CHENO CORTINA

There are few characters more colorful in Brownsville's history than Juan Cortina. Cortina could neither read nor write, but he commanded with the same authority as did John "RIP" Ford. Cortina ruled the south side of the border for decades as both a soldier and a politician. His followers saw him as a Robin Hood while Americans regarded him as a ruthless killer.

On September 28, 1859, Cortina and his band of merry men rode into Brownsville and murdered several citizens in retribution for perceived wrongs. In a running battle from the mouth of the river to Rio Grande City that lasted for months, Ford, as part of a force comprised of the U.S. Army, Texas Rangers and irregulars pursued Cortina and his confederates until the Mexican retreated into his native country where he launched his depredations against Texans for years.

The rivalry between this pair continued for generations. In his autobiography Ford wrote respectfully about Cortina with a succinct eloquence that epitomized his powerful prose:

"'Cheno,' as Juan Cortina was familiarly called, was considered the black sheep of the family. He was bad in school. He never remained many days under a teacher without beating some boy terribly and getting himself expelled. He attained manhood without being able to read or write.

"While a youth he kept company with stock herders--men of wild, and in many instances, of dissolute habits. He acquired an ascendancy over this class of men. They roamed over prairies and threaded their way through chaparrals. They were often in attendance at fandangos. The man who crossed Cortina courted trouble and danger.

"He was of medium size with regular features and a rather pleasing countenance. He was fairer than most men of his nationality. He was fearless, self-possessed and cunning. In some cases he has acted towards personal and political enemies with a clemency worthy of imitation. When he thought he was being pushed to the wall and in hazard of his life, he acted decisively and promptly.

"It is related that in 1863 when General Jose Maria Cobos started Cortina out to be shot in Matamoros, Cheno turned and said to the guard, 'Tu hermano.' The guard was won over, seized Cobos and shot him instead. This was during some of the revolutionary commotions happening in Mexico.

"In native intelligence Cortina ranked high. No uneducated man would have played the part he did otherwise. He understood his countrymen of the lower class thoroughly. I heard this anecdote as an illustration of his keen mind.

"Cortina was approached by one of his men who asked him for money to buy a suit of clothes. The general told him to wait for a few minutes. He finished his business with another gentleman and then handed the soldier twenty-five cents saying, 'Here, my man. Take this money and go buy a suit of clothes.'

"'General, why do you fool that poor fellow?' remarked a lieutenant. 'You know two bits will not purchase a suit of clothes.'

"'Yes, sir, I do and so does he. I knew he only wanted money to get drunk and now he has it.'

"This knowledge enabled Cortina to get backing from the common people of Mexico in any enterprise he undertook."