The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 70, July 1966 - April, 1967 Page: 316
728 p. : maps, ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Southwestern Historical Quarterly
Anticipating the outburst of indignation that would greet the
announcement of this new American policy in his country's press,
Mexican President Porfirio Diaz reacted quickly. On June 18
his Minister of War Pedro Ogazon issued orders to General
Geronimo Trevino of the Division of the North to concentrate
his troops along the Rio Grande boundary; official instructions
were to cooperate with the United States authorities, but in the
event Mexican soil was invaded to "repel force with force."' A
clash seemed certain. The United States Army had approximately
a fifth of its effective strength stationed in Texas.9 Committed to
a policy of border crossing, it would surely run head-on into
Trevino's men.10 Consequently, citizens of both nations apprehen-
sively scanned their newspapers for word from the border. The
military commanders, however, realized the seriousness of the
situation and adopted a conciliatory attitude.1? While troop cross-
ings continued, care was taken that Mexican forces were else-
where at the time. Nonetheless, a number of near clashes occurred.
The Department of Texas listed twenty-seven civilians killed
as a result of depredations in the border regions during the
first five months of 1878; in three instances the victims were first
fiendishly tortured."
On June 11, 1878, a punitive expedition of six troops led
sFoster to Evarts, June 21, 1877, Enclosure Ogazon to Trevino, June 18, 1877,
Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, 1877, pp. 416-418.
'Annual Report of Gen. Sherman, Nov. 1, 1879, House Executive Documents,
46th Cong., 2nd sess. (Serial No. 19o3), Document No. 1, Vol. I, 7.
"OThe quality of this force is debatable for Trevino was obliged to "hire local
volunteers" as the Mexican regulars would "disperse for different causes." Trevino
here referred to the propensity of his enlisted regulars to desert when stationed
near the border. Foster to Evarts, July 13, 1877, Enclosure No. 2, Trevino to
Ogazon, June 30o, 1877, Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United
States, 1877, p. 4o20. For further information on desertion probabilities see also
Fish to Foster, May 2o, 1875, as quoted by Robert D. Gregg, The Influence of
Border Troubles on Relations Between the United States and Mexico, 1876-gzo
(Baltimore, 1937), 43.
"1The friendly measures adopted by both military leaders is mentioned by Foster
to Evarts, July 13, 1877, Enclosure No. 2, Trevino to Ogazon, June 30o, 1877, Papers
Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, 1877, PP. 420-423. General
Trevino and Roberta Ord, daughter of General Ord were married at San Antonio in
188o. Kenneth W. Porter and Edward S. Wallace, "Thunderbolt of the Frontier,"
New York Westerners' Brand Book, VIII, 85.
"lReport of Gen. Ord, Oct. 2, 1878, House Executive Documents, 45th Cong.,
3rd Sess. (Serial No. 1843), Document No. 1, Vol. I, 82.316
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 70, July 1966 - April, 1967, periodical, 1967; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101199/m1/334/: accessed April 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.