I took an affectionate leave of Don Pablo, Behnsen, Oetling,
& Co., all of whom were in rather weak health on account of last night's
supper.
The excellent Maloney insisted on providing me with
preserved meats and brandy for my arduous journey through Texas. I feel
extremely grateful for the kindness of all these gentlemen, who rendered my
stay in Matamoros very agreeable. The hotel would have been intolerable.
I crossed to Brownsville at 3 P.M., where I was hospitably
received by my friend Ituria, who confesses to having made a deal of money
lately by cotton speculations. I attended evening parade, and saw General Bee,
Colonels Luckett, Buchel, Duff, and . The latter (who hanged Mongomery)
improves on acquaintance. General Bee took me for a drive in his ambulance, and
introduced me to Major Leon Smith, who captured the Harriet Lane. The latter
pressed me most vehemently to wait until General Magruder's arrival, and he
promised, if I did so, that I should be sent to San Antonio in a first-rate
ambulance. Major Leon Smith is a seafaring man by profession, and was put by
General Magruder in command of one of the small steamers which captured the
Harriet Lane at Galveston, the crews of the steamers being composed of Texan
cavalry soldiers. He told me that the resistance offered after boarding was
feeble; and he declared that, had not the remainder of the Yankee vessels
escaped unfairly under flag of truce, they would likewise have been taken.
After the Harriet Lane had been captured, she was fired into
by the other ships; and Major Smith told me that, his blood being up, he sent
the ex-master of the Harriet Lane to Commodore Renshaw, with a message that,
unless the firing was stopped, he would massacEEE the captured crew.
After hearing this, Commodore Renshaw blew up his ship, with himself in her,
after having given an order to the remainder, sauve qui peut.
SOURCE: Sir Arthur James Lyon Fremantle, Three
months in the southern states: April-June, 1863, p. 22-4
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