The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-02-03


1S63.-spent in the so-callcd Southern Con
federacy In many respects it is most unique
and cannot fail TO be interesting i'll many
ways.
March ,, 1861 left England in the royal
mail steamer Atrato, and arrived at St
Thomas.
March 22-Anchored at Havana at 6:15 a.
m, where i fell in with my old friend, II
MS frigate Immortalite Capt. Hancocl;
not only volunteered to take me as his guest
to Aiatamor:is, but also TO take a Texan mer-
chant, whose acquaintance l had made in the
Atrato. This gentleman's name is Mccarthy.
He is of Irish birtil-an excellent fellow, and
a good companion and wien he understood
my wish TO see the South" he had most
sood-naturedly volunteered to pilot me over
part of the Texan deserts. / owe much to
Capt Hancock kindness.
March 23.-Ieft Havana in TT. NJ s. I'm
mortalite at II n. m. Knocked off steam
when outside the harbOr.
April landlord at $50 p. m, three
miles from the mouth of the Rio Grande or
Rio Bravo del Norie. which is, i believe, it's
chant vessels.
April 1.-The Texanand / left the Immor-
talte. in her cutter, at 10 a. m, and crossed
the bar in fine style. The cutter was steered
NV Mr. Johnston, the Master and having
fair wind, we passed in like fash OF light
Ming. and landed nj the miserable village of
Bagdad, on the Mexican bank of the Rio
GT.;nde.
The bar was luckily in capital order-three
and one-balf feet of wafer. and smooth. 1t is
often impossible for 10 or II days together,
the depth OF water varying from two to FIVE
feet II is very dangerous, from the heavy
surf and undeT-curgent sharks also abound.
Boats are frequently capsized in crossing 1t,
and the Orlando lost man on it about
month ago.
Seventy vessels are constantly al anchor
outside the bar; their Gotten caTgoes being
brought 10 them. with very great delays, by
two small steamers from Bagtiad. These
steamers draw only three feet OF water, and
TeallZe AZ enormous profit
Bagdad consists OF a few miserable wooden
shantics which have sprung into existence
since the war began. For an immense dis
tance endless bales Of cotton are TO be seen.
Immediately we landed, Mccarthy was
greeted 10y his brother merchants. lie in
troiueed me to Mr. Ituria, a Mexican, who
promised TO take me in his buggy TO Browns
yilla 81 the Texan bank of the river oppo-
SIT; -haiamoras- Mccarthy was to follow IN
theeyeniDg to t-ataHoras
The Rio GFande Is very fOrtuOns and shall
low: the distance Joy river to Matamoras Is
60 miles ard ii is nayigated by steamers,
which someiim perform the trip in II
hours, bu; more often take ~, 50 constantly
do they gel aground.
The ,;is, anoe f.om Bagriad to Afatamoras by
land is - mics; on the Texan side TO Browns
vile, 20 miles.
Icrossed the river from Bagdad with Mr.
Itnfis a; II o'clock; and as ! had no pass,
was taken before iiali-a-dozen Confederate
officers. VINO were seated round fire contem-
plating a lin of potatoes. These officers be-
loneed to Duif's cavalry duff being my
Texans partner. Their dress consisted
simply of flannel shirts very ancient trousers,
jaca-b"ots with enormous spurs, and back
felt hats orBanented with the lone star of
Texas They looked rough and dirty, but
were extremely civiI-to me.
The Captain was rather boaster. He ek-
planned 10 a.c :llat lie couldn't Gro the r:yer
10 see Mccarthy, as he with some of his men
had nadc iald over there three weeks ago,
and carried away some Tcnegadoes y one of
whom. named Montgomery, they had lett oil
the -G.,G TO Brownsville bv She smiles of the
Other Ulcers ] ccaId easily guess that some
thlms cry dis grccaltle nust have happened 10
Montgomery. He Introduced me 10 skipper
who lad Just: run lis schooner. den with
cotton. from Galveston, and who was much
eiated ia c9naequene'e. The cotton had cost
g Goats a pousld in sGalteson. and is worth
80 hero
Mr.. turia and LEFT for Br wnsvilleat noon
sc fs,,l,t /
The road IS a natural one-the country
quito fat and much cOye:ed with mesquite
trees, very Ike pepper trees. Every person
we met carried 4 six-sipoicr although it is
very seldom necessary 10 use one.
After sc had proceeded about nine miles
we Esvt Gen Bee, who commands The troops
al Brownsville. lie WAS travelling to Boca
del Rio in an ambulance, with his Quarter
mas:cs-CeDeEal, Mai RUSSELL / gave him
my ieiieT o! introduction to Gen. Magruder.
and told hiln who was
He ticreup0n descended from his amI,u-
lance, and RECALLED me with beef and beer in
the open. He is brother 10 the Gen Bee
who was killed at Manassas We talked
politics and fIatemized very amicably IL
more ilian al hour. lie said the Moutgom-
cry AFFAIR was against his sanction and he
was sorry Tor it. He said that Davis another
fSh's@'ao, y uiG ftiSO nave been put TO death
had u not been for the ntercession OF his
wife Gen. Bee had restored Davis 10 tie
Mexicans.
Hall an hour after parting company with
Gen. Bee, We came 10 the spot were Montcom-
cry had been IeG and sure enough. about
300 yards TO the left Of the road. we found
him.
He had been slightly buried, but his head
aud arms were above the ground, his arms
tied together, the rope still round his neck.
but part of 1t still dangling from quite a
small mesquite tree. Dogs or wolves had
probably STRAPPED the earth from the BODY.
and there was no flesh on the bones. / OBJ
tanned this my first experience of lynch law
within three hours of landing in America
| understand that this Montgomery was a
man Of very bad character, aud that. coniid-
ing IN the neutrality Of the Mexican soil. he
was in the habit Of calling the Contedcrates
ali sorts oil insulting epiihe;s from the Bagdad
bank of the river; and a party OF his
renegadoes had also CLOSED over and
killed some unarmed cotton teamstcls, which
had rGnsed the fury Of the niedeTates
About three miles beyond this we came to
Col Duiis encampment. lie is a fine look
Ing, handsome Scotchman, and received me
with much hospitality. His regiment con-
sisted of newly-raIsed v0lunteeIs-a very
Ine body OF young men, who were drilling
III squads. They Were dressed in every