The Junior Historian, Volume 25, Number 2, November 1964 Page: 18
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THE JUNIOR HISTORIAN
ROBERT
E. LEE'S LITTLE-KNOWN WAR
by BARBARA BEANE
Edinburg High SchoolSAY THE NAME "Robert E. Lee"
and one automatically thinks of the
Civil War. There were other phases
in Lee's long military career. There was
also his service in the Mexican War and
his campaign against the "Rogue of the
Rio Grande": Juan Cortina. Lyman
Woodman said:Cortina, a native of Camargo, Mexico, a vil-
lage on the Rio Grande, was in 1859 a stocky,
ruddy-complexioned, virile man of about 36
years, unhampered by conscience, a superb
horseman, and quick on the trigger.
Uneducated and unable to read or write, he
was a ruthless belligerent with an uncommon
amount of leadership ability.
Scruples, he had none; political influence
and the dash and impudence of a Robin Hood
-a selfish and merciless Robin Hood-he had
plenty.
This was Cortina, "Rogue of the Rio
Grande," the most striking, and the most in-
solent, daring, and elusive Mexican bandit who
ever operated along the dirty waters of the
Rio Grande.
One day, while in Brownsville with
some friends, Cortina came upon the
town marshal, Robert Shears, arresting a
former servant of Cortina's. The charge
was creating a disturbance while intoxi-
cated. Juan interceded and asked whether
he could take the man home. Shears re-
fused, whereupon Cortina lost his temper,
drew his gun, and shot the marshal. Cor-tina then mounted his horse with the res-
cued man behind him and rode away,
leaving the marshal with a wounded
shoulder.
This defiance of the law aroused
Brownsville. The marshal organized a
posse and was ready to ride after Cortina
when he learned that Cortina's force was
larger than his own, and Shears promptly
disbanded the group. The news of this
small victory was quickly relayed to the
outlaw by sympathetic friends and fol-
lowers.
On another occasion Cortina became
so enraged when one of his men was
hanged in Brownsville, that on September
28, 1859, he entered the city with a large
band of men. He established himself in
deserted Fort Brown, while his band
roamed the streets. The Stambaugh's
Lower Rio Grande Valley described the
event:
Standing near the Miller Hotel, he threat-
ened to kill all Americans but assured the
Mexicans and foreigners that they would not
be molested. Sentries were placed at strategic
places. ... For two days his lawless bands
occupied the city. All prisoners were released;
the county jailer, R. L. Johnson, Constable
George Morris, William Neale, Clemente Reyes
and Viviano Garcia were killed. Cortina lost
one man, Alejos Vela, who was killed by the
jailer, Johnson.
On December 5, 1859, Major Samuel
P. Heintzelman of the First Infantry with
117 men arrived in Brownsville. Nine
days later, with 120 others, including
Captain W. G. Tobin's Rangers, he left to
go after Cortina. He found the Mexicans
at La Ebronal, and, after a brief fight,
drove them off. Eight Mexicans and one
ranger were killed, and two regulars were
wounded. Then Major John S. Ford with
fifty-three more Rangers, joined the search
for Cortina and defeated him in a second
battle on December 26, at Rio Grande
City. The Mexicans fled panic-stricken.
Later, Cortina learned of a cargo18
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Texas State Historical Association. The Junior Historian, Volume 25, Number 2, November 1964, periodical, November 1964; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth391581/m1/20/?q=%221964~%22: accessed August 15, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Texas State Historical Association.