Señor Matias Romero to William H. Seward, May 28, 1866

Señor Romero to Mr. Seward

Mr. Secretary: As one of the many proofs of barbarity perpetrated by the French troops now desolating Mexico with the pretext of restoring peace, I have the honor to send you, for the information of the government of the United States, a copy of No. 14 of the official paper of the government of the Mexican republic, of the 26th of April last, and desire to call your attention to the correspondence therein published by the department of war and marine, consisting of the following documents:

1. A communication from General A. S. Viezca, governor and military commander of the State of Coahuila, dated the 29th of January last, and addressed to the department mentioned, giving a report of his expeditions, and stating that the French forces and interventionists had burnt the towns of Matamoras and Soledad and many houses in Viezca, all in that State, murdering fifty harmless and unarmed persons, two men over eighty years of age and a boy of twelve.

2. Two orders signed by Maximo Campos, chief of a column of intervention troops under the command of the French general, Brincourt, dated the 9th and 10th of February last, and addressed to the associate judge of the town of San Lorenzo, commanding him to burn the houses of eleven persons who had deserted his ranks, into which they had been forced, and to turn their families from their homes on account of the supposed crime of their relatives.

3. The reply of General Ignacio Mejia, minister of war, to the note of Governor Viezca, before referred to.

4. A communication from General Luis Terrazas, governor of the State of Chihuahua, enclosing a note from the civil and military chief of the canton of Camargo, informing him that three hundred French had burned the town of Atotonilco and several estates, one of them the rancho de Palomas.

5. Another communication from the same Governor Terrazas, containing the report of the mayor of Atotonilco, on the 13th of April, giving details of the destruction of that place by the French, who turned the inhabitants out of their houses, and burned every one of them, thus leaving a number of innocent families without shelter. The mayor added that the French soon left to destroy the town of Rio Florido in the same manner, and on quitting the ruins of Atotonilco they said nobody should live there again, and they would return in a week and shoot any one who had come back to live there.

6. And lastly, the minister of war’s reply to the preceding communication.

It seems to me unnecessary to comment upon these atrocities reported in the official documents I have the honor to enclose, as they plainly show the designs of the French in Mexico, and I have no doubt the government of the United States will coincide in the general opinion that is entertained.

I embrace the occasion to renew to you, Mr. Secretary, the assurance of my most distinguished consideration.

[Translation.]

GOVERNMENT AND COMMANDANCY OF THE STATE OF COAHUILA DE ZARAGOZA.

San José del Barrio, February 9, 1866.

As soon as you receive this order you will drive the families named in the margin out of their houses, as their fathers are deserters, and have them burnt, and if the inhabitants are refractory I will destroy the whole place.

If any of the men make their appearance you will arrest them instantly and send them to me.

MAXIMO CAMPOS, Commander-in-Chief.

The Associate Judge of San Lorenzo.

The names written in the margin are, Felix Rivera, Julian Rivera, Juan Carrillo, Encarnacion Mata, Maximo Aguero, Isac Barrientos, Cruz Garcia, Eulogio Mesa, Pedro Auguiano, Ricardo Madril, and Bruno Mendez.