The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-04-17
THE REBELS N MEXICO
General Joe Shelby's Interview
With Emperor Macmillan.
THE EMPEROR'S MISTAKE
A Bit OF Hitherto Unwrittep History.
Facts as Told by Dine of Lees Old
Veterans Who Was Present at
the Famous Interview.
From the Philadelphia Times.

From the Philadelphia Times.
The true story OF the confederates In
Mexico has never been told except i'm
mere fragments. such as personal Incl
dents. adventures and bits of local his
tory. The historian has neglected one
OF the exciting episodes of the century
in not recording IL. as IL is connected
with one of the strangest fatalities of
history. Ii lis intimately connected with
the great struggle for the preservation
Of the American union-one of the
echoes OF that Titanic conflict. as MAXI
milian's throne was based upon the
expectation of confederate success.
When the c~onfederacy fell the founda-
tions of the empire. began crumbling
away. for the spirit of Monroe still
lived, with a million bayonets behind
IL. Davis was in the dungeon at Fort
ress Monroe. his armies had ceased
fighting, and the confederacy was a
thing of the FAST, when General Joe
Shelby appeared at the City of Mexico
at the head of LOCO bronzed veterans.
booted. spurred and armed. Others
were there from every grade of rank
up to generals, governors. senators. But
they had come as individuals, in twos.
threes and dozens. His party had come
as an army body from the Rio Grande.
500 miles away. and had fought their
way through, foraged on the country to
sustain themselves and their horses. On
several occasions they had thrashed
some Mexican bands who had dared To
oppose them. On nearing the capital
they were met by some French cavalry,
the officers of whom demanded to
know who they were and where they
were going. Shelby rode W and
explained. One of the officers could
speak English. and soon il was known
by the Frenchmen that they were a
body of Lees veterans come to offer
their services to the empire. They
were received cordially and onducted
TO the city. The commandment OF the
post. learning that they had no money.
promptly ordered rations issued to
them and assigned a spot to them for a
camp. Tired and dusty. the veterans
rested, confident for the future.
There were already some 1000 confed-
crates in the city. the large majority of
whom were officers or men prominent
in civil life in the confederacy. not a
few of whom believed they mac cause
to ear the worst should they fall into
the hands of the victorious Yankees.
Magruder, Maury, Harris. Reynolds
n others equally prominent were
there. Ii was a city of refuge i'm ev-
cry sense of the word. Having come
in as individuals, seeking employment,
no rations were issued to them. as i'm
the case with Shelby's men. Naturally
Shelby became a center of interest to
all parties-French. Mexicans and
Americans. He was the only confeder-
ate officer who was on the scene with
something behind him-1.000 veteran
soldiers fresh from some of the great
est battlefields of modern times. Prob
ably not 10 per cent of the men with
him had followed his lead beyond the
Rio Grande. More than two-thirds of
them had been leaders themselves,
leading brave men i'm desperate
charges; but now a new condition con-
fronted them and they were willing TO
serve where they could.
A few days after his arrival i'm the
city Shelby called a council of the most
prominent officers who had come
through from Laredo with him Ia con-
suit over the situation. Ii was decided
To make a tender of service TO the i'm
perial government. and a committee
with Shelby at its head was appointed
Tor that pufpose That committee
quickly authorized him to make an Of
fer to raise 80. 900 confederate soldiers
for the empire, and that. too. within a
period of from four to six months. II
the imperial government would accept
Them. No n doubted that such a
humble could easily be enlisted. Said
a member of the committee to a COM
rade:
IF the emperor could induce Lee t.
accept the command of his army i0G. 900
men would come with him." Those who
heard the remark agreed with the
speaker. Blu that was not to be. and
so Shelby called on Marshal Bazaine,
army in Mexico. then i'm the zenith of
commander-in-chief of the French
army in Mexico, then in the zenith of
his fame. to consult him about the
tender OF service TO the empire. The
M IA .Al~.. H.
war. and sent one of his stan officers to
introduce him TO that official. Tn lat
Ter received him cordially and talked
freely with him over the situation, Ask
ing how many men the general had
with him. The general said he had the
nucleus of 10000 men. 5000 of whom
would enlist within four months after
the acceptance Of the offer. The min
lister was staggered. He had expected
the offer of a regiment or two. and here
was a veteran army of 10000 men in
stead. For a few moments he was i'm
doubt o Shelby's ability To raise
such a force. He knew Magruder.
Maury and Others then i'm the city. and
mentioned their names. wishing Ia
know II they were included in the offer.
No said the general: but l would
ugg that you consult with them and
satisfy yourself as To whether 1t IS pos
sible to enlist such a force from the
Va ~ tbiiltutidAt ARMIES.
h minister made an appointment
for another interview and Shelby re-
turned TO report the result Of his visit.
The COMMITTEES felt sanguine of sue !
cess. as did the great majority OF the
confederstes in the city. and eagerly
awaited the mex meeting with the war
minister. The French officers were po-
lite, cordial. in fact. To all the veterans
whenever they met, But The Mexican
of1cers in the emperors service seemed
disposed TO hold aloof, a fact that did
not escape notice. Two Mexican gener-
ais. Miramon and Mejla, We're excep-
however. n seemed pleased TO
meet the veteran sffieefs OF Lees army
seen much hard service in the petty
revolutions that a preceded the es;ab-
lfshment of the empire. II was a we'll
known fact to all Americans at that
that the masses of Mexico had
never foFgOtfen The vicfpriaS Of So,.t |