The Somerset herald and farmers' and mechanics' register. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 183?-1852, 1847-04-06

llc3n.
CAMP SAN Juan DE BUENA VISTA,
Five miles south of Salnllo, ;
Mexico, January 20, IS47.
This thing of writing letters for publi-
cation, in camp, is neither so pleasant nor
so easy as might be imagined. Draw the
picture of a man of ommon size, sitting
cross-legged on a blanket spread on the
ground, with his portfolio on his knee,
and an old broken lantern holding a piece
of candle, propped up on a well-worn lea
Their trunk, and an earthenware inkstand
on the ground close by, covered. by the
hv. with a small tent, in which old boots,
old clothes, old guns, swords, pistols, are
strewed around in the background, all
striving to withdraw themselves from no.
tice-and yeu will have an accurate da-
guerreotype of the writer and his ranch.
And then there is no such thing as with
drawing from the noise of the camp, as
is the wont of book-makers, whose BUSH
ness is to digest the thoughts of others;
but all is written in the midst of perplex-
ing Interruptions. He has commenced a
letter. and is endeavoring to recollect an
event, OF perhaps to philosophise on some
new facts presented to his notice, when
in walks the Q~uartermaster: 'Colonel,
one of my wagoners is sick, and must
have another man DETAILED to drive his
wagon. Very sorry, sir, to have to make
the request known-the Captains are all
mad about taking their men for wagoners
but think, sir, the ammunition will
have to be left behind, if we don't get a
driver"
The Quartermaster is scarcely dispatch
ed, when in pops the head Of an Orderly
Sergeant: Colonel, the butcher has sent
up to our company a quarter Of beef that
is so blue it looks like it was dyed with
indigo, and it is stringy enough to make
halters. Just come and see it" A
aboard Of seventy" has to be summoned
to condemn the mean beef of The rascal
ly butcher, who is getting seven cents a
pound for beef, when he is only giving
two or three cents for il.
Five minutes more, and another SEN
tence is half finished, when in comes the
Sergeant Major to inquire whether he
shall make a detail to go for wood to-
morrow. "Yes," shouts the angry wri-
ter, "detail half the regiment, and order
the other half to let me alone until | finish
this letter."
Seventy miles from the Preside which
means a fort, or fortified place. we cross
ed a range of hills. The ascent was not
steep, nor would they be remarked, were
it not that we had been travelling through
a perfectly level plain. and hat the forma-
ton was changed to gravel and limestone.
Ascending a high hill, which lifted itself
up near u road, a magnificent panorama
was spread before US. Behind was the
wide expanse of plain over which we
had passed, skirted, in the far distance,
by the thickets bordering the Rio Grande.
In the southwest was a chain of noun
tains, which modeslly raised their heads
in the distance, and broke the even line
Of the horizon. The range of hills on
which | stood rose smoothly from the
plan, and as gently rolled into repose in
the lap Of the plain on the southwestern
side. To the north. the column Of dra-
goons, artillery and infantry, marching
along the crooked road beneath me- ooked
like a huge varieyatcd snake, slowly
crawling down the hills. Behind was
tie immense train Of wsgons-two hun
dred and fifty in nunber-foIlowed by
the Arkansas regiment Of cavalry-the
whole making a line five miles in extent
Right brave and gallant looked that col
umn of my connirymen, marching witt
all the MArERIEL of war through thi.
lonely Mexican wilderness.
aNinRty mics from the Preside we en-
cimped on the hanks Of the Almos. Or
the evening Of c arrival | did not g