Twenty-fourth Infantry, Commanding to Assistant Adjutant-General, February 22, 1875

Lieut. Col. Shafter to Assistant Adjutant-General.

Sir: I very respectfully report, for the information of the brigadier-general commanding the department, that a party of Indians, live to seven in number, have been recently raiding within a few miles of this post.

On the 14th instant, they attacked a couple of herders near the stone ranch between this post and Fort Clark, capturing several horses. On the 16th inst., near the Pendencia road, and about fifteen miles east of here, they attacked a Mr Vivien, citizen, wounding him in the hand; after following him some distance, he succeeded in frightening them away by shouting for help. About a mile from where the Indians left Vivien, they came across a Mexican with an ox-cart, and attacked him. Finding that he was unarmed, they went up to the cart, pulled him out, and made him take off his clothes, kneel down, and then shot him through the body with an arrow. It is reported by Mexicans that on the 18th, near the mouth of the San Pedro, about fifty miles below this post, just as the Indians were about to cross into Mexico, they were attacked by two Mexicans their horses taken from them, and one little boy they had captured from a ranch near by retaken. In the fight, one of the Mexicans, a resident of Presidio Rio Grande, was killed. The Mexican who was shot through the body with an arrow is now in post-hospital. He states that the Indians spoke Mexican fluently, and that he knows them to be Mexican Indians. From his description and that given by Mr. Vivien, and the appearance of the arrows, those best able to judge of such matters pronounce them to be Lipans or Mescaleros. The Mexican troops recently on this frontier have all been withdrawn to Monclora. I have not, therefore, reported the raid to the authorities on the other side. It is reported that a large camp of Lipans and Mescaleros is now some distance above Ramolino, and it is well known that Mexicans from the other side are constantly trading with them.

The first alcalde of Piedras Negras recently came from their camp with a number of horses which he had gotten from them. Lieutenant Markley, Twenty-fourth Infantry, with two Seminoles, were sent out in pursuit of the Indians, but too late to accomplish anything. His report accompanies this letter.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,