The importance of these events compels me to overlook the serious nature of my infirmities, and to postpone everything to the defence of our country's cause, the operations of which I am going personally to direct. For this purpose I am hastening to undertake a forced march through that State, going by land, because in going by sea, owing to contrary winds, I should be less quick in accomplishing what I propose. I only order one division to be embarked under the orders. of General José Velasquez de la Cadena, which will be composed of seventy men of the permanent battalion of this port, with three pieces of artillery of eight pound calibre, and forty artillerymen, with the park and a sufficiency of munitions, fifty casks of powder, and other warlike stores, besides those which I have forwarded in advance to that State, all of which it would be impossible for me to carry with ease in the double marches which I am going to undertake.

I am only detained by some arrangements which I am making in order to obtain resources to start with, seeing that the president of the board of public credit has by his, circular No. 152, of the 13th ultimo, communicated to the collector of customs here that the powers granted by the supreme government to his excellency General Parrodi and myself, as generals-in-chief, are no longer in force. I am fighting a thousand difficulties at each instant in order to succeed in the most urgent of the objects which engage my attention.

The present condition of Sonora, the integrity of whose soil is threatened by the covetousness of audacious adventurers, the unheardof recklessness with which those adventurers challenge the authorities to the contest, and the honor and rights of our country, highly interested in the prompt and-severe punishment of an attempt which is as gratuitous as it is criminal, compel me to seek the necessary means, although prudently, to place under march the assistance I have mentioned, and to start myself, holding myself responsible for my acts, for the sacred cause of preserving an important part of the republic in the national unity, requires promptitude and seasonableness in order to render the triumph effective; and your excellency may assure the most excellent President that in the performance of this imperious duty I will overcome every obstacle.

I leave in this port the remainder of the artillery, which is strengthened with the scant force furnished by the squadrons of Cordova and Mazatlan, hardly sufficient to perform garrison duty, since of what there was I have covered Lower California, and detached to Sonora the force I have mentioned, for which reason it would tend to the preservation of the public tranquillity, and to the security of the state, if the most excellent President would direct that of the troops that are in Jalisco one battalion at least should supply the want of those who have left, and in part take the place of those who were withdrawn from Lower California, in order to prevent the happening of any event through the want of a respectable armed force.

I must call your excellency's attention to the fact that Crabb, in his letter dated at Sonoyta, states that he presents himself in conformity to the rules which have been adopted in regard to colonization, and that confiding in them his party of emigrants have undertaken their

journey. It is evident that he appeals to a pretext as futile as illegitimate, for on it rest the very advanced views which have inspired such well founded alarm in Sonora ; but as I am desirous that in all our proceedings the most indisputable justice may be on our side, and in order to prevent important consequences of grave origin, I will thank your excellency to communicate anything you may deem proper on this point with all possible despatch, as events must be precipitated with velocity when once the filibusters are in the field.

I request your excellency to report circumstantially to the most excellent President all that I have set forth, and to receive the assurance of my esteem and consideration.

God and liberty.

JOSÉ M. YAÑEZ.

His Excellency the MINISTER OF WAR AND MARINE, Mexico.

MEXICAN REPUBLIC.-OFFICE OF COMMANDING GENERAL AND OF INSPECTION OF THE STATE OF SONORA.

GUAYMAS, April 4, 1857.

MOST EXCELLENT SIR: I have the honor to enclose to your excellency, for your superior knowledge, a copy of the communication dated the 30th ultimo, which was sent to me by extraordinary express from Ures, by his excellency the governor, relative to the filibusters who are committing hostilities in the district of El Altar, numbering one hundred men, under the command of Mr. Crabb, and asking of me in consequence thereof assistance in cash and munitions of war for the force designed to restrain the abuses and depredations of those pirates.

The demands of the service are continually nullified, expenditures being required for the support of the various parties of the national guard, which are in movement, as well to aid the invaded district as to garrison this post, where there are already two companies of the national guard from Alamos, and one is to arrive to-day from Her

mossilo.

The governor's request for munitions has been complied with; this being all that has happened up to the time of sailing of the vessel which conveys this letter.

God and liberty.

His Excellency the GENERAL-IN-CHIEF

of the forces of the Western States.

LUIS NORIEGA.

MEXICAN REPUBLIC.-OFFICE OF THE COMMANDING GENERAL OF THE STATE OF SONORA.

MEXICAN REPUBLIC.-GOVERNMENT OF THE STATE OF SONORA.

Commander-in-chief of the forces which are to operate on the frontier. URES, March 30, 1857.

I enclose you a copy of the communications which have arrived by extraordinary express up till noon of to-day, received lately from the prefect of El Altar; also some twenty-five copies of the letter which Mr. Crabb, the leader of the filibustering expedition, addressed from Sonoyta to the prefect of El Altar, and the same number of copies of the proclamation with which I this afternoon saluted the brave veterans and national troops of the garrison, inviting them to go forth to meet those infamous adventurers.

The perusal of those documents will give you a perfect idea of our condition, on account of which I have directed the forces which have set out to relieve that district to continue their forced marches.

In order to set out myself for the same purpose, I am only waiting for the assistance which I have asked from you, which should come as soon as possible, on account of the pressing circumstances in which we find ourselves.

OFFICE OF THE COMMANDING GENERAL OF THE STATE OF SONORA.

MEXICAN REPUBLIC.-GOVERNMENT OF THE STATE OF Sonora.

Prefecture of the district of the town of El Altar.

ALTAR, March 26, 1857.

MOST EXCELLENT SIR: The district being threatened by a mob of foreigners who, under no legal character, precipitate upon us a struggle in defence of our cherished rights, this prefecture has been compelled to adopt such measures as seemed suitable in the defence of the State and for the security of its inhabitants, which measures it has the satisfaction to believe your superior authority will approve, seeing that they have emanated under circumstances of extreme urgency; and for this purpose it proposes to narrate them.

When they crossed the boundary of our country, and were committing unlawful acts in Sonoyta against the property of our countrymen, which, according to the official despatch from the warden of the point mentioned, that I sent your excellency an account of by extraordinary express, there is no doubt took place, and the force of filibusters was advancing on Caborca, I ordered the national guard of the district to be armed and assigned quarters, and provided myself with means for their subsistence by exacting loans according to the list of which I have the pleasure of enclosing your excellency a copy. In the towns of the district I authorized the justices to provide themselves with the necessary means for the same purpose.

I likewise gave orders that, in the towns and wardenships of this district, the customary levies should be made, to the end that all animals, whether horses or mules, the property of whomsoever they might be, should be brought to this post in order that there might be selected from them such as were necessary to supply the appropriate force; and, finally, to prevent any outrages being committed in the small settlements by the wicked horde which is invading us, I arranged that the settlers should concentrate at the towns-that is, such of them as were inside of and distant from the line of Sonoytaseeing that the robbers would reach them, and they were short of weapons, military stores, and even hands to repel them, and that this prefecture, owing to the want of arms and officers, could not send them assistance, although the towns are in excellent disposition to defend themselves, and have even solicited permission to go out to the encounter, as will be seen by Nos. 1 and 2, which I enclose to your excellency; but I was unable to consent, not having the arms requisite to supply a sufficient force that would place beyond doubt the triumph which is so necessary.

What I have set forth, most excellent sir, will demonstrate the just reasons I had for adopting the measures I have indicated-measures which, I trust, will meet with your approbation, not preventing others which, with more judgment, your superior authority may deign to prescribe.

God and liberty.

JOSÉ MARIA REDONDO.

His Excellency the GOVERNOR OF THE STATE, Ures.

A copy.

A copy.

URES, March 30, 1857. Owing to sickness of secretary, G. V. SANDOVAL.

GUAYMAS, April 2, 1857.

MARIANO MONTERDE, Secretary.

MEXICAN REPUBLIC.-OFFICE OF COMMANDING GENERAL OF SONORA.
MEXICAN REPUBLIC.-GOVERNMENT OF THE STATE OF SONORA.

Prefecture of the district of El Altar.

ALTAR, March 28, 1857.

MOST EXCELLENT SIR: The letters which your excellency sent me through the medium of the extraordinary expresses that your excellency has ordered, and bearing date of the 22d and 23d instant, have been received; and they attest the energetic measures which your superior authority has adopted to defend us from the adventurers who are invading our Territory. Such are, the giving swift intelligence to the authorities of the State, the notifying of the arrival of the nefarious horde on the Mexican shores or boundaries, the providing for the simultaneous mustering and arming of all the citizens, and the putting them under march to await the orders of your excellency for resistance; likewise that which tends to facilitating the movements of the armed force towards this district; and, finally, that which prohibits the exportation of provisions to the United States, which orders shall be strictly complied with.

As it is very important to the State, and is also my duty, I have arranged to send to your excellency, by a swift courier, a copy of the communications received up to eleven o'clock last night. By them your excellency will perceive that the time has arrived in which, without a moment's delay, a respectable amount of forces should be in this district, in order to exterminate the band of robbers who are attempting to usurp our sacred rights.

The bearer of the communications numbered 1 and 2, is the brother of the warden, Velasco; and, for the purpose of reporting the condition of Sonoyta, as he informed me verbally, he himself has been sent. This prefecture immediately proceeded to examine him. From the examination it appears that there has been delivered to the warden, by the alleged General A. Crabb and Jesus Ainza, the rough draft of the communication numbered 1; that they did not lose sight of said warden for a moment, and while watching him enjoined him not to communicate anything; that said adventurers gave an order to shoot cattle belonging to the citizens Francisco Redondo and Jesus Estrella; that this order becoming known to the steward of the former, he, in order to prevent them from taking those in the valley which were very lean, and which, when killed, they would not like, for the reason mentioned, proposed to them that when they wanted cattle he would point out to them the best; that, accordingly, at the time of his departure, the steward had already shown them three; that it was whispered about in Sonoyta, by the rabble, that they did not anticipate any harm from the Pápagos, whom they are on good terms with that is, the settlements about Sonoyta-in order that they might be opposed to us; that the letters which are sent from here are not even heard of, for the want of time-they keep them entirely; that the families and inhabitants of that place, though they wish to rise, cannot do so through fear; that extraordinary expresses