Lerdo de Tejada to Edward B. Willis, First U. S. Vol. Inf. in New Mexico, Commander of the Expedition against the Apache Indians, Fort Selden, New Mexico, January 18, 1866

[Translation.]

MEXICAN REPUBLIC—SEAL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN RELATIONS AND GOVERNMENT.

Paso del Norte, January 18, 1866.

Sir: Captain D. H. Brotherton, of the fifth United States infantry, commander of Fort Bliss, Texas, informed me in his communication yesterday that you, as commander of the expedition against the Apache Indians, at Fort Selden, New Mexico, and by order of the commander of the district, General James H. Carleton, of the United States army, had asked permission of the President of the Mexican republic to pass over the boundary line with your troops into Mexican territory, in case of necessity, to pursue the hostile Indians.

The government of the Mexican republic does not doubt that General Carleton ordered you to ask this permission, as he has command of the campaign against the Apaches; and if he waited for instructions from Washington upon the subject, the great distance might cause a delay injurious to military operations; therefore, the government of Mexico finds no inconvenience in granting the permission, in consideration of the friendly relations existing between the two republics, and knowing it is a campaign against hostile Indians that are committing depredations to the injury of both countries.

For these reasons the President of the Mexican republic has charged me to say to you in this communication that you may have the permission to pass the boundary line into Mexican territory with your troops, in case it may be necessary to pursue the Apache Indians in the expedition you command against them.

Your most respectful and obedient servant,