The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1847-02-12
Correspondence of ia, Free Trader.
LeHertrom the Editor.
NO. Xxx.

| UJThe following is the conclusion of Mr.
)sman's letter from the army, the preceding
part of which vepubshcd on the 22I uIt i
will be reooilectcd that he promised to send ,ht
conclusion in few days but the mails have de-
Ioyed It's arrival up to this dlte
PAnR.s, Mcxico, Dec 0 1915.
The next day took us to the head
OF the valley and to where the
streams that courses through il
bursts out Of the mountains. We
passed one or two hacicndas on the
way, and after an Is miles marc!!
halted at a large one, quite brisk
little village in itself, in the centre
of which stood .,le stately mansion
of the owner, though at present used
only as granary and store house.
1t was at this place that several OF
the Mler prisoners, after they had
broken through the guard and made
their escape, were retaken and con-
fined; and the fact having been men,
toned by one of those prisoners who
is now with us, the rumor got out
among the soldiers that there were
then several American prisoners
confined there that had been taken
at Montery, and they soon evineed
disposition to "cut up merry Ned"
~ way of beginning they took
hold of Peone shanty, and in a
minute it was converted into fire
wood. But by this time they were
appriscd of their mistake, and there
was soon an end of these hostile
manifestations. Nevertheless the
boys felt little dissatisfied, and
manifested disposition to be rude.
For want of better sport, they got
up u chase after some unlucky poul-
try that happened to cross their path.
and there were at least dozen of
heads lost in the fray, and some Sims
parked. But the game was too ex-
citing and boisterons, and attracted
the notice Of the General, who sent
his guard and drove the boys to their
tents.
From this place we bore off to the
west, and halted after an easy march
on beautiful plain, near a large
hacienda, our encampment fronting
on ditch bringing water many miles
to lrrigate the ground. 1t so hap
pened that here, as at a majority of
our encampments, the infantry were
posted up stream, and the horse be-
low, throwing the Arkansas regi-
mcnt, as usual, at the foot of the en-
campm"nt, where the water, by the
time it reached them was a perfect
puddle. Now Col. Yell thought he
had borne this about long enough,
and accordingly without leave or IL
cense moved his regiment hundred
rods further on to a ditch the water
IN which was clear. The General
card of it and ordered him back.
lie refused, and was put under ar.
rest. LIT. Col. Roane was next Or
dered to bring the regiment back,
and he too refused and was put I'M
der arrest. Then Major Bourland
received the same order and on his
refusing was also put under arrest,
at which the General stopped, and
the "Rockcnsacks' maintained their
ground, determined that they would
not move and if the Gen. took the
last fifth corporal.
This affair created one little buz
at this encampment, but we had an
other. AT evening there was dress
parade, and an order was read from
heaG quarters at one fell swoop dis
the whole "mustang ca
valry'", This highly respectable
corps, be it known, is made up of
such of the infantry as being unable
or not inclined to foot it over all
these hard roads, had bought, or
dfdWn, or Jorage0 them mustangs
or Mexican horses to ride. The
number Of foot thus mounted had
been increasing rapidly for the last
few days, as the mems feet were
getting sore, and we were passing
through a part Of the country where
horses were plenty and could be
procured by such as were expert
enough, for the mere taking. They