FALL OF 1859: JOHN BROWN IN W. VA., CORTINA IN B'VILLE

(The following excerpts are from the Chicago Press Tribune November 19, 1859, a month after abolitionist John Brown and a handful of followers took over the U.S. Government arsenal at Harper's Ferry, West Virginia on October 16-18, 1859

The newspaper editors comment on the difference in response to the Brown raid and the response – or non-response – to the taking of Brownsville by Juan N. Cortina in Brownsville, Texas on September 28. 

The accounts from events at Brownsville are taken from dispatches published in the the New Orleans Picayune and from a statement by someone named W.A. Miller, which erroneously swears that the town was surrounded by Cortina on October 20 and then occupied on October 31, almost a month after the events really occurred. 

It also describes the heroic deeds of the 50 or so white townspeople who supposedly engaged in at least five hours of "hand to hand" fighting" with 400 of Cortina's men that also never happened. Miller also asserted that Cortina had another 200 men patrolling the countryside. Although we don't condone the use of the "N" word, it is instructive that northern papers like the Press Tribune saw the struggle for Texas as a slaves-vs-non slave states situation and made no bones writing about it. Interestingly, Robert E. Lee, then a U.S. military officer, attacked the arsenal and captured Brown and was later sent to do the same to Cortina, but failed)

FROM BROWNSVILLE.

Tho reader will see by the extracts which we make today from the New Orleans papers that Brownsville in Texas has been taken by the guerrilla party under the lead of the Mexican Cortinas, and that the few American inhabitants of that far off settlement are exposed to the full sweep of Mexican barbarism and revenge. 

Of course there can be no apprehension that the district thus feloniously appropriated to Mexican uses can be held by those who have possession of it at the moment; but as their avowed object is tho avenging of certain insults and injuries to which a brother of Cortinas, was once subjected, and not the liberation of slaves, we presume that the Administration at Washington, never in hurry except when "a nigger is loose" will make no haste to vindicate the inviolability of American soil. 

But it will, in all probability, permit the work of murder to go on, for the purpose of running up long account against the half dozen or more of the different governments of Mexico, to be liquidated in the day of settlement by the grabbing of additional Mexican territory for the use of the the nigger-drivers of the South.

Fully warned, it winked at the the insurrection of Brown, that temporary advantage might be gained over the "Black Republicans."

"We know of no motive that would impel Mr. (President James) Buchanan to save the lives and property of these Texan frontiersmen, that did not impel him to prevent an insurrection in the heart of tho country and save the lives of those who ingloriously fell at Harper's Ferry. But let's see what he will do."

New Orleans Picayune

For weeks, each arrival from the Rio Grande has exhibited condition of affairs at Brownsville and along the Mexican frontier which has shocked our national pride and aroused all our sympathies. A robber chief of a pitiful band of Mexican outlaws has invaded our territory, murdered and pillaged our citizens, and spread consternation through the whole valley of the Rio Grande.

The withdrawal of the regular troops from the frontier, leaving comparatively small number of Americans scattered through the country among a population of foreign birth and prejudices,has emboldened daring adventurer to make foray into Texts, and enabled, him to collect a force so formidable that large section of the State seems to lie exposed to his barbarity. 

Brownsville end Rio Grande City, undefended except by mere handful of  Americans, has been captured and pillaged. The ranches all through the adjoining valley have been hastily abandoned. Fears are entertained even of the conquest of Corpus Christi – reclaiming again – for the people of ill-starred Mexico, the disputed territory which witnessed the first victories of the American arms in the late Mexican war.

Hostilities now actually exist on the frontier, which, from the number and nationality of the force of the predatory chief, have become matter of national concern. In this we feel something more grave than a mere robber foray. That our soil should have been trodden by hostile band of Mexican bandits – that Americans should have been robbed in open day, and forced to parley for their lives and the safety of their wives and daughters with Mexican outlaw – that town, nay even a territory, made historical by the brilliant military feats of handful of our soldiery, should have fallen without resistance into the power of a degenerate son of a conquered people, will be lasting disgrace to the American Government. 

But leaving the past to make its own record, the present state oi affairs appeals to us all to take prompt measures to aid the suffering. 

A few are beleaguered in the centre of the town of Brownsville. The whole population from the Rio Grande to the Nueces are exposed to insult and pillage; and the Government delays, and the towns of Texas as yet are not ready, to send sufficient aid to crush the bands of Cortinas, increased by the accession of bandits from Mexican States and the citizens of Texas of Mexican birth. Can the citizens of New Orleans look on passively when earnest appeals come to them for aid? 

Shall we suffer the wealth accumulated by American citizens in the Rio Grande Valley, and the trade which has sprung up between, this city and the frontier, to be destroyed – even if impulses of national honor and humanity prompt no action We should do our best promptly, and leave future measures to the Administration. We cannot believe that this outbreak can be overlooked by the Government of the United States. 

If Mexico is not responsible for the state of actual war which exists on the frontier, it is believed she has no power to prevent such forays against us. Her weakness is dangerous to our safety. Against her bandits, whom the force of the adjoining States can neither restrain nor punish, we must maintain armies upon the frontier; and as her dissension increase her infirmity, our defenses must be enlarged. 

Does not this justify direst interference on the part of the Administration to put an end to such condition of affairs? Can alarms and insecurity be permitted forever to retard the population and the growth of the Nueces and Rio Grande valleys? 

Daily is the necessity forced more and more impressively upon the nation that some steps must be taken to end the destructions, the social disorder, the absolute infirmity of Mexico and her several States. If we would, we cannot look with indifference upon what is now taking place. We cannot protect our own citizens by neutrality. We cannot maintain national honor by inaction. We cannot prevent outrage and violence,robberies and murders, and arsons, unless we change our policy towards the Mexican States. 

The present condition of tbe frontier justifies the most energetic measures. Those that simply look to protection will not answer. The marauders must be punished. They can only be found in the territory of Mexico and can only be captur ed by our invasion of that territory. Will it be none? The occasion for something decisive is offered; have we the man for the occasion?

LATER.

Brownsville Taken.

By the arrival this morning of the steamship Charles Morgan, Capt. Lawless, from Indianola and Galveston on the 11th, we we have the following highly important information:

Corpus Christi, November 7, 1859.

On the 20th October, Cortinas and his band surrounded the town of Brownsville. On the 3lst Cortinas ordered the barricades to be charged, at the same time his men made good an entrance from the yards at the back of the stores and dwelling houses; in a moment his men and ours were mixed up in hand to hand fiylit, and in moment more tbe barricades were forced. After five hours of hand to hand fighting, we were forced to retreat, and succeeded in making our escape to the other side of the river. Cortina's attacking party consisted of about four hundred men, and he has, in all probability, two hundred men patrolling the country to prevent communication with the city.

In all told, we had about fifty white men under arms, and these were aided by one hundred and fifty Mexicans sent from Matamoros. Col. Manuel Naranjo commanded this force.

I can form no idea of the number of men killed on either side. The cry of the Mexicans was: "Death to all Americans! No quarter!" And such was truly thc case, as is proven by the death of every man Cortinas has taken prisoner. On Tuesday morning, Cortinas had entire possession of Brownsville.

In presence of L. Meyers and John I. Morris.
W. A. Miller.