lieut.. Porter
encountered several members Of Fal-
cons band engaged in jerking" beef.
AS Porter approached. a Mexican
snapped his musket at him and Porter
fired both barrels Of his pistol at the
party. The latter fled, and Porters
party took possessions Of the horses
and beef. They started for camp,
and were overtaken by a violent rain
storm. A few miles below Fort Brown
they were ambushed by a party Of
Falcons men. Porter and a private
named Flood being shot down. The
arms of the Americans had been rem
dered useless by the rain. and they
were dispersed, all members Of the
party, except the two slain in the
ambush. reaching camp the follow
ing day.
"A Mexican came into the camp
April II and informed Geenral Taylor
he would lead a party 70 the spot
where he had found the body oil
Colonel Cross. The body WAS recover-
cd. and on April "a was buried with
military honors near Fort Brown,
the firSt American military 1uHtLdA
on the lower Rio Grande.
The Thornton Disaster
General Arista. who was hurryinF
from Monterrey to Matsmoros, ar
rived al the Rancho Solicero April
%. This rancho is located on the
Mexican side Of the Rio Grande just
south Of the present Cameron county
town OF Santa Maria. He ordered all
Il - -. a. aa.rUfVafa thnra IN
cross the river at Carfricitos rancho
and cut the American lines of COM
munication with the base at Point
Isabel. This maneuver was never
carried out. though the excellent
strategy Of the plan is obvious.
Hearing Of the movement, General
Taylor sent Captain Thornton with a
; squadron Of 80 dragons TO recon
moiter the road, now known ~ the
military highway, as far as rancho
Carricitos, where the Mexican cav
airy and infantry under the command
Of General Torrejon, was reported
crossing, Captain Thornton left the
! camp April Is, and in the afternoon
found the force Of Torrejon near the
Carricitos rancho, located ear the
river between what is now known as
1 NHt ANM IdUGH anu LUIS lNuANNs
T%hornton's dragons charged the
ranch house, which they found IN
occupied. Shots were fired from the
dragons turned TO find their retreat
cut off by a company Of infantry de-
ployed along the road which was the
only exit, the ranch being surrounded
by dense chaparral. They charged
Z thA NuFauNwNH nrAt - wuHaaAArAVrA T.aw
which killed six and wounded several.
Retiring beyond muskct range they
reformed for another charge and dis
covered the entire rarch was sur
rounded by infantry and cavalry con
ccaled in the dense hr-sh. the Amer
lean force being exposed in the
open clearing.
Thornton surrendered. and the a.
dragons and their com mander were
treated with every couit esy BY Gen
eral Arista who received the prison
ers from General Torrejon. Two Of
the most seriously wounded Amer
leans were delivered TO General Tay-
Tor and the rest Of the wounded were
held prisoners. receiving medical aid
in the Matamoros hospital. The en-
tire force subsequently was returned
60 the American army in the eX-
change az prisoners following the
battle Of Rcsaea dc la Palma, Captain
Thornton making q report 70 Gen
eral Taylor in which he commended
the excellent treatment accorded BY
General Arista and the Mexican
troops. Lieutenant Mason OF the
Second Dragons, a West Point
graduate. was the only officer killed
in tho Carricitos skirmish.
Army Moved % vt. Isabel
Troops Of General Torrejon pene-
tratcd 70 the rear 81 the American
forces, and on April IS. a force Of IL
Texas rangers, under command Of