Kyle Rucker company commanders. Lieut. J. B. Coulter, Troop "M." The bodies of six Mexicans were found. No account as to number of escaped wounded. During the bandit troubles between August 4, 1915, and June 17, 1916, one hundred Mexicans have been executed by the Texas rangers and Deputy Sheriffs, without process of law. Some place the figures at 300. Most of these executions, it has been asserted, were by reason of data furnished the Rangers implicating the particular Mexicans in the raids which were occurring. On Sunday, June 18, 1916, the Washington Administration issued a statement referring to the disturbed conditions along the Mexican border, adding that in order to insure complete protection for all Americans, substantially all the militia organizations throughout the United States had been called out and would be sent to the border whenever and wherever Gen. Frederick Funston might determine. On June 21, 1916, the attack on the 10th U. S. Cavalry at Carrizal, Chihuahua, Mexico, by Gen. Gomez, took place. Immediately matters assumed a serious aspect. Excitement reigned throughout the Republic of Mexico where the more ignorant broke out in hostile demonstrations against the Americans, in some places going as far as to order them to leave the Republic entirely. Rumors of the killing of Americans residing in Mexico became common. Carranza demanded the immediate withdrawal of Pershing's troops from Mexican soil. The Washington Administration flatly refused to heed this demand. On the Lower Valley border, General Parker demanded of General Ricaut that he arrest and punish the bandits who had attempted to violate our laws on the 15th of June, and whose names were furnished by the former. On the 22nd General Ricaut answered that he would at once endeavor to arrest them; that he would cooperate with the Americans and that he would punish any who might be found guilty. On June 23, 1916, the first body of militia troops began to arrive in the Valley when Battery "A" Dallas Field Artillery, Capt. Frederick A. Logan, arrived at Harlington and proceeded to Ringgold Barracks. On June 24, Gen. Parker ordered traffic over the International Bridge at Brownsville to be suspended. On June 26, 1916, the Washington Administration demanded the delivery to the representatives of the U. S. government, of the 17 troopers of the 10th U. S. Cavalry who had been captured at Carrizal by the Carranzistas when they attacked the Americans. On June 27, 1916, there were stationed along the Lower Rio Grande Border under command of Gen. James Parker, the following soldiers: 4th U. S. Infantry, Col. E. E. Hatch, 3rd U. S. Cavalry, Col. A. P. Blocksom, commanding. Colonel Blocksom had been commanding officer of the Lower Valley from June, 1914. Battery "A" 4th U. S. Field Artillery, Battery "A" Dallas Field Artillery. Immediately State Militia from Virginia, Iowa, Illinois, South Dakota, Minnesota, Indiana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Louisiana, and Oklahoma, began to pour into the Valley. (See personnels under MILITARY MOVEMENTS IN THE VALLEY.) On July 12, 1916, the organization of the 36th U. S. Infantry, which had been authorized during April, 1916, was begun at a point in Brownsville between West Brownsville and Brownsville proper contiguous to the main line of the St. L. B. & M. Ry. Officers; Col. Almon L. Parmenter, commanding: Lieut. Col. Paul A. Wolfe, Maj. H. B. Fiske; Maj. James V. Heidt; Major Edward A. Roche. Capts.: Charles A. Thuis, Thomas C. Musgrave, Jesse Gaston, David P. Wood, Roderick Dew, R. B. Hewitt, H. H. Bissell, M. E. Malloy, Fred H. Baird, W. C. Whitener, M. H. Shute, Fred A. Cook, G. H. Huddleston, E. L. Field; 1st Lieuts.: W. G. Langwill, G. C. Whiting, C. W. Elliott, C. M. Everett, J. G. Thornell, A. W. Wilson, C. F. McKinney, E. G. Sherbourne, M. F. Davis, C. L. Ritchel, N. R. Randolph and Arthur A. White, 1st Lieut. W. J. McConnell, 1st Lieut. Harry Kalman Leow, Surgeons, and later, Lieut. R. R. D. McCullough was attached. On July 13, 1916, Lieut. Col. Edward A. Anderson, recently promoted, Capt. Oscar Foley and Capt. John V. Spring, Jr., recently promoted, left for San Antonio with 125 men to help form a new regiment, 16th U. S. Cavalry. On July 31, 1916, the following troops were in the Valley: At Brownsville: 4th U. S. Infantry 3rd U. S. Cavalry 1st Iowa Infantry 2nd Iowa Infantry 3rd Iowa Infantry 1st Illinois Cavalry Battalion Virginia Field Artillery At Mercedes and Llano Grande: 1st Indiana Infantry 162 Indiana Infantry Gen. Edward H. Plummer, formerly of 28th U. S. Infantry, was designated on March 17, to command all forces at Llano Grande. Gen. James Parker, in command of the Brownsville District, with Capt. Frank R. McCoy, Chief of Staff; Capt. Cortlandt Parker, A. D. C.; Lieut. W. D. Crittenberg, A. D. C.; Lieut. Paul Raborg, A, D. C.; Capt. Alfred Aloe, Depot Quartermaster; Lieut. Col. Fred D. Evans, Adjutant General; Capts. A. L. Conger, A. Moreno, Assistants to Adjutant; Lieut. Col. T. J. Kirkpatrick, District Surgeon; Lieut. Col. Frank Reynolds, Sanitary Inspector; Maj. F. E. Hopkins, District Signal Officer; Lieut. Col. Geo. Howells, District Engineer; Capt. L. D. Gasser, Depot Quartermaster. CHAPTER XI THE TEXAS RANGERS AND THEIR SERVICE ON THE LOWER RIO GRANDE The Texas rangers consist of various groups of what might be called CONSTABULARY. As rangers they have been known' since Texas became a Republic, and tradition attributes to them the credit for having, during the early days, procured better results for the peace and security of the State than has any man or body of men. During Taylor's march to Fort Brown and before and during the battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma, as scouts they rendered valuable service under Walker and McCulloch. Afterwards, under the same leaders they led the American army into Monterrey, Saltillo, and Buena Vista, obtaining the only reliable data upon which Taylor might base his operations. At Monterrey, while the battle raged, they worked their way from house to house, crossed from house-top to housetop, and silenced the characteristic snipers who, more than all others, impeded the American advance. It was McCulloch's Ranger scouts who, far south of Buena Vista, discovered the hordes of Santa Anna approaching, and notified Taylor so that he might pick out his own battle ground. From the time of the American invasion of Mexico to the days of our Civil War, they have suffered many encounters and hair-breadth escapes at the hands of the most desperate characters. Among the Rangers were such men as Col. John S. (RIP) Ford; Capt. Sul Ross, afterwards governor of Texas, who single-handed killed a noted Comanche Chief; Capts. Bill McDonald, Hughes, McNelley, McMurry, Rudd, Oglesby, Hall, Shelby, Bill Scott, J. R. Jones, Frank Jones, Brooks, Ira Aten and, not the least, John B. Armstrong, who from 1878 to 1914, the day of his death, resided at Armstrong Station, Cameron County. While their battles and victories have |