Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1847-05-18
Letters from SaifiIlO-IRcidents-.A Battle
Field.
ICorrespoHaence of the New Orleans Delta.1
Saltillo, March, 3, 1917.

give you few scenes which have wit.
messed, not mentioned in that letter.
The frst view that we caught of the
enemy, was when they had turned the
Lett flank of our lines, and were pursu.
ing the flying infantry and horsemen.
Column after column had succeeded until
they formed dense mass, numbering
something like twelve thousand men. No
words can convey to you even a faint
ldea OF their imposing appearance. Their
arms brilliantly FURNISHED, reflected. a
million times the dazzling rays ofthe sun.
their rich and gaudy uniforms stood ont
IN bold reliefagainst the so;ied and latter.
ed garments ofthe suffering volunteers
their eavalrY(lancers) drawn up in beau.
'itul style, IN numbers from two to three
thousand, and in lines, the beauty of
which tho most accurate military obser.
yer could have found no fault with: and.
added to this, that they were, for the time
Tictors, assure you we do not look upon
tnem with contempt. But when the quick,
sharp ringing of our rifles sounded the
death knell of score after score of them
their hearty Mississippi cheers told full
well that no cnwardly fear paroIyzed that
little band. Rushing on, our small force
would have scattered the retreating foe in
oil directions over the death strewn field,
had nci cur watchful leader, Col. Davis,
preceived that we were about to be sur.
rounded by an Overpowering force, and
ordered US 10 retire and rally.
Here an amusing circumstance took
place. Major Bradford--who is prob.
ably the most impetuously brave officer
that ever drew a sword perceived us
retiring and thought we were defeated.
Tie dismounted from his horse and follow.
ed on slow y after us, exclaiming-"Shoot
me ! Shoot me !" Some one called out
"What the devils the matter Maori .Ab
kill me! The Mississippi Regiment has
run, and don't want to live another
ninute'
But the gallant Major was quickly un-
deceived, for we soon reformed, and
although our ranks were terribly thinned
by the killed and wounded, yet again
was heard the deep voice of the noble
Davis Forward! Guide centre! march,"
The command was repeated by fifty
voices, and With more steadness and
precision than the careless fellows were
ever known to evince on drill, thew re.
turned to the bloody contest, but it is not
my intention to repeat what l have al
eady written.
AT one time during the fight, we return.
ed over the ground on which was made
our first charge. We there saw the
mangled bones of our fallen comrades,
and although animated by the excitement
oil the fierce contest which was inst then
renewed, yet | think there was not a |
heart among US which did not for mo.
ment cease to beat on behoIding that
horrible scene. But for his straw hat,
and a few other art Giles Of clothing which |
the ruffians had left on him. should have
failed to recognize the body of Eggleston.
he was shot, stabbed and otherwise a.
bused. This was, indeed, the fate of all
whom saw. Lieut.. Moore and man
named Couch, Of our company, were the
only persons whose bodies easily recog.
nized.
After the battle rode over the whole
held. Parties were engaged in burying
the dead-but there was still hundreds of
bodies lying stiff and cold, with no GOV.
erlhg save the scanty remnant of clothing
which the robbers of the dead found too
Valueless to take from them. | saw the
human body pierced in every place. |
saw expressed in the faces of the dead
almost every expression and fee n r.Some
seemed to have died execra,ing their en-.
euies, and cursing them with their last
breath-Oihers had the most placid. and
resigned expression and feeling. Some
seemed to have died defending their lives
brAvely to the last, while others evidently
used their last words in duplicating for
mercy. Here lay youth and mature age
calmly TePosing in untimely death.
Passing on from this part of the BLOODY
ground | went over the plain literally
covered with the dead bodies of those who
had SO recently been our foes. This
scene was horrible enough God knows
but was Invested Of somc of It's horrors by
the effect that not one of the Mexican
soldiers was either robbed or stripped of
his clothing, nor was there the least ap.
Pearance Of the bodies having been a.
bused after being wounded. This indeed
speaks much for the "barbarous volun.
teers ofthe United States of the North,'
as the Mexicans styles US.
Among the hundreds of dead whom
saw here was much touched by the ap.
Pearanee ofthe corpse ola Mexican boy,
whose age, should think, could not have
exceeded 10 years. A buIIe. had struck
iuIl through the breast, and must have
Oecasioned almost instant death. He was
lying on his back, his face slightly inclin. |
cd to one side, and although cold. vet
6eaming with bright and sunny smile
which eloquenlly told the spectator that
he had fallen with bis face To his connt-,.,