[Untitled], December 4, 1865.

[Untitled]

The foregoing communication was returned by General Mejia, with a verbal message, to which General Weitzel returned the following:

General: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 1st instant, in reply to my communication of the 24th of October last.

The three men that cannot now be found in your prisons have long ago been released. If the three men of the twenty-third United States colored troops were captured in the lines of your enemies in arms against you, I have nothing more to say, of course. But for humanity’s sake, I ask that, on their trial, your court may take into consideration their ignorance, their ignorance of your language, and the fact that officers and others from the other side induced these men to do what they did under promise of large sums of money. But three pieces of artillery have crossed and recrossed this river, and that only once, and then not on United States transports. But one of my officers, who saw the whole performance, says the guns were dismounted, the carriages taken apart, and the different parts carried over in skiffs. These were brought over to be repaired, and returned as soon as they were repaired.

As I understand you, however, you do not complain of this, nor of projectiles of American manufacture being thrown over Matamoras; but you merely mention them as facts which justified great precautionary measures on your part.

I have also received my communication of the 27th ultimo, returned to me. I must consider it unanswered, as I can receive no verbal reply to a communication written by direction of such high authority as it was.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,