The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-01-19
"CAsr At CoRrrs cuRrsrr, (Tsxaa,) }

"CAsf At CoRfus CHRlsrI, (Texas,)
December 10, lo45.
"roI the last four days have been hunting along
the Nueces, up far the once Irish settle
menl Of San Patrcio; which place, on the map,
would lead person to imagine il 10 be town or
village; but such is rot th- hIany years back
a grant was made by the Spanish government ~
some Irish adyentuTers TO found u colony, which
seems to have embraced all this vicinity; and each
settlement seems Ia have been dedicated 10 its found
ems GayoIite santfoT instance ST. PatrIcio, ST. Jo-
sephs, Corpus Christi, Body Of Christi 6C; and
Notwithstanding these saints have been invoked for
the Of these early settlements, II ID only
caslonally the runs Of some house can be diScov-
cred, to mark the cite. All this country has become
perfect wilderness since the Texan revolution
large armies Of both parties having passed through
alternating Ms victors and yanquished, destroyin
and laying waste all In their way; and nature, II
vexed at the destruction had hurried all her SURF
means of oberaling from her face these early
of settlements, and has so well succeeded, that
antiquarian must needs have the spots pointed out
TO him. or his research will be in vain. However,
am permitting my thoughts to dlgress from the re-
suits Of my hunt which, no doubt, you think from
the commencement have passed over. Such is
not the case; but, like all OriltrS las you have had
the kindness to term the undersigned the preface
has much TO do with the main incidents; for had
said was hunting about San Patricio simply, the
conclusion drawn would have been that was hunt
ing III tHc Vicinity Vi u tONuj IOb HhNlilS lHt
proper tact Of expressing what desired to commu-
ncate in more brief mode than the foregoing,
will, consequently, "raek" back 10 the commence
ment of the second paragraph, which resulted In
my killing three deer, nine turkeys, four geese, and
frightened panther badly that made him take
cold bath just at daylight, by swimming the Nu-
Gees; and II had not had serious objections to the
same means Of crossing the river, am confident in
saying | could have included him in the list Of
wounded, if not slain. This country abounds with
game of all descriptions, and furnishes ample sport
from snipe-shooting up to the more manly amuse-
ment of chasing the wild horse.
"For a short time back we have had what is
termed here "cold snap" and the change was so
sndden that an abundance Of red.hsh, trout, sheep.
head, green turtle, &c, were caught at our camps,
by merely taking them out OF the wdter-they be-
ing torpid not TO be able to move. Wagon
loads were caught and eaten by our army. So you
see, Notwithstanding we only protected by thin
tent from the keen norhwesters, our fare (cnnpass
backs incuded-tis true, we go it without Jelly and
around good camp fire. makes US as contcnted as
an M. c.
"Our army is still idle Scouts only from the
Dragons, covering parties of reconnaissance through
the various courses to Matamoras, Mier Lorado
to the Guilo, &c, has been the amount Of de.
tached duty performed since the concentration
of this army, and without the least desire you
shoul Id attribute 1t TO my esprit de corps when ] say
the Dragons, upon the slightest pretence volunteer
TOT scout In lact 30 much do they dislike the
monotony of the camp, that parties are out hunting
continually, composed of from two to ten, by which
amusement they learn the country, add terror to the
already frightened Indians, who for many years
have both kept the Mexicans and Texans ii dread
well as robbed them of their horses on all occa-
sions. Our gallant colonel never refuses his men
any privilege consistent with discipline and in my
opinion, it Is the sures. means of preserving the
health of the men, and tends greatly to their con-
tentment.
1--WE have two companies stationed at San Anto-
MO dc Bexar, commanded by Col. Harvey. There
is also one company stationed at Austin, under the
command Of Major Fauntleroy; and scouts occa.
sonay from both these points prove to the Canaan
chse and Mexican brgands who roam in that vi
cnity that the Dragons are more than match for
them, even on the unwatered plains, notwehstand
ing many prognos'ics have been made that our men
as well as horses would suffer greatly and that they
would rob of all horses. Either from the fear
of too close intimacy with our many encampments
through this country, the belief that little else but
hard blows can be expected from us, up to this
present time we have not had single horse stolen;
although, just before entered this country, they
had robbed several little villages of nearly all their
horses and succeeded in making their escape with
out capture ....