Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1847-07-23

Will never meet again. It Is natural that snouio
he endeared to you, after having been united win
you for more than year, and by the battles IN
| which we have been engaged-by the suhenngs
which we have endured.
Yeu have endured much Toll and hardship. 1t
is now about to terminate. You have arrived
once more in the land of civilized society, and a.
gain we are citizens mnglng with our fellow
citizens Your lot has been a hard one in many
respects
Before reaching New Mexico, by 200 miles.
you were on half rations and never afterwards
for q single day, during our long and arduous
march to SaltiFo, did you receive full ratons.-
Yet all this you have borne, and YOU have horne it
with iortlude. The order which YOU received to
march in Major Giipin's command, with large
column, over the Sierra Madre, covered with per-
petual snow-procecding on your march on shor-
tened allowance, without tents or transportation,
and many other comforts, because the government
was unable to furnish them yet you bore it all,
and were ready to resume your march in two days
on the city of Chihuahua. You have travelled
over FIVE States of Mexico and five very large ones
in point of territory. Perhaps the citizens ofSt Lou
is do not know what a BoDava is but will an
swer for every man in my command knowing wha,
they are. may assure you, had you crossed
them, you, too, would have known what they are
The shortest one that we crossed was fifty miles,
and one niney-fve miles, which we crossed in
three days in December, without wood, without wa
ter, without tents, at an elevation of 900 feet above
the Atlantic ocean. In sending expresses to the
distance OF 600 miles, wher was unable to fur
nlsh them with the means of carrying pro, isions
and other comforts with them over immense sand
PraIrles covered with snow, have never made
detail but all were volunteers or when | have
sent out parties for the purpose of watching the
enemy who have had to starve for days, I never
made detail i'll this column, but all were volun.
tecrs and am proud to say it.
But your labors are over; you are now again
to return to the enjoyments of civilized life you
are now to return to your homes YOU are now to
make glad the hearts of your fathers and mothers,
and sisters and brothers: you are again to mingls
together with your friends. But you have not all
returned-many gallant heart, that rallied at
their countrys call, now lies cold in far distant
country, whilst the hearts of the fathers and moth
ers, and sisters and brothers of some are made to
mourn, others are to be made glad BY the return
OF their flends. No soldier breads to die upon
the battlefield: but to be worn down by slow dis
ease, Tar from the care of friends and the comforts
OF nome, without the ATTENDANCE necessary to the
SICK bed, without the tender care of mother or Sis
ter-dragged over rough country in rougher wa
gOns, for hundreds of miles without water TO mols.
ten the tever-Parched mouth-to be worn down
thus with slow dsease-this, this, is death indeed.
And many gallant spirit has thus yielded I'D
lie, and now lies buried in the arid plains of Mex
leo, 1t the wild fanatcism of the country have not
dragged them from their resting place, and left
them to bleach IN the storms and winds of heaven
1hey VIII be remembered gratefully by their coun-
try. Their friends will have the consolation of
knowing that they yielded up their lives in pa
R1Nf Z
You have fulfilled every trust with faithfuness
that has been reposed in you you have perfor-
med faithfully every duty required of you. You
carry with you the gratitude of your country :you
carry with you my gratitude, which never can be
ettaced. Your noble heroic conduct on the bat.
tle-fields of Bracito and Sacramento will ever be
remembered with gratitude by your countrymen.
NO peculiar generalshIp was displayed in these
battles. Ii ever the rank and file of an army
should have the honor of victory, such should be
the case at the battle of Sacramento At the bat
tIe-tield we found the enemy. You were marched
until you came in view of the enemv's redoubts.
planted with cannon. You were told that there
was the enemy; you were marched until within
the proper distance, when you were turned loose 4,
The enemy first recoiled, then gave way, then fed.
The charge was lmpetuous-the battle was wouI
1t was yours--lt was the battle of Sacramento.-
FelloW-cttlzens, have not time to say anything
about the battle of Oka-chee-bee but it is suffI-
clent to say that whatever annoyance it has been
to you however our fair fame may seem to have
furnished, you will remember that the battle of O.
ka-chee-bee and the battle of Bracita were both
| fought on Christmas day. Fe,low-citizens, will
not detaln you longer. May your destiny be on
ward, and as rapid as the great stream that wash
es the border OF your great city. Tremendous
applause
As soon as Col. Doniphan's speech was
concluded, Capt. Hudson was called for, but
upon his suggestion that a very agreeable part
OF the entertalnment-the collation. remain
ed to be discussed, the company adjourned to
the St. Louis Park, and did full Justice to the
ample cheer provided for them.
Speeches and toasts followed the dinner
In answer to callsof the company, COL Mitch
ell, MAJOR Clarke, Capt. Weightman, Capt.
hudson, Capt. Reid, and others, made speech
es. Responding to a sentiment which had
been gwen, Capt. Reid expressed his high
gratltlcatlon at the cordial reception of the
Missouri volunteers on this occasion. He
took the opportunity to allude particularly to
his conduct while at Parras, on his march to
JON General Taylor's column, as the advance
OF Col. Donlphan's command He spoke of
the former kindness of the inhabitants of Par
ras 10 Americans and strangers, while Texas
and CoahuIa Gn which Parras is situate y
were an integral portion of the Mexican re-
public. Upon General Wools being obliged
to tall back from this point, and to leave his
hospital at Palras, he spoke in the highest
terms OF the Kind treatment which the soldiers
had received at their hands especially at the
hands OF the ladies. He adverted to the time
OF his arriving at that place-when the Gu
manche Indians had been committing depre-
datlonS In the very sight of the town, and to
ais meeting an old acquaintance from Illinois,
(the son OF the Rev. Mr. Peck, as he was I'M
derstood,) who had been left behind in Gen.
WooPs hospital, and to his being introduced
INTO families warml y sympathising with the
Americans and their institutions His SYM
PathIes were aroused in their behalf, he said,
and this impulse induced him TO turn out a.
galnst the Indians, with only fifteen men az
forwards, having been joined by fifteen Amer
leans, he attacked and defeated the Indians,
and restored large herd of cattle to their
owners Capt Reid concluded by giving a
sentiment in honor OF the distinguished Sen
atOr then present
Col. Benton being called on for toast, said
that he would take great pleasure in giving
one, which he was sure would be warmly re-
celved by every person who had witnessed
and enjoyed the days celebration. The cere
monies OF the day had been to commemorate
a most extraordinary xpediton-extraordi-
nary under many aspects, and especially I'M
der that of unparalleled exemption from loss
! oS casualties ar accIdents 'Fbo ooloLo4;ox