General Treviño’s report of his interview with General Ord., June 30, 1877

General Treviño’s report of his interview with General Ord.

To the Citizen-Minister of War:

On my way to this city I received the instructions which the federal government communicated to me by telegraph through General Canales, and, in view of their importance, I sent a courier to General Ord, telling him that I would communicate to him the instructions I had received from my government by means of a commissioner, as ordered by your department. That commissioner ad hoc, Mr. Bibiano L. Villareal, is preparing for his journey, and he will surely be on the road to-day or to-morrow.

During my stay in Piedras Negras, I was visited by General Ord, military chief of the American line, for the purpose of conferring upon the manner of preventing the depredations made for robbery which are experienced on both sides of the Bravo (Rio Grande.).

General Ord saw me at my quarters; I returned his visit, going to his quarters; I visited his camps in the vicinity, and we had a conference. He claimed that the forces of either nation, in following the trail of robbers, might continue the pursuit into the adjoining territory, reporting their operations to the authorities of the respective territory, for their information and aid; and, in order the better to support his position, he cited to me the case in which he had permitted a Mexican force from Sonora to continue into American territory the pursuit of a party of Indians, besides aiding our forces with his troops and furnishing them the supplies they needed.

In reply I man ifested to said general that the authorization which we were discussing could not be granted by either him or me in virtue of our own power, not even with the acquiescence of our governments, if it should not have the approbation of the respective Chambers or Congress, and much less could I do anything in such a difficult question, as I had no express authority to deal with it in any manner; that the pursuit of banditti being an urgent duty of the authorities, and even of private citizens, and to stop the complaints which, with or without foundation, are frequently made by the press of both countries in regard to the conduct of the authorities of the two nations, I would take every measure for the purpose of punishing the crimes that might be perpetrated on the American line by inhabitants or residents of our territory, stationing troops of the line at convenient points, and establishing vigilant forces to patrol our desert places.

I also assured him that those stations or forces being apprised in good time of incursions made by Mexicans to the left bank of the Bravo (Rio Grande), they would have the best results in the apprehension of the delinquents, as they would operate in a country well known to them and against known persons, thus guaranteeing the security of honest travelers or residents, who might easily be confounded with banditti by strangers having no acquaintance with them.

With this, and the promise to communicate to General Ord the instructions which I might receive on the subject from my government, and with the promise which he made on his part to prevent the organization of bands proposing the invasion of our territory, even under the pretext of a political object, we terminated our conference. I should add that in the conferences General Ord always manifested that his government did not propose any act hostile to our country.

On my return from Piedras Negras, I left some regular forces stationed on the Sabinas River, and being persuaded that the Lipan Indians are a constant threat to our security, and by the depredations on the left of the Bravo (Rio Grande) might even complicate our relations with the neighboring nation, I gave orders to Colonel Nuncio to apprehend them and hold them prisoners at the disposition of the government. These Indians are the remnants of the tribe who, on account of their treachery, were almost destroyed by the deceased General Zuazúa. They continue to be as treacherous as ever, and are always lazy, except when they/are engaged in robbery, which constitutes their patrimony.

My opinion is that, once apprehended, they should be taken to the interior, divided there among workshops or charitable institutions, where they could be educated or taught to work, according to their sex and age.

I also ordered the organization of a mounted force of auxiliary troops, at the government expense and well paid, to perform the service of the line of the Bravo (Rio Grande). That force, being volnuteers, well paid, and composed of men acquainted with the country in which they are to serve, will be the one that will principally comply with the promise I made the American officer, and with it alone that service can be performed, because there the troops of the line disperse for different causes, which I have already stated to the supreme government.

In order to give the security we owe to our citizens, who are frequently the victims of robberies, the spoils of which are carried to the other side of the Bravo (Rio Grande); in order to maintain the good relations which should unite us with the inhabitants of the neighboring nation, and in order to give respectability to our territory which is exposed to unjustifiable invasions, I hope that your department will approve the measures which I have mentioned, attending promptly to the payment of said forces.

I have been more extended than I intended in order to acquaint the government with what occurred at my interview with General Ord.

On the return of the commissioner, whom in compliance with orders from your department, communicated on the 18th instant, I send to that general, I will report to you the result.

Liberty in the constitution.