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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.

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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.

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

GUAYMAS, April 2, 1857.

A copy.

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 provid ing 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

have already been sent to the Rio Colorado and to Calabazas; and, finally, many other particulars which are of no importance.

As it may suit your excellency to have before you the original letter from Sonoyta, a copy of the translation of which is numbered 2, I do myself the honor to enclose it to your excellency for your superior knowledge.

I have also deemed it proper to supply your excellency with that which I sent by the regular mail yesterday; so that your superior authority, being acquainted with the whole, may be pleased to adopt the most efficient measures.

Of the present and its respective enclosures, I hasten to give intelligence to the prefects of Hermosillo and of San Ignacio.

I conclude by recommending to your excellency not to lose sight of the want of forces, of munitions of war, of cash, and, more particularly, our want of your excellency in person.

God and liberty.

JOSE MARIA REDONDO. His Excellency the GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF SONORA, Ures.

A copy.

А 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.

Wardenship of Sonoyta.

SONOYTA, March 28, 1857.

Agreeably to your late communication in regard to the alleged incitation of the State of Sonora by the Americans, I will state to you that I have thought it useless to announce their arrival in this town, owing to the difficulties and the great scarcity of horses; but all those men having arrived with pacific intentions, and paying respect to individuals, to property, and to families, and the general of the whole emigration, Mr. Henry A. Crabb, having come before me and stated that he knows positively that hostile preparations are being made against him and his party, and that he protests formally before the State of Sonora against the offensive proceedings and the injuries they may cause him, and that for the calamities and horrors which war brings with it, he will not be responsible; and, to spare the effusion of blood, I have not objected to addressing you, and to enclose a packet from that general to your prefecture.

The number of those men, I learn from the troops themselves, is one hundred and odd, armed with daggers, pistols, and rifles.

I also learn from them that this is only the advance guard of a larger party, who are behind; which I make known to you in order that you may act accordingly.

God and liberty.

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

SONORA.

First court of Caborca.

CABORCA, March 26, 1857.

At this moment, which is at four o'clock in the afternoon, the coast spies have just arrived in this town, and report having descried at sea quite a large vessel coming from the Piedra Parada, along the coast, and supposed to be bound for the Rio Colorado.

At this moment the relief of the spies on the coast of Lobos is leav ing, it being borne in mind that to-morrow, and perhaps to-day, others will leave to watch the coast of the Salina.

God and liberty.

The PREFECT OF THE DISTRICT OF EL Altar.

A copy of the original.

A copy.

A copy.

JESUS RIVERA.

ALTAR, March 28, 1857.

JOSÉ MARIA REDONDO.

URES, March 30, 1857.

Owing to sickness of secretary,
G. V. SANDOVAL

GUAYMAS, April 2, 1857.

MARIANO MONTERDE, Secretary.

PORT OF MAZATLAN, April 10, 1857.

Copies from the originals in this office under my charge.

FRANCISCO CARRERO, Secretary.

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