Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1847-07-03
The so,diers' Return.

the Mississippi Volunteers at New Orleans, on
their return home from Mexico. The auhori.
ties of the crescent city received them in hand.
some manner, and gave on the occasion splen.
did entertainment. S s. Prentss, Esq one OF
the most eloquent foen in the Union, addressed
the volunteers, TO which Col Jefferson Davis and
Col McClung replied. The following extract
IS all we .ave room Tor from the address OF Mr..
Preniiss:
Oar little army Of tegn,ars as they well de-
eerved to do, had already pucked the krst fruits
of the war. On the victorious fields Of Paio |
Alto and kcsaca de Ia Palms they sustained
their own high character, and noby illustrated
American skill and valcr They scoutged the
enemy lrum the Rio Erandc, and then. rein.
forged by the volnpteerA who flockcd to their
country's standard, their great captain medi,u
ted the conquest Of the strong hold OF Monterey
There, like the eagle on his eyre, stood the
mountain king. fhi,her tie eyes Of the ma
lion turned in esger expectation. All hearts
| pa aptstpd for the result Now was our nation
al prowess to be tested--no@ we were 10 ascer-
tain whether we could cast back into the teeth
OF European generals and European dptornatists
the taunts which they had heaped upon our citi.
zen soldiers They had told us that our tepub
lie was weak. notwithstanding its great popu-
laton and unbounded resources. They said we
had no military strength that our army and
navy, though skiliul and brave, were but cy-
pher compared with the mighty arnaments OF
the Old World; and that our unpractsed citi.
zcns could never make efficient soldiers. Soon
came The ever glorious storming Of the noun.
tain fsstness, and the problem was solved The
nations heart bsa: free; and Joy for the present,
confidence In the future, pervsded the land. In.
deed it was great and glorious achievement
and in it's moral effect, both nt home and abroad,
perhaps the most important OF the war. Il gave
: the country complete confidence in the voun.
teers--the volunteers full reliance upon them.
selves From that day forth they became se-
tersus. Time will not permit me to rerte the
vivid and hesrt.sirrng incidents Of that memo.
rabe and wonderful conflict. Tn one side oi
the city the regulars fought. an they always DO
with skill. with bravery and success; they did
all that was expected OF ,hcm--ther previous
u reputation rendered it impossible To do more
;" On the other side the volunteers drew theiI
= maiden swords. Never before had they expc
rienced a grasp stronger than friendship; now
they stretched forth their haEds and gsoppled
J with death On, on, pressed these unf1edged
wsrriors--ihese men OF civil lite. thrse ci.,zer
j. soldiers their bright blades fsshed before then
like torrues OF flame. Up the hill side. through
y .he streets swept by the rnkng cannon, owe
:" barrieade and battery, their advancing banners
streaming like thnnder.clouds agalns, the wind
rus,lcd in the battle breeze, like the pinions O
an eagle pouncing on his quarry. All know
rs the glorious result, The enemy, though b
i. ought btayely fot his firesides and his altars
D, ,nd in The midst Of his supposed impregnabl
Z. defences, shrunk from such fiery Salor. TIL
a day was ours. and the Republic acknowledge
ii. it's debt of gratitude to the gallant volunteers.
i. Welcome. theI, thrice welcome, victors {
Monterey ......
But the fortune of the war determined Tbs
:" your conduct and ralor should be tested upon
yet blooder field. At Duena Vista, you me
" face to face, the genius Of the battle, even as
"' appeared to the Warrior Bard:
y to where the giant on the mountain stand
n His blood d-red tresses deephing in the sum-
th With death-shut glowing in his fiery hands,
And eye that scorcheth all 1T glaTes upon
Restless it rolls-now fxed--and now anon
I'd Flashing afar and at his iron feet
,o Destruction covers, 10 mark what deeds a.
. done. ....f
-. Under that no, gaze, in the fierce confi
where desperate courage was pat to the ntmu
proof all fame uniies in saying that you cove
ed yourselves with immortal honor. In pitc
ed battle against brave and veteran troops, ou
numbering you fout to ore, during two da
''' ton made successful contest-yon stood liyll
ne dyke, and again and again poured Upon you
'h' tain the fery torrent ''Twcte worth ten yea
ny OF peaceful Iile' TO hate Witnessed you rcpuls
'u' the audutious squadfons OF the enemy, as, wi
so penoh, flying and serried ianees, they came thu
tho deting upon your unfint hing ranks Ofenin q
cs. changing currents OF the it.oody fight, when =
did fortnne of the day, rent from our standard' ~
II tered like torn canvass in the gale you se'z
I'VE and fastened it back in its proper place d
ma we should do injustire did We not remember
,ev this occasion those glorious comrades wi'ho
-. whose co.operation your vaioI would have Pre-
ed in yain-I mean the artillery, those true SO
-.I OF thunder, who on that day seemed 10 scorn
use loves soun,erfei,s, and hurled his genui
bolts Never were cannon served with grea
cooiness or more fatal precision. At each
y" charge whole columns were cut down