Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1846-07-24


the house ! noticed a large hole, occasioned bv a
shot thrown in the bombardment,-in the inside
OF II one of our own troops was sitting very COM
iorably on bench, eating hot corn, evidently
set before him by Mexican woman who. though
she did no credit to her sex in the way Of person
al beauty, seemed to honor it by her hospitality.
Just beyond this matched house, YOU are turn
ed OIL OF the road by the"Sand bag fort tbauery,''
a rough work that afforded protection TO three OF
four pieces Of artillery in the bombardment OF
Fort Brown. Therain had already washed down
some parts of the walls and two or three big hea-
ded mules seemed to hold it in full possession.
The road every where is pleasant, and Gotta
ges were filling up with "cake and beer shops;''
the Americans, like their progenitors "across the
waters" must be well fed to fight well, and this
characteristic is taken advantage of to the great
profit of innumerable hangers on of the camp
lu,pne of these little shops found the stock to
consist of an empty caret box, a jug of whiskey,
two tin cups, a few pounds of maple sugar, a pail
Of Rio Grande water, anda Mexican saddle worth
one hundred and fifty dollars You now get out
of the fields, and come into the suburbs of the
city, the road takes sudden turn to the right. and
| gives you an extended view of one of the streets
that leads sway back towards Monterey"
Onyour left you perceive the torturous winding
OF the river reaching away towards its mouth.
and upon the rolling land, are the thousand tents
belonging to our army. The tents stretch out be-
fore you for miles, until they grow into seeming
white spots, looking like snow balls resting on the
| blush sward. Nearer to YOU is an unfinished
powder Magazine, the workmen have abandoned
1t after raising its thick square walls-the ruins
OF houses are hidden away among the long weeds
"a TdacherO wends his way across the broken
field, and two or three soldiers, off duty stop him.
to hold long conversation in Irish and English.
and Spanish, and although they are entirely un-
acquainted with each others language they seem
very familiar and agreeable companions. A &c.
ry hick-Set, farmer looking old gentleman. in a
linen roundabout, and remarkable for short legs
and long body, mounted on a SnOC ctite CHARGER
followed by mounted dragoon, most perpendic.
ular IN his saddle and covered with s,rappings
passes by. If you enquire who that is, YOU will
be laughed at, for it's the Major General Com.
mander-in-Chief of the army of occupation, and
he is going over ''to consultwith several officers, "
about something he made up his mind should be
done ''nOlenS UoienS," month ago.
! Turning up the road into the city, YOU pass
over very handsomely constructed bridge, laid
IN waterproof cement it was public work of
the better days of the Mexican Republic; on the
other side rise tall trees from the country, giving
1t picturesque and rural appearance; cleverly
over 1t, and you are in the city. On your right
is large brick house of wealthy citizen, who
was colonel of militia on the 9th and 9th
You are struck with its desoate front; it has moi
a window or door that is made for comfort or or.
nament; and those that present themselves, are
protected by thick, heavy baton doors and blinds.
up high, in one cornor of the front, is something
that looks much like a large cage. The cage is
the balcony whereon at eve steal forth the fas
males of the family to enjoy the evening air;
they are out of the reach of stolen kisses, or let
ters of love, and Mexican jealousy is somewhat
appeased by this arrangements; while the lower
part OF the house, presenting bare wall, pro-
tects both male and female from the assaults of
sudden revolution, of lawless robbers, of plum
derlng soldlery, and theils of hungry officials
That house speaks volume of melancholy detail
OF the social and political condition of Mexico.
'Hdre IS de RepNbLcR de Rio GraRde q amiga,
de los pueblo, men paPier, one beet" Anewspa-
per boy for the first time in the Republic of Mex
leo. He was looked upon by the inhabitants in
favor of the old dynasty, as Indians look upon
the appearance of bees, it showed that the achite
man acas coming. He was an old boy, though
young in newspapers, being fully sixty years of
age, but he does bravely. "Hare is de Republi-
ca" "Hold on there" cries a volunteer, ''ler
us have number" All sad reflections upon the
condition of Mexico suggested by the prison-lke
appearance of the Mexican coone's house pass
away, for intelligence had found wings, and those
even in Mexico pho run, can in future read; a
new order of things had commenced, and sud-
den and singular Improvements for the better
were bound to follow in Matamoras.