It was while making his way,
with other Confederate officers, from Galveston to El Paso, that
MacIver was captured by the Indians. He was not ill-treated by
them, but for three months was a prisoner, until one night, the
Indians having camped near the Rio Grande, he escaped into
Mexico. There he offered his sword to the Royalist commander,
General Mejia, who placed him on his staff, and showed him some
few skirmishes. At Monterey MacIver saw big fighting, and for his
share in it received the title of Count, and the order of Guadaloupe.
In June, contrary to all rules of civilized war, Maximilian was
executed and the empire was at an end. MacIver escaped to the
coast, and from Tampico took a sailing vessel to Rio de Janeiro.
Two months later he was wearing the uniform of another emperor,
Dom Pedro, and, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel, was in
command of the Foreign Legion of the armies of Brazil and
Argentina, which at that time as allies were fighting against
Paraguay.
MacIver soon recruited seven hundred men, but only half of these
ever reached the front. In Buenos Ayres cholera broke out and
thirty thousand people died, among the number about half the
Legion. MacIver was among those who suffered, and before he
recovered was six weeks in hospital. During that period, under a
junior officer, the Foreign Legion was sent to the front, where it
was disbanded.
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