The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1847-08-17
London Times

!
conquerors of Mexico is the translation Of
a letter from a native oil Puebla:-
London Times.
PUEBLA, May 16, lS47.
Mr., Worth apparently did not wish 10
keen the public in suspense after his official
communication. and accordingly The head of
his column appeared at an early houf oppo-
site the gate Amzoc. The Towns people
seemed undisturbed. The whole city, with
the exception of the dry goods shops, which
remained closed, presented its ordinary as
pec,, and no one would have supposed that
a hostile army was expected. About hall
past 10 o'clock parry of 100 cavalry sepera-
led Fl ON the division and entered by the
streets OF AIguacil Mayor San Cris!o5al,
&C., 10 the square. from which they with
drew by way OF Santo Domingo TO The bar
rack OF San Jose. Curiosity 10 see the Yam
KEGS overcame III e alarm so natural at the
moment, The people crowded the streets
rnd nearly all the balconies in the line were
| filled with spectators. You will excuse This
curiosity when you reflect that it was excited
DO the men of Vera Cruz and Cerro Gordo,
who in the mouths of The vulgar passed Tor
diaboioa prodgies, myself yielded 10 the
! impulse, ard breaking vow Of seclu-ion,
sailed forth 10 become acquainted with our
future masters. Imagine my surprise and
that oil all the world, when instead oiihe Cen
taurs which we expected, | saw a hundred
gaows-laced men. uniformed (if the dress
which most of them wore could be called
such with poverty and bad taste, many Of
Them in their shirt sleeves, armed with swords
carbine and pistols of common kind. iheir
horses large indeed, but heavy, and devoid
of grace. like all their race, and with no 9TH
or ornament than plain saddle and bride.
Thus for the accessories,
with respect 10 The men, shall only say
that for ten good 6gnres there was as many
sick, rcketly and even deformed. Add 10
this the disgusting want of cleanliness Of all
these men, and you Lave picture the most
unmiitary possible, and which should call
revolving, were il not mixed with some gro
tesqne figures at which it was impossible 10
help laughing. This is no exaggeration;
state sincerely my first impressions anc that
OF all present. From some roofs Kisses we're
heard, and. though not general, which truly
expressed The contempt 10 W ich curiosity hac
gwen place. Alter an interval of an hour
The main body entered. Other appearance
! shall say something-the numbers YOU will
find in The annexed mole. All, that we have
heard Of Hcrculean frames. and elegant fig
ures, has been the exaggeration of malice or
cowardice. There are all SORTS among them
but at the first glance il is apparen, that the
majority oflhe army is composed OF Irish en-
igrants attenuated by hunger. The uniform
Of all that have entered consists OF a jacket
and pantaloons Of common light blue cloth,
precisely the same as the rocluses' Of San
Rogue, and with no other ornament but the
military insignia. All. even the dragons,
wear flat cloth caps, though several had
adopted the palm hats Of the couiry and we
saw come enter with iompedtes on their heads.
If | we're not in hurry, would substitute
the pencil for the pen, in order 10 send you
sketch Fan officer OF The line who presented
himself on an enormous cart-horse, with a
frock coat Of most absurd cut, and an old
common straw hat turned up as q three cock
ed one.
Altogether the general aspect Of the army
is all that bad taste and economy can pro-
duce ofridiculous sordid, and filthy. Nor
does their armament seem 10 me anything
extraordinary. In a word, except the draugbt
horses. which are very good, | assure you,
without eXaggeration. that these men bring
nothing that We have not seen thousands
times. Even the immense number OF their
wagons is no; proof Of large stores, The
wagons are almost all empty, and under
stand their principal use 10 be for the trans.
port Of the troops. How, then, have they
done what they have2 How have they con-
inually beat our army, which moi only sur
passes them ir appearance-ier that is IN
questionable-bui in my opinion has real
and positive advantages over them Every
one asks this question, 10 which there is but
one reply. Their leaders and particularly
the colonels OF regiments, are old gray haired
men. This makes me still rely on our SOL
diers, and gives me for the future some hopes
which we require more than ever. For 10 Us
(aboye all the poets. or who aspire 10 be
such)-tO US. who cannot separate The idea
of progress in civilization from certain cor
diality Of manners, polileness. and external
refinement, these coarse and clownish men.
who in everything sacrifice elegance 10 econ
omy cannot be recognized as The Messiahs
OF our civilization. (The writer estimates
the whole American force at 1920 men and
Is pieces OF artillery As soon as the d.
vision entered, the artillery and infantry
formed in the square, and the wagons extern
ded from the street Mcrcaderes 10 the bridge
OF Noche Buena,
Their soldiers pileL their arms and the
Greater parl lay down 10 sleep with perfect
confidence, being apparently halfdead with
fatigue. Our guard in the palace was put
under arms. A great number Of the people
came and went amongst the soldiers, and the
tired division in the square. off their guard,
and Without their arms, were surrounded BY
5000 or 5000 men. They remained so ill
O'Clock in the afternoon, when the troops
occupied the barracks and converts of Santo
Domingo and San Luis, and the Wagons
were placed here ard there, as they could
he'd thin, The troops remained in barracks
all night. Generals Worth and Quitman
occupied the palace, the guard of which was
changed; and the officers wore scattered
through The taverns and coffee houses. Att
the tavern in the lower part ofour house few
of them. whose philharmonic disposition had
been excited by wine. gave me the most ill.,
harmonious concert that have heard in nv
lille, Yesterday they took possession of the
bills OF Loreto and Guadalupe and today Of
the convent of La MERGED, and it scenes