Department of Texas, San Antonio, Texas to Major Wood, January 25, 1872

Colonel Shaffer to Major Wood.

Sir: I have the honor to report that while at Del Norte, Mexico, last week, I learned that a scout of sixty Mexicans from the vicinity of San Diego, a small town about thirty miles from Chihuahua, Mexico, had crossed to this side of the river about 1st of January, and were following the trail of a party of Indians, that had stolen a lot of horses at San Diego, toward the Guadalupe Mountains, in New Mexico. The Mexicans came up with the Indians in the mountains north of Eagle Spring, (a stage-stand on the road to Quitman,) but failed to recover any stock. They then went into camp, and shortly after two Indians appeared, and left a paper for the Mexicans, which they got. This paper was a pass, signed by the agent at Fort Stanton, for two Indians, and stated they were out for the purpose of getting Apache Indians to come into Stanton and make peace. As the Mexicans were out of rations, their captain left them in camp, and returned to Del Norte for rations and a guide. He showed the paper referred to to Mr. Milton Favar, a very reliable gentleman living about sixty miles from here and near Del Norte, and told him that he had been furnished some aid from the Government in the way of arms, &c., and had been ordered to follow the Indians by the governor of Chihuahua, and that he was only obeying orders in crossing to this side. I immediately returned to this post for the purpose of making a scout to capture these Mexicans, but the day after I returned they were met by the stage about eighty miles west of this post and but thirty miles from the Rio Grande, which they would probably cross the same day they were met. There was, therefore, no attempt made to capture them. This is the second large scout that has been on this side of the river in the last six months, and it is quite probable that others will be made during the spring. I very respectfully request instructions as to the course I am to pursue toward scouts from Mexico who enter the United States without permission from proper authority.

I am, &c.,