April 2, 1863, New Orleans Bee
The Brownsville Flag has a long editorial with regard to the recent capture of Col. Davis and other officers on Mexican soil. It states that Captain Montgomery was hanged. The Flag says:
The extraordinary transactions of which we give the details in another column, will excite people to be animated in its discussion, but the people of Mexico, the United States and Europe will also be called upon to canvass its merits as an act of policy and of international offense. The abduction of the renegades from Mexican soil will be condemned at large, not only by our own Government, but by foreign States, not only as an outrage upon friendly soil, but as a political blunder committed against our own interests. The public will barely take into consideration the fact that the act was committed without authority, and that it was promptly disavowed by the commanding officer on the frontier, nor will the mass reflect how great has been the temptation to the deed. Mexico, as a State, has been decidedly inimical to us from the beginning, and by various measures emanating from the capital, has shown a disposition to thwart our interests and injure our resources. But for Gov. Vidaurri and the good offices o the citizens of Matamoras, we should long since have been compelled by our own self-respect, to assume a hostile attitude toward the people west of the Rio Grand.
* * * * *
Gen. Bee has officially denied any responsibility for, or complicity in the abduction of Davis, and the act therefore becomes an individual offense, for which the Confederate States is in no way responsible. It was not directed against Mexicans, but against renegade Texans. It was an interchange of hostilities between citizens of Texas, without official character, (for they acted as individuals, doing what they did against orders and in violation of law,) and runaway men, who took advantage of their position to insult our people. It was a personal affair, and the parties engaged in it have been sought after, and when found will be tried for the offense which they committed against our own and against all law. Gen. Bee is seeking to make every honorable atonement possible to be made for a seemingly military, but which was as purely personal and individual as any as could be that involved an equal number of men.