The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1846-02-21


dead Mexicans in order to supply themselves
with ammunition, ours being nearly eXpend-
ed; but the powder of the cartridges turned
out so bad as to be useless. II was little bet
ter than coal dust, and would not carry ball
fifty PAGES 10 kill or wound. This accounted
for our apparent invulncrnbity 10 the fire of
the Mexicans. Tie musIlets also were of n
very inferior description. Both they and the
cartridges were of English make; the former
being stamped Birmingham, and the latter
having the name Of an English powder man.
ufactoiy, with the significant addition for
eXportation.'
Under these circumstances we had nothing
to do but let the Mexicans run. We sent
detachment TO the muskeet island, to unite it.
self with the twelve men who had done such
good service there, and thence towards the
ford. We ourselves proceeded slowly in the
latter direction. This demonstrations brought
the tugitives back again, for they had most of
them, in the wild precipitation of their flight.
passed the only place where they could cross
the river. They began crowding over in the
greatest confusion, foot and horse all mixed
up together and ny the time we got within II
hundred PAGES Of the ford, the prairie was
nearly clear of them. There were still
couple ofhundred men on our side ofthe wa
ter, completely at our mercy, and Wharton,
who vas little in front with thirty men,
gave the word to fire upon them. No one o.
beyed. He repeated the command. Not
rifle was raised. He stared at his men, as
tonished and impatient at this strange dsobe-
diencc. An old weather-beaten bear-hunt-
er stepped forward, squirting out his tobacco
juice with all imaginable delberation.
Il telly what captingp said he, passing his
quid over from his right cheek to his left; Il
calklate, cupting, he continued, we'd better
leave the poor devilS of dons alone
The poor devils of dons alonen repeated
Wharton in a rage. 'Are YOU mad, mani?
Tanning and had Just come up with our
detachment, and were not less surprised and
angry than Wharton was, at this breach of
discipline. The man however, did not allow
himseifto lie Disconnected.
There's provcrb, gentlemen, said he turn
ing TO us, which says, that one should build
u golden bridge for beaten enemy: and
good prOvcrb il is; ] callIilate---a considerable
good one
What do you mean, man, with your gold
en- bridge? cried Tanning This is no time
for proverbs
oyou know that you are liable to be pun
ished for your inslibordination? said ]. Tt's'
your duty 10 fire, and do the enemy all The
harm Won can; not TO he quoting proverbs
Calkilate it is replied the man very cool
w. 'Cakilate could shoot them without Ell
ther danger or trouble; but ] reckon that
would lie like Spaniards or Mediterranean like
Americars-not prudent
Not like Americans? Would you let the
enemy escape, then, when we have him in
our power:'
Calkilate would. Calkilate we should
do ourselves more harm than him by shoot
in down his people. That was a considera-
hle sensible commandment of yourn, alwaysto
shoot tho ffNrnO1ost nft the MpN-icaDS whom tbav
attacked. 1t discouraged the bold ones. and
was a sort ufpremium on cowsrdice. Them
ms Jagged behind escaped, them as came
bravcly on We're shot. 1t was good calkila-
ton. five had shot 'em without discrimi-
nation, the cuwarrls would have got hold see
in they weren't safer in rear than in front.
The towards are our best friends. Now
them rnaways,' continued he, pointing 10
the MeXicans, who were crowdng over tho
river, 'arc jest the most cowardly of 'em all,
for in their fright they quite forgot the ford,
and it's because they ran so far beyond it,that
they are last to cross the water. And if YOU
fire at 'em now, they'll find that they get moth
in by bein' towards, and next time, reckon,
they'll sell their hides as dear as they cam
Untimely MS this palaver, to use a popular
word, undoubtedly was, we could scarcely
forbear smiling at the simple nG'Ue manner in
which the old Yankee spoke his mind
'Calkilate, captings, he concluded, you'd
better let the poor devils run. We shall get
more profit by it, than five shot five hundred
of em. Next time the'Il run away directly,
10 show their gratitude for our ginerosity.'
The man stepped back into the ranks, and
his comrades nodded approvingly, and calcu-
lated and reckoned that Zebediah had spoken
a true word; and meanwhile the enemy had
crossed the river, and was out of our reach
RI
sending party across the water TO follow up
the MeXicaDS. and to observe the direction
they took. We then returned to our old 10
siton.
My first thought on arriving there was 10
search for the body of Bob Rok-for he it I'M
doubleday was, who had so mysteriously ap-
pearcd amongst us. | repaired to the spot
where had seen him fall; but could discover
10 signs nfhim. either dead or alive. Invent
over the whole scene of the fight, searching
the vines and along the hank of tie
river; there were plenty of dend Mexioans-
cavalry, infantry, and artillery, but no Bob
was to be found, nor could any one inform
me what had become of him. although sever
al had seen HIM fall.
was continuing my search when I met
Wharton, wlro asked me what was seeking,
and on learning, shook his head gravely.-
He had seem The wild prairieman, lre said but
whence he! ca,re, or whittier he was gone
was moreithan he could tell. 1t was a long
time since any thing had startled and aston-
ished him so much ms this mans appearance
and Proceedings. Tie (Wharton) had been
statoned with his party amongst the vines,
afout fifty PAGES in rear of Fapnlngs people,
when Just as the Mexican Infantry had cross
ed the ford and were forming up, he saw a
man approaching ata brisk trot from the
north side of the prairie. He halted about n
couple of hundred wards from Wharton. tied