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280 murdered men were openly offered for sale in Mexico. Large numbers of horses and cattle were driven from Texas into Mexico. In one instance a raiding party was followed over 150 miles into the country to their camp "where nearly 100 of the cattle had been slaughtered and beef was found drying." The marauders found a refuge in the Mexican towns when pursued and sold their plunder there. In some cases American troops crossed the border and punished the offenders. The United States military authorities declared "that the only way to check these atrocities is to follow the delinquents into Mexico and there attack them in their lairs. The Government of the United States was coming to feel that if the outrages were persisted in, it would adopt this policy with or without the consent or acquiescence of Mexico.

Matters came to a head on June 1, 1877, when the Secretary of War wrote General Sherman instructing him to notify General Ord, commanding the border forces, to ask the coöperation of the Mexicans in bringing an end to disorder and to inform them that while the President was anxious to avoid giving offense, "the invasion of our territory by armed and organized bodies of thieves and robbers" could "not be longer endured." General Ord was informed that if Mexico continued to neglect to suppress such bands, the duty to do so would rest upon the United States, and the duty would be performed "even if its performance should render