The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1847-04-23


ed right through the Mexican ranks.
Daring the 22d but little fighting
of serious character was done.
The enemy however kept up con-
siderable cannonading-all, howev-
or, without effect. Whenever they
would give us fire, the boys would
! give three cheers, at which times
the air would be full of hats to the
height of 40 feet. All seemed to be
perfectly delighted, and anxious to
be sup and doing" A Mexican Of
iccr who was found wounded on the
field, says that "it is no use for them
TO fight against men who come to
! fight for fun" From the conduct
of the Illinois boys, it really did APP
pear as though they were fighting
for fun, for during the whole fight
on the 23d they kept up constant
cheering, whooping, and yelling {;
whilst on the side Of the MeXicanS,
not sound was heard but the roar
Of the cannon and rafting Of mus
kerry,
a young maa belonging to the I'd
Reg, III. Vol. who had been wound
ed in the foot, came riding into
town. As he rode up to the church,
where hospital was established,
and saw the streets full of the Ar
kansas cavalry who had run off of
the field, he called out to them 'jor
the honor # our country, harry
lack u The GIght-they are at it like
III! They gave me small touch
on the foot, but | think | will be
able to give them another turn in a
short time" Bat much to his dis
comior;ure, his wound was too Sc
we're, he was obliged to remain in
the hospital.
On the morning of the oath, after
it was discovered that the Mexican
army had retreated, quite number
of Vol. officers met at Gen. Taylor's
tent. In speaking about the battle.
Gen. L. sad, "Whcnever an army
/ is out thanked by its antagonist, it is
whipped. When that body of Ian
GERS turned our flank, we were whip
ped, and had our forces been regu-
lar disciplined soldiers, the day
would have been lost. But the vol
untcers, being ignorant Of the rules
of warfare, did not know when they
,rere whipped, and by being green
they gained the day" He said it
put lin in mind Of the Irishman who
got in fight, and thought lie was
whipped, but had forgot the word
"cnough," and in trying to hit the
word kept yelling-'go on''-"hur-
rah," &c. But thinking it folly in
lying idle, he commenced returning
tie blows and soon got the advan-
tage Of his antagonist; and as he
was giving it to him good, he sung
out enough" ooh faith," rcspon-
ded Pat, "and that's the word |
couldn't think Of" So it was with
our boys, they were whipped seve-
raj times during the day, but they
had forgot the word enough"
There were about 1000 Mexican
cavalry lowering around town, who
had got through the mountains east
Of the city. They were under the
command of Gen. Melon, and seem
ed to be waiting to attack the forces
here just as soon as our army would
commence retrcating. When the
Arkansas boys came in he no doubt
thought that the whole of the u. S.
forces were routed, and started for
! the road between town and Buena
Vista. 1t was thought that his OBJ
iect was to attack our forces in the
rear, which, if he had done, would
inevitably have defeated us. But
instead Of doing this he moved up
to the road to cut off the straeglers
and wounded, that were coming in
to town. An effort was made to raj
ly the Arkansas cavalry to 90 out
and drive them back, but "they
would not" SO about 40 sporting
gents who have been following the
army ever since the war, mounted
i their horses and went up on the hill
where they obtained the addition OF