Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1847-11-20
From the National hteiligencer.
Dispatches from Major Downing.
Cry OF MEXICO, UNITED STATES,
Senfenlher 9th; 1871.


l'mallve yet, though l've been through show
ers of balls as thick as hailstones. got your
paper containing my letter that wrote on
the road to the war. The letters wrote
the guerrillas and robbers are so
thick, think it's ten chances to one if you
got 'em. Some of Gineral SCOTS letters is
missing Just in the same way. Now we've
got the city of Mexico annexed, think the
Postmaster General ought to have more
regular line of stages running here, so our
letters may go safe. wish you would
touch the President and Mr.. johnson up a
little about this mail-stage business, so they
may keep all the coachmakers at work, and
see that the farmers raise horses as fast as
they can for don't think they have any idea
how long the roads is this way, nor how fast
we are gaining south. If we keep on an
nexin as fast as we have done year or two
past, it wouln't take much more than half a
dozen years to get clear down to t'other end
of South America, clear TO Cape Horn,
which would be very good stopping place;
for then, if our Government got into bad
shedding in North America, and found them
selves in a dilemma that hadn't no horn to
suit 'em, they would have horn in South
America that they might hold on to.
hope there aint no truth in the story that
was buzz'd about here in the army, day or
two ago, that Mr.. Polk had an idea, when
we get through annexin down this way, of
trying his hand at it over i'm Europe and
Africa, and round there. And, to prevent
any quarreling beforehand about it on this
side of the water, he's agoing to agree to
run the Missouri compromise line over there,
and cut Europe up into free States and Afri-
ca into slave States. Now, | think he had
better keep still about that till we get this
South America business all done, and well
tied up. 1t isn't well for a body to have too
much business on his hands at once. There's
no knowing what little fiurries we may get
into yet, and there's always danger if you
have too much sail spread in squall.--
However, haven't time to talk about this
now.
You will get the accounts of the battles in
Gineral SCOTS letters, so ! needn't say a
great deal about them. But it's been hard
here; and don't think my old friend Gin
eral jackson himself, would have worked
through all the difficulties and done the bust
ness up better than Gineral Scott has. But
the killed and the wounded, the dead and
the dying, scattered all along the way for
three hundred miles, it's a heart-aching
thought. don't love to think about it. Ii
is too bad that we didn't have more men, so
as to march straight through without fight
ing, instead of having jest enough to en-
courage the enemy to bring out their largest
armies and fight their hardest battles.
One of the hardest brushes we had, after
got here, was the attack on Chapultepec.
had been into the city trying to bring Santa
Anna to terms; but, when found it was no
use, come out and told Gineral Scott there
was no way but to fight it out, and, although
was only the Presidents private embassa-
dor, didn't like to stand and look on when
he was so weak handed, and if he would tell
me where to take hold ! would give him
lift. The Gineral said he expected there
would be hard pull to take Chapultepec,
and as Gineral Pillow was placed where he
would be likely to have the heaviest brunt
of it, might be doing the country a great
service if | would jine in with Gineral Pill
low, as my experience under Gineral jack
son and insight into military affairs would no
doubt be very useful to that valiant officer.
So took hold for that day as one Of Gineral
Pillows aids.
When we come to march up and see how
strong the enemy's works was, says !, Gin
eral Pillow it is as much as all our lives is
worth to 90 right straight up and storm that
place in the face and eyes of all their guns;
| think we ought to fortify little. Suppose
we dig a ditch round here in front Of the
enemy's works. At that the Gineral's eyes
flashed, and he swore right out. Says he,
Sc No. d-n the bitches, l'ye no opinion of
'em: they are nothing but a bother, and never
ought TO be used. The best way is to go
right into the enemy pell NELL" So, on we
went. and Pillow fit like tiger till he got
wounded, and then the rest Of US that wasn't
shot down had TO finish the work up the best
way we could.
The long and the short of il is, we fit our
way into the city of Mexico and annexed it,
Santa Anna cleared out the night afore with
what troops he had left, and is securing about
the country To get some more places ready
for us to annex. When he gets another
place all ready for the ceremony, and gets it
well f,rtiied, and has an army Of twenty or
Thru thousand men in the forts and behind
the breastworks, we shall march down upon
'em with five or six thousand men and go
through the furry. After they have shot
down about half of US, the rest of US will
climb in, over the mouths of their cannons,
and annex that place; and SO on, one after
another.
1t pretty hard work annexin in this way;
but that is the only way it can be done. II
will be necessary for the President to keep
hurrying on his men this way to keep our
ranks full, for we've got a great deal Of
ground to go over yet. What we've an
nexed in Mexico, so far, isn't but mere
circumstance to what we've got to do.
Some think the business ISN'T profitable;
but it's only because they haven't ciphered
into it fur enough to understand it. Upon
an average, we get at least ten to one for
our outlay, any way you can figure il up-l
mean in the matter of people. Take, for
instance, the city of Mexico. IL cost us only
two or three thousand men TO annex 1t, after
-. 20. L.. ia L.horhood Of II. and We