Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1847-03-18
Sketches i'm the Camp.
BY AN Ex-REPoRTER OF THE STATE SENTINEL
NJ

No. II.
But few incidents of Importance have occurred
since my last sketch was written. The guard-house
has been occupied occasionally with several oenders
both American and Mexican but it is nearly emp
ty-te former seeing the necessity Of conducting them
selves properly in enemys country, and the latter
beginning 10 understand how 10 act so as to avoid
suspicion. The Americans and Mexicans pass away
the time much more tremendously than could BE ex-
pected. Whenever any outrage is committed by one
party on the other, Gen. Lane has the matter inquired
into and has the offender tried In accordance with the
regulations Of the army, and the orders Of Gen. Tay-
lor. Only few outrages have been committed by
either party Some of the soldiers seem to think that
1t is no harm to take stick Of candy or cake from
poor ragged Mexican boy that is obliged to peddle
for subsistence, or strip an old Mexican peasant Of
his blanket; but such things discountenanced by
large majority of the soldiers When few voun-
do acts that discountenanced by all Others
reproach Is cas-. upon the whole volunteer service
by some designing person that always delights to
speak i'll of others, some tactician who vainy
imagnes that neither patriotism, chivaly, or moral
worth. can come from any other source than West
Point. 1t is far from me to speak disparagingy Of
regular army the soldiers not be excelled
in discipline, and are less brave and effective in
battle. | look upon our regular army with pride, but
am equally proud Of those gallant volunteers who
fought at Monterey, and consider them the faithful
representatives rot only of the chivalry of their
spectve States, but OF the other volunteer regiments
that not in that BATTLE have viewed the heights
above the Bishops Palace that ascended by the
gallant Worth and the Texan Rangers. ] have pass
cd the ground where the field division Of voun-
teers, under the command of Gen. Butler, made the
charge upon the enemy. have stood upon the breast
work that charged upon BY the Mississippi Rifle
mer, and have asked myself the question, Z" Would
our arms have been victorious at the siege of Mon
tercy, if the brave sons of Texas, Tennessee Mis-
md m hoon thoro xvl,o
fought that battle can answer the question. 1t is
illmed and out OF character for some men that have
been educated at the great charity school of the
nation, to abuse volunteers, whose fathers part
of the taxpayers Of that nation. The volunteers left
their homes. and many of them lucrative situations
TO fight for their country. great number of them
have fallen victims 10 the climate, while others have
been slain by an enemy or crippled for life. The
little remnant Of volunteers that may be fortunate
return their homes, they approach the bor-
ders of their respective States, will probably be met
and called upon to support some candidate for Con-
gress favorable to the West Point interest.
The abuse and insinuations upon the volunteers
does not from the soldiers of the regular army
but from the officers who command them. The Ma
tonal Inteligencer publishes letter written by
"ocer of rank and experience" soon after the battle
of Monterey, that contains the following sentence:
" Discharge the volunteers, and raise your regular
forces to thirty or fifty thousand men," This officer Of
rank is very gratuitous in his advice The volunteers
do not wish TO be discharged until their term of
vice expires. To discharge them sooner, would be to
censure them. The Secretary of War will doubtless
consider the dispatches of Generals Taylor, Butler.
Worth, and Henderson good evidence in favor of
the volunteers, and with these facts before him. it is
not likely that he will drum the volunteers out of the
service, simply to CRAFTY the within of some officer Of
rank
The soldiers in the regular service, like the volun-
teers, devoted to the interests of their country,
and l can feelingy say that L wish better fate
awaited them-I wish they were better rewarded for
the services they have done their country. There
are some men in the regular dfmy who have served
their country honestly and faithfully for more than
twenty years-who have proved themselves to be
something more than mere theorists-good practical
men in batle-and, for their personal bravery, have
been promoted no higher than sergeant or corporal.
The men who have endured the hardships of many a
campaign-men who have encountered the dangers of
the battlefeld-must stand back and make themselves
contented with a back seat, because somebody has
been to West Point and had the good luck TO find his
way back again. There are, however, great many
honorable exceptions in the officers of the regular
army, that take pleasure in doing justice to the vol
unteets. but sorry say of some of them. the
old Dutchman said of his sons when they put sus-
penders on both ends Of their pantaloons they for.
got their brotin' up.'
The rumors of the enemy's approach have been cir
culated in this city for time past Several scout
Gaines, Capt Cassius nj. Clay, about eighty of the
Kentucky cavalry, Major Soon Borland of Arkansas,
and Capt Henry, of Texas left here time since,
with determination to go farther than any of their
predecessors On the night of the Dist of January,
they encamped near Ell Salado, about 90 miles from
Saltilo. The sentines gave the alarm twice in the
course of the night. and on both occasions the men
got up and placed themselves in position for defence.
but retired to bed after every thing quiet little
thinking of the fate that awaited Them At daybreak,
when they were about to rise, they looked up and OBJ
served that they were surrounded by not less than
1900 Mexican cavalry, with their lances and swords
drawn, so that they could have killed every American
before much resistance could have been made. Their
first impression was to fight but they that
it would be useless for so to undertake to fight
1000, when they had great advantage over them.
They surrendered TO the Mexicans and were immedi-
ately marched off towards San Luis Potosi Captain
Henry, being familiar with the Mexican language,
very soon ascertained, on the morning of the Odd,
that he was identified as Texan, and must suffer
death. He put on a cheerful air and did not seem to
notice what was passing. In the of the day,
while he was on his horse, he rode up and down the
line where the prisoners were, and talked to them
very barshly; he told them to march in close order,
and not fall behind; and while he the rear,
he suddenly spurred his horse in such that
he jumped to one side and passed the rear guard.
Capt. II. then rode off at full galop. Several of the
best horses with expert riders were selected, and
Capt. III. pursued. After riding some distance,
the Mexicans observed that they had gained but
little, they stopped at every rancho they passed
and got fresh horses, and after riding some distance
one of the Mexicans approached very near Capt. b.,
when the Captain suddenly wheeled and fired. bring
ing the Mexican to the ground. The Captain rode
on as fast as he could, until another Mexican was
about TO overtake him, when he shared the same
fate. Two being killed. daunted the courage Of his
pursuers, but they did not quit the chase and 1t was