Three Months in the Southern States, April-June 1863 | Page 5

Mongomery.
We were treated by all the officers with the greatest consideration, and
conducted to the place of embarkation with much ceremony. Colonel
Luckett declared I should not leave Brownsville until General
Magruder arrives. He is expected every day.
Mr Maloney afterwards told us that these officers, having given up
everything for their country, were many of them in great poverty. He
doubted whether ---- had a second pair of boots in the world; but he
added that, to do honour to British officers, they would scour
Brownsville for the materials for cocktails.
At 3 P.M. we dined with Mr Maloney, who is one of the principal and
most enterprising British merchants at Matamoros, and enjoyed his
hospitality till 9.30. His wine was good, and he made us drink a good
deal of it. Mr Oetling was there, and his stories of highway robberies,
and of his journeys en chemise, were most amusing.
At 10 P.M. Mr Oetling conducted us to the grand fandango given in

honour of the reported victory over the French.
A Mexican fandango resembles a French ducasse, with the additional
excitement of gambling. It commences at 9.30, and continues till
daylight. The scene is lit up by numerous paper lanterns of various
colours. A number of benches are placed so as to form a large square,
in the centre of which the dancing goes on, the men and women gravely
smoking all the time. Outside the benches is the promenade bounded by
the gambling-tables and drinking-booths. On this occasion there must
have been thirty or forty gambling-tables, some of the smaller ones
presided over by old women, and others by small boys.
Monté is the favourite game, and the smallest silver coin can be staked,
or a handful of doubloons. Most of these tables were patronised by
crowds of all classes intent on gambling, with grave, serious faces
under their enormous hats. They never moved a muscle, whether they
won or lost.
Although the number of people at these fandangos is very great, yet the
whole affair is conducted with an order and regularity not to be
equalled in an assembly of a much higher class in Europe. If there ever
is a row, it is invariably caused by Texans from Brownsville. These
turbulent spirits are at once seized and cooled in the calaboose.
[2] It seems he has been dreadfully "riled" by the late Peterhoff affair.
* * * * *
8th April (Wednesday).--Poor Don Pablo was "taken ill" at breakfast,
and was obliged to go to bed. We were all much distressed at his illness,
which was brought on by over-anxiety connected with his official
duties; and the way he is bothered by English and "Blue-nose"[3]
skippers is enough to try any one.
Mr Behnsen and Mr Colville returned from Bagdad this afternoon,
much disgusted with the attractions of that city.
General Bee's orderly was assaulted in Matamoros yesterday by a

renegado with a six-shooter. This circumstance prevented the General
from coming to Matamoros as he had intended.
At 5 P.M. Captain Hancock and I crossed over to Brownsville, and
were conducted in a very smart ambulance to General Bee's quarters,
and afterwards to see a dress parade of the 3d Texas infantry.
Lieutenant-Colonel Buchel is the working man of the corps, as he is a
professional soldier. The men were well clothed, though great variety
existed in their uniforms. Some companies wore blue, some grey, some
had French kepis, others wideawakes and Mexican hats. They were a
fine body of men, and really drilled uncommonly well. They went
through a sort of guard-mounting parade in a most creditable manner.
About a hundred out of a thousand were conscripts.[4]
After the parade, we adjourned to Colonel Luckett's to drink prosperity
to the 3d Regiment.
We afterwards had a very agreeable dinner with General Bee; Colonels
Luckett and Buchel dined also. The latter is a regular soldier of fortune.
He served in the French and Turkish armies, as also in the Carlist and
the Mexican wars, and I was told he had been a principal in many
affairs of honour; but he is a quiet and unassuming little man, and
although a sincere Southerner, is not nearly so violent against the
Yankees as Luckett.
At 10 P.M. Captain Hancock and myself went to a ball given by the
authorities of the "Heroica y invicta ciudad de Matamoros" (as they
choose to call it), in honour of the French defeat. General Bee and
Colonel Luckett also went to this fête, the invitation being the first
civility they had received since the violation of the Mexican soil in the
Davis-Mongomery affair. They were dressed in plain clothes, and
carried pistols concealed in case of accidents.
We all drove together from Brownsville to the Consulate, and entered
the ball-room en